Welcoming Texas fans to Lexington for their Longhorn takeover

For the first time ever, the Texas Longhorns are coming to Lexington, Kentucky, for a football game. Yes, the University of Texas, the school that acts like it invented football and starts a Manning at quarterback in 2025. They’re coming to our grocery store, right in the heart of horse country, where Texas fans have never seen anything like tens of thousands of Kentucky fans fueled by bourbon and equal parts hope and frustration.

The scene may not match the 100,000 in Austin on Saturdays or the glitz of Jerry World, and sure, morale may be low around the program. But Lexington’s weekend energy won’t be. Between Keeneland and a primetime kickoff under the lights, this is the kind of doubleheader that makes Kentucky football special, even when the record isn’t.

So join me in welcoming our new friends from Texas to the Bluegrass with a few things they should know before they arrive. It’s the least we can do after they were so hospitable to us in Austin last year. (Scholz Garten was a great time.)

Keeneland Doubleheader

With Keeneland’s fall meet running this weekend, Texas fans can make an entire Bluegrass doubleheader out of it. Early-arrivers should do Friday, but the opportunity is there for the true doubleheader on Saturday. Sunday is also an option and will be much less crowded.

Whenever you go, spend a few hours trackside surrounded by big hats, old money, and drunk college kids. Grab a burgoo, lose a trifecta, and you’ll still be a winner on the day. That’s the magic of Keeneland. Just remember, the real test comes after the last race when you have to find your car or an Uber.

Still, enjoy Keeneland while you’re in town. We’re proud of it.

Lexington Quirks

Lexington is a beautiful city, but we throw a few curves at our guests. For instance, New Circle Road looks simple on a map, but it isn’t. What starts as a quick trip to the store can turn into an hour-long lap around town before you realize you’ve seen the same strip club twice. Add a lane closure or two for construction (more coming!), and you’ll really regret renting that car at the airport.

Downtown and campus have one-way streets that seem to change direction while you’re on them. You’ll swear the road you just came down was two-way a moment ago. It might have been. No one really knows.

Oh, and while you’re out by Keeneland, you may notice a full-sized medieval castle sitting quietly along Versailles Road. Yes, a castle. It’s been there forever. You should go check it out.

Speaking of Versailles Road, we should clear something up before you embarrass yourself at dinner. It’s pronounced “Ver-SALES,” not the French way. Say it wrong and someone will correct you before you finish your sentence.

And while most of Kentucky says “y’all,” that shouldn’t be much of a challenge for anyone from Texas. You’ll fit right in as long as you can survive the traffic, the construction, and a castle that no one here finds unusual.

Basketball?

Yes, there is basketball to take in on Friday night, if you’re interested. Rupp Arena hosts the Blue-White Game, an intrasquad scrimmage between The Greatest Tradition In College Basketball. You can check out Mark Pope’s new top-10 team, or just check out the digs before Texas comes to Rupp on January 21.

Food and Drink

If you’re eating your way around Lexington this weekend, you won’t have a hard time finding a good spot. Start with KSBar, the place to be on Kentucky football weekends. The KSR Pregame Show goes live at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, and the crowd will fill in long before that. It’s only a few minutes from Kroger Field and feels like the center of Big Blue Nation before every home game. Grab a seat if you can, order the wings, and take in the scene. We’ll let you wear burnt orange in there if you act like your mama raised you right.

From there, the options are endless. Downtown, the hits include higher-end steakhouses like Jeff Ruby’s and Tony’s, along with many other favorites from Carson’s, ItalX, Buddha Lounge, 3TEN, and Dudley’s. The new V at The Vine just opened up, too.

When it’s time for a drink, Lexington has more than you need in that department. Head to the Pavilion downtown and walk in any direction if you want to sample Kentucky’s best without leaving downtown. The Distillery District is another area with several options, while Country Boy, West 6th, and Mirror Twin are great breweries for local beer when you need a break from the bourbon.

If you’re looking for something that reminds Austin folks of home, wait until you notice the taco trucks. Lexington has them on every corner, and by Sunday, you’ll have a favorite just like you do back home.

And now for the main event. Saturday night under the lights at Kroger Field, it’s Kentucky and Texas, two teams that can’t afford another loss for completely different reasons.

Texas rolls into town fresh off a huge win over Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry, a statement that put the Longhorns back into the Top 25 and the CFP race. Lose here, and both vanish.

Kentucky, meanwhile, is on the other side of the mountain. Mark Stoops’ team has dropped nine straight SEC home games, and the fan base is restless. Excitement is low, patience is thin, and a Texas takeover is expected in the stands. It’s homecoming weekend, but it may feel like Austin North if the Longhorns travel like they usually do.

Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m., and it’ll be a scene. Cutter Boley gets his first SEC home start against one of the most talented defenses in the country. For the Wildcats, this is about pride, about proving the season still matters and silencing the critics. For Texas, it’s survival and staying in the national picture.

Welcome, Y’all

So welcome to Lexington, Texas fans. You picked a good weekend to visit. The horses are running, the bourbon is flowing, the basketball is on display, and Kroger Field will shine a little brighter than the record suggests.

We’ll trade the usual smack talk for some southern hospitality because you’re chasing playoff dreams, and we’re a mess. Just remember, whether Kentucky pulls the upset or not, you’ll wake up Sunday morning with the same thought every visitor leaves with: Lexington knows how to do a weekend. Yours happens to be one of the biggest of the year.