The Golden Hat Trophy
College Football's Most Unique Trophy Since 1941
A 10-gallon bronze hat painted gold. Simple, iconic, and dripping with Texas swagger. The Golden Hat represents one of college football's fiercest rivalries.
History of the Golden Hat
Origins (1941)
The State Fair of Texas donated the trophy in 1941 to recognize the two schools' annual game in Dallas. Originally known as the Bronze Hat, it later became the Golden Hat after being refinished in gold.
The hat is a classic 10-gallon cowboy hat made of bronze and plated in gold. It sits on a wooden base and has been passed between the two schools for over 80 years.
Trophy Specifications
- • Material: Bronze, gold-plated
- • Style: 10-gallon cowboy hat
- • Base: Wooden pedestal
Trophy Facts
- • First Year: 1941, originally known as the Bronze Hat
- • Creator: State Fair of Texas
- • Holder entering the 2026 game: Texas, after its 23-6 win in 2025
- • All-Time Series Through 2025:
Texas: 65 | Oklahoma: 51 | Ties: 5. This is the series record since 1900, not a count of trophy wins.
Post-Game Trophy Ceremony
The Winning Moment
After the final whistle, the Golden Hat is brought onto the field at midfield. The winning team gathers around as their coach or a captain hoists the trophy high above their head.
Players take turns wearing the hat, taking photos, and celebrating with it. The trophy then travels back to the winning campus. Display arrangements and visitor access are managed by the winning school.
When Texas Wins
- • Trophy returns to Texas's football program in Austin
- • Players parade it around Texas locker room
- • Team photos with trophy at Cotton Bowl
- • "Hook 'em Horns" photos with the hat
When Oklahoma Wins
- • OU's Barry Switzer Center houses football trophies and memorabilia
- • Players celebrate with the hat after the game
- • Team photos at midfield in Dallas
- • "Boomer Sooner" celebration with hat
OU has documented the Golden Hat among its Barry Switzer Center exhibits. The university's museum directory identifies the center as its football-history venue. Check with the winning school for current trophy-display access; these sources do not guarantee the hat is available for public viewing or photos.
Memorable Trophy Moments
Texas Retains the Hat (2025)
Texas beat No. 6 Oklahoma 23-6 at the Cotton Bowl on October 11, 2025. Ryan Niblett's 75-yard punt-return touchdown helped the Longhorns retain the Golden Hat for a second straight year.
Colt McCoy's 2008 Victory
Texas beat No. 1 Oklahoma 45-35 in 2008. Colt McCoy passed for 277 yards and a touchdown without an interception, helping the Longhorns take the Golden Hat back after their 2007 loss.
The 2022 Shutout Celebration
Texas won 49-0 in 2022, its first shutout of Oklahoma since 1965. The victory brought the Golden Hat back to Austin after four consecutive Oklahoma wins in the annual Dallas game.
The Trophy's Annual Journey
Game Week
The trophy is brought to Dallas and kept secure until after the game.
Post-Game Ceremony
Presented to the winning team on the field immediately after the game.
Campus Return
Trophy returns to winning school's campus and is displayed prominently in athletic facilities.
Year-Long Display
Shown to recruits, displayed at events, and serves as motivation for next year's team.
Repeat
The cycle begins again the following October.
Fun Facts About the Golden Hat
First Trophy Game
Texas won 40-7 in 1941, the year the State Fair introduced the hat trophy.
Series vs. Trophy History
Texas leads the full series 65-51-5 through 2025. That includes games before the trophy existed and the separate 2018 Big 12 Championship Game, which did not award the Golden Hat.
An Eight-Year Run
Texas won eight straight annual meetings from 1958 through 1965. Its other eight-game series streak, 1940-1947, began one year before the trophy was introduced.
Earned in Dallas
The Golden Hat belongs to the winner of the annual regular-season rivalry game. A later conference championship meeting does not transfer it.
One Dallas game. One Golden Hat.
The winning team brings the trophy home.
Read Oklahoma's history of the trophy, Texas's 2025 game recap, and the full series history.
See the Golden Hat Presented in 2026
Be there when the next chapter is written