Texas faces Ohio State in Austin on ABC Saturday

Week 2 brings Ohio State into Austin for Saturday, Sept. 12. The game starts at 6:30 PM CT at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. ABC will carry the broadcast. Fans of Texas have lived through this matchup twice before and they are not happy about the results. Ohio State sent the Longhorns home early in the Cotton Bowl semifinal last season, winning 28-14 on their path to the national title. The Buckeyes then defeated them again, 14-7, during the opener of the previous year.

Now the preseason No. 1 team in Austin faces the No. 5 Longhorns for this latest chapter. College GameDay will set up on campus. The kickoff happens primetime on ABC. Arch Manning finally gets his chance at a home rematch. Whether Texas pulls out a better result or not, you have all day to calm your nerves before lights-out.

Austin rarely needs an excuse to get outside. A 6:30 PM kick means a full day remains before the stadium brightens. From paddling downtown to ziplining over Lake Travis, here are spots within an hour of DKR. You need gear for grilling, watching the game, and staying warm.

Mid-September in Austin stays hot with highs usually in the low-to-mid 90s. Do physical tasks or anything exposed early in the morning. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

Lady Bird Lake offers paddleboarding and kayaking. The Rowing Dock or Austin Paddle Shack lets you rent for about $20-30 an hour. You are under ten minutes from DKR. Glide on calm water where motors are banned. Downtown forms your backdrop. Go under the Congress Avenue Bridge to see the famous bat colony.

Barton Springs Pool sits inside Zilker Park just 10 minutes away. Entry runs roughly $5-9. This spring-fed pool stays at a constant 68 degrees year-round, even when it burns outside. It is the single best way to beat the heat on a 90-plus-degree gameday. Expect a crowd because this is an Austin institution. The line is worth it.

Mount Bonnell in Covert Park takes about 15 minutes from DKR. This spot costs nothing. A steep but short climb of around 100 stairs leads to a stunning overlook of the Colorado River, Lake Austin and the city skyline. There is essentially no shade at the top. Go for a morning or evening stop, not one at 2 p.m.

Barton Creek Greenbelt sits 15-20 minutes from DKR. It is free. This area serves as Austin's default answer for hiking and mountain biking. You 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 20 minutes from DKR. Entry costs roughly $6. Somehow this feels like a different state entirely despite being just 20 minutes from downtown. Onion Creek's Upper and Lower Falls offer swimming holes and hiking trails that make you forget 100,000 people are packing into the stadium nearby.

Lake Travis Zipline Adventures runs 25-35 minutes from DKR. The full tour costs $135 per person. This is the splurge pick. Five ziplines stretch over roughly three hours. You get Texas's longest line plus 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 money, this is it.

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