The State of Texas has abandoned holding the Texas State Fair in Dallas this year because of the Chinese coronavirus pandemic.

How will that affect the annual Cotton Bowl game between Oklahoma and Texas?

So far, the word from OU and UT is that the game is going to be played, probably in the Cotton Bowl at the Fairgrounds and probably on the second Saturday in October (Oct. 10).

Athletic directors Chris Del Conte of Texas and Joe Castiglione of Oklahoma both said canceling the fair won’t stop the game.

“We understand and respect the decision made by the State Fair of Texas and acknowledge that it was an extremely difficult one,” Castiglione said in a statement. “Our hope remains that we can play the OU-Texas game at the Cotton Bowl, but obviously every aspect of our season requires constant monitoring and planning. The best thing all of us can do at this time is closely follow CDC guidelines to reduce the spread of the virus.”

There are other possibilities. The game could be shifted to Norman, OU’s home, or Austin, UT’s home. That would cut the travel for the teams in half and might be safer. The game could be played without fans but that is doubtful because it is one of the most storied and popular rivalries in the nation. And the game could be pushed back on the schedule in hopes the coronarvirus pandemic will subside.

“While we are heartbroken at the notion of not welcoming more than 2.5 million of our closest friends for this annual celebration of the Lone Star State, the excitement we feel in moving forward with planning the 2021 State Fair of Texas and keeping this 134-year tradition alive will keep us motivated until we can greet our fairgoers, seasonal staff, and business partners again in a safe environment,’” said Mitchell Glieber, president of the State Fair of Texas.

This will be the first time since World War II that the State Fair of Texas has not opened. The State Fair of Texas has previously canceled Fairs because of World War I (1918), planning for the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition and 1937 Pan American Exposition at Fair Park (1935 – 1937), and World War II (1942 – 1945).

“This was an extremely tough decision. The health and safety of all involved has remained our top priority throughout the decision-making process,” said Gina Norris, board chair for the State Fair of Texas, in a statement. The cancellation comes as COVID-19 cases continue to spike across Texas. There have been over 200,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus so far in the Lone Star State with more than 8,000 new cases being reported on July 1 and July 4. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently mandated that citizens wear face masks in public to help slow the spread of the disease.