Last weekend, two sets of eyes watched over the magic happening in the Longhorns’ win over Oklahoma University: the eyes of Texas, and the eyes of the Texas State Fair’s Big Tex.

To many students, the Red River Rivalry is a moment of great tension and ideally celebration, but to Tanya Kalidindi, visiting for her second and last time as a senior, the rivalry provided a reminder of what makes Texas football special to her: the community.

“Obviously, you come with a few of your friends, but you don’t know the people sitting next to you,” said Kalidindi, a management information systems student. “It’s nice to see us all kind of connecting, even with students we don’t really know, because we’re all there for the game.”

Kalidindi said Texas’ social culture bleeds through to the game and the events around it, something she missed while studying abroad last semester. 

“This is a very social state,” Kalidindi said. “I can just talk to anyone randomly, and I can have a whole conversation with them. I think that really comes out at the State Fair.”

She also said this level of community extended beyond just the UT student section. From conversations with strangers about fried-pickle pizza to advice on which gate got them into the game quickest, Kalidindi said most people were kind and helpful.

“Even the OU people were talking,” Kalidindi said. “They were giving us tips on how to see the game the best and things like that. After the game, I think they were just very salty.”

According to management information systems senior Reeba Abraham, that turning point occurred when kick returner Ryan Niblett caught an Oklahoma University punt and weaved his way into the end zone for a 75-yard touchdown, bringing the Longhorns securely in the lead 20 to 6. Abraham said the crowd came alive at that moment.

“We had beer thrown on us throughout the whole game, and we were not even mad about it,” Abraham said. “When we left the game, people were doing the Texas Fight chant and OU sucks.”

Kalidindi’s friend, Apoorva Gobburu, said not only did the chants help fans’ confidence in the moment, but it rewrote the anxious mood surrounding the fair before the game.

“It’s definitely a confidence thing,” said Gobburu, a management information systems senior. “Once (the UT team does) one thing that’s good, that energy feeds off on each other, and I felt that in the student section too.”

From deep-fried food to big rides, the State Fair complements the experience of attending the game. But to Abraham, Gobburu and Kalidindi, the Texas community represents something special and is something they hope to bring with them as they begin their lives after college.

“I know I definitely want to come again post-grad,” Kalidindi said. “It was nice to have one more time.”