SEC · Austin, TX
SEC · College Station, TX
The Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown returns to Kyle Field on Black Friday for one of the most anticipated games of the college football season. Two Texas programs, one shared history dating to 1894, and a stadium that holds over 102,000. Xenia handles everything for fans coming from both sides.
2026 Lone Star Showdown at a Glance
🏆 The Lone Star Showdown
The Lone Star Showdown is the oldest college football rivalry in Texas, dating back to 1894 — the very first intercollegiate football game ever played in the state. After a 13-year pause when A&M left the Big 12, the series resumed in 2024 with both programs reunited in the SEC. The 2024 renewal at Kyle Field drew 109,028 fans and 9.5 million television viewers — the most-watched Lone Star Showdown in the history of the rivalry. Texas has won the last three meetings.
How Xenia Can Help
Austin-based — we serve fans from both sides of this rivalry
🏟️ Kyle Field — The Home of the 12th Man
Kyle Field is the largest stadium in the Southeastern Conference and the fourth-largest in all of college football, with a capacity of 102,733. Built on land donated by Edwin Jackson Kyle in 1904 and reconstructed in a $485 million redevelopment completed in 2015, it is one of the most intimidating road environments in American sports. The 12th Man tradition — the entire student section standing for the full game — is unlike anything else in college football. For the Lone Star Showdown, Kyle Field turns into a sea of maroon on one side and burnt orange on the other.
Your Game Day Experience
Whether you bleed burnt orange or maroon — Xenia has you covered
🧡 Texas Longhorns Fans
- Longhorn fans seated in the Texas visitor allocation — away end of Kyle Field
- Texas leads the all-time series 78–37–5
- Longhorns have won the last three meetings (2024, 2025, and the 2011 finale)
- Austin to College Station is ~100 miles — a long but manageable drive
- Flying in? Houston IAH is closest major hub (90 min to campus)
- Hook 'Em loud — Kyle Field crowd will do its best to drown you out
- Road win here would lock up the SEC West for Texas
❤️ Texas A&M Aggies Fans
- Home game — A&M has full Kyle Field at its back
- 12th Man tradition: entire student section stands the full 60 minutes
- Midnight Yell practice the night before — a unique A&M tradition
- The Aggies are looking to end a three-game losing streak in this series
- Coach Mike Elko enters 2026 off an 11-win season and CFP appearance
- Maroon Out — the whole stadium dresses in maroon on big game days
- Black Friday has been the traditional kickoff window since 1996
🏈 Black Friday Football: A Texas Tradition
The Lone Star Showdown has been played on or near Thanksgiving since 1896 — making it one of the oldest Thanksgiving rivalry traditions in the country. From 1996 through 2011, it was consistently scheduled on the Friday after Thanksgiving before A&M's departure for the SEC. Now back in the same conference, the Black Friday tradition is restored. Plan your Thanksgiving week around the trip — most fans make it a Thursday-through-Saturday experience in College Station or the surrounding Bryan area.
College Station Game Weekend Guide
Everything you need to know for a Lone Star Showdown trip
✈️ Getting to College Station
- Easterwood Airport (CLL) — on-campus, small regional airport
- Houston Bush Intercontinental (IAH) — 90 min drive, most flight options
- Austin-Bergstrom (AUS) — 100 miles, easy 90-min drive for Longhorn fans
- Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) — 3 hours, good option for North Texas fans
- Book flights early — Thanksgiving weekend travel is peak demand
🏨 Where to Stay
- College Station — closest to Kyle Field, books out months ahead
- Bryan — adjacent city with additional hotel inventory, 10 min to campus
- The Stella Hotel — boutique property in Aggieland, popular for game weekends
- Consider booking Thu–Sat for the full Thanksgiving weekend experience
- Xenia secures hotel blocks early for large groups and individual travelers
🤘 For Longhorn Fans Traveling to Kyle
- Austin to College Station: ~100 miles via TX-21 E or US-290 E to TX-6
- Rideshare from campus area is available but limited on rivalry weekend
- Arrive early — Kyle Field fills from multiple directions at once
- Expect a hostile crowd — Kyle Field is one of the loudest in the country
- Texas leads 26-22-2 all-time at Kyle Field — road wins are very possible
🍖 Dining in College Station
- Freebird's World Burrito — Aggieland staple, perfect pre-game
- LaBamba's, Fuego, and Torchy's Tacos for Tex-Mex options
- Harvest — upscale dining for Thanksgiving weekend dinners
- Northgate district — bars and restaurants just north of campus
- Black Friday dining books fast — let Xenia handle reservations in advance
🏟️ Kyle Field Entry & Gameday
- Clear bag policy strictly enforced — no exceptions on rivalry weekend
- Mobile tickets required — no paper entry
- Parking fills by 2–3 hours before kickoff — arrive early or pre-arrange transport
- Gates open approximately 2 hours before kickoff
- Midnight Yell (Thursday night before) is open to all fans — worth attending
📅 Planning Your Trip
- Arrive Thursday for Thanksgiving and the Midnight Yell tradition
- Game day Friday — Black Friday energy unlike anything else in college football
- Saturday departure or extended stay in Austin or Houston
- Book all components immediately — this is the most in-demand game of the season
- Contact Xenia to bundle tickets, hotel, and transport in a single package
What Our Clients Say
Ready for the 2026 Lone Star Showdown?
Black Friday at Kyle Field — the oldest rivalry in Texas football, now an SEC showdown, with 102,000 fans and the entire Thanksgiving weekend as backdrop. Tickets and College Station hotels go fast. Contact us now for a custom package built for your group, whether you bleed burnt orange or maroon.