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    Texas Bowl Tickets

    Dec. 31, 2026 · NRG Stadium, Houston · Big 12 vs. SEC

    A Big 12 vs. SEC bowl under the retractable roof of NRG Stadium, with drive-in crowds from across Texas and the Gulf South.

    By the Good Seats editorial teamUpdated How we research

    Upcoming Texas Bowl dates

    Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.

    What the Texas Bowl is and how teams are chosen

    The Texas Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at NRG Stadium in Houston, matching a team from the Big 12 Conference against a team from the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The 2026 game is listed for Thursday, December 31, 2026, in the evening on ESPN; confirm the kickoff time once the bowl announces the matchup. Since 2024 it has been called the Kinder's Texas Bowl, after the maker of barbecue sauces and seasonings.

    Teams arrive through conference tie-ins (contracts that reserve a bowl slot for each conference's teams). The bowl does not pick the top teams from either league, which go to the College Football Playoff and higher-tier bowls, but the SEC side often brings a program with a large following within driving distance of Houston. Tie-ins are renegotiated in multi-year cycles, so treat the Big 12 vs. SEC pairing as current rather than permanent.

    ESPN Events, the bowl division of ESPN, owns and operates the game, and Lone Star Sports & Entertainment manages it locally. The bowl lists DePelchin Children's Center, a Houston child welfare charity, as a community partner.

    NRG Stadium and where to sit

    NRG Stadium opened in 2002 as the home of the NFL's Houston Texans and was the first NFL stadium with a retractable roof, two panels that part at the 50-yard line. It seats about 72,000 for football and can expand to about 80,000. It is part of Reliant Park, the complex that also holds the Astrodome and hosts the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. For a December bowl the roof and climate control remove weather from the equation.

    Seating runs in three main tiers: the 100 level (the lower bowl), the 300 level (a middle tier that includes club seating; the building has more than 7,000 club seats) and the 500 level (the upper deck), with suites in between and at the top.

    Seat judgment for this game

    • 100-level sideline seats between the 20-yard lines are the best seats and the first to draw demand when the SEC team travels well.
    • Rows in the middle of the lower bowl usually see the field better than the first rows, which look up from behind the team benches.
    • 300-level sideline seats give a clean, higher view and club amenities, a strong choice for following the whole field.
    • Temporary end zone rows on the lower level (folding chairs set in front of the permanent seats) are the weakest lower-level seats, low and flat with a poor angle.
    • The upper 500 level is the budget option. Sideline seats there beat upper end zone seats by a wide margin.

    How demand for Texas Bowl tickets works

    Ticket demand turns on who plays, and the matchup is not set until early December. A few patterns hold:

    • Proximity drives crowds. Texas and Louisiana schools fill NRG Stadium; the record crowd of 71,307 saw LSU play Texas Tech in the game after the 2015 season, and the 2025 game between Houston and LSU drew 63,867.
    • The SEC side usually sets the tone. A Southeastern Conference program with a big fan base pushes demand for lower-level sideline seats within days.
    • The date matters. The game has moved around the late-December and early-January window, and a New Year's Eve slot competes with holiday plans and other events in Houston.

    The Houston Texans run a priority ticket list for the bowl. On the resale market, prices for lower-level sideline seats tend to rise right after the matchup announcement, while upper-level seats often ease as kickoff nears if one school travels lightly. Every GoodSeats order is backed by a 100% guarantee.

    Getting to NRG Stadium

    NRG Stadium sits at Reliant Park, 8400 Kirby Drive, south of downtown near Loop 610. The simplest option for many visitors is light rail.

    • METRORail: The Red Line runs from downtown through Midtown and the Texas Medical Center to the Stadium Park/Astrodome station beside Reliant Park.
    • Parking: Reliant Park's surface lots are color-coded and surround the stadium. Lots for big events fill early, and exiting after the game can take a long time.
    • Rideshare: Expect heavy congestion on Kirby Drive and Fannin Street after the game; walking to a pickup point away from the stadium often saves time.

    Reliant Park follows the NFL-style clear-bag standard: one clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bag up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches, a one-gallon clear storage bag, or a small clutch. The venue has also posted a no re-entry policy. Policies are set event by event, so check the bowl's know-before-you-go page for the current rules before you go.

    History, sponsors and notable games

    The Texas Bowl began in 2006 and continues Houston's bowl tradition, following the Bluebonnet Bowl (1959–1987) and the Houston Bowl (2000–2005). In the first edition, Rutgers beat Kansas State 37–10. The 2020 game was canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The name has changed with its sponsors:

    • Texas Bowl from 2006 to 2010 and again in 2013.
    • Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas in 2011 and 2012.
    • AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl from 2014 to 2016.
    • Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl from 2017 to 2019.
    • Mercari Texas Bowl in 2020, the canceled year.
    • TaxAct Texas Bowl from 2021 to 2023.
    • Kinder's Texas Bowl from 2024 to the present.

    The 2025 game was a hometown win for Houston, which beat LSU 38–35 behind four touchdown passes from quarterback Conner Weigman.

    Travel tips for bowl week in Houston

    Houston is spread out, so where you stay shapes the trip. Hotels along the Red Line, downtown, in Midtown or near the Medical Center, let you reach the stadium without a car. Hotels near Reliant Park are the closest walk but fill early once a large fan base is confirmed.

    • Arrive early if you are driving; lots open well before kickoff and traffic on Loop 610 and Kirby Drive builds in the last hour.
    • Plan for holiday crowds if the game falls near New Year's Eve, when downtown events compete for rides and restaurant tables.
    • Check the bowl's fan schedule in December for team events and pregame activities, which are announced closer to the game.

    Frequently asked questions

    When is the 2026 Texas Bowl?

    The 2026 Kinder's Texas Bowl is listed for Thursday, December 31, 2026, at NRG Stadium in Houston, in an evening slot on ESPN. Confirm the kickoff time when the matchup is announced.

    Which conferences play in the Texas Bowl?

    The current tie-ins match a Big 12 team against an SEC team. Tie-ins are renegotiated every few years, so the pairing can change.

    Does NRG Stadium have a roof?

    Yes. NRG Stadium has a retractable roof and climate control, so weather does not affect the game or your seat.

    How do you get to the Texas Bowl without driving?

    Take the METRORail Red Line to the Stadium Park/Astrodome station, which sits beside Reliant Park. The line serves downtown, Midtown and the Texas Medical Center.

    What was the largest Texas Bowl crowd?

    The record is 71,307, set when LSU played Texas Tech in the game following the 2015 season.

    Who runs the Texas Bowl?

    ESPN Events owns and operates the bowl, with Lone Star Sports & Entertainment managing it locally in Houston.

    Sources