NCAA Football: SEC Media Day
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One of the fiercest rivalries in college football history is finally back on the books. With the release of the 2024 SEC opponents list on Wednesday, Texas and Texas A&M will officially resume their longtime gridiron feud next fall once the Longhorns join the SEC (along with Oklahoma), ending a 12-year drought filled with potshots and bickering from both sides without the satisfaction of on-field results to back them up. 

The return of the Lone Star Showdown is arguably the most anticipated matchup in the SEC's 2024 schedule, which will feature a one-year stop-gap of eight conference games and division-less standings; the SEC has been divided into East and West divisions since 1992, when Arkansas and South Carolina joined the league. Moving forward, the top two teams at the end of the regular season will then meet in the SEC Championship Game instead of the winners of the East and West. 

The first matchup between the Longhorns and Aggies as reunited conference foes will take place at Texas A&M's Kyle Field in College Station, Texas. However, it's not yet clear if the two sides will meet on an annual basis since Texas also has a historic rivalry with Oklahoma, which will continue to be played in Dallas at the Cotton Bowl. 

Still, getting Texas and Texas A&M together again is a win for college football. Here's what you should know before the Longhorns and Aggies finally square off again next fall. 

Why did Texas and Texas A&M stop playing?

Both programs were longtime members of the Southwest Conference from 1915-96 before transitioning to the Big 12. But when Texas A&M joined the SEC in 2012, it halted a series played 118 times dating back to 1894. Bringing the rivalry back as a nonconference game was discussed, but nothing ever materialized. Former Texas AD DeLoss Dodds said in 2013 that he was open to playing the Aggies again, but on the Longhorns' terms. The following year, Dodds' successor Steve Patterson said renewing the rivalry "wasn't at the top of his list." 

That didn't stop Texas legislation from drafting Bill 412, which would've "required the state's flagship universities to play a nonconference, regular-season football game against one another on the fourth Thursday, Friday or Saturday of November each year." That bill also stipulated that if one of the schools refused to play the game "that university could not award athletic scholarships" or "similar financial assistance funded by state funds" to students who participate on the school's football team." That bill never got off the ground, however. 

Current Texas AD Chris Del Conte attempted to schedule a home-and-home with Texas A&M in 2022 and 2023, but the Aggies claimed those slates were already filled. In 2020, Del Conte said that the rivalry should be played, likening it to the Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn. 

What's the history of the series?

The first matchup between Texas and Texas A&M took place on Oct. 19, 1894, a 38-0 win for the Longhorns. It wasn't until 1915, however, that the schools began playing annually as members of the Southwest Conference. Texas leads the all-time series 76-37-5 and won the last matchup in 2011. With the Aggies playing their final season in the Big 12 before bolting for the SEC, 'Horns kicker Justin Tucker buried a 40-yard field goal as time expired for a 27-25 win in front of a stunned crowd at Kyle Field. 

What were other pivotal moments in the rivalry?

  • Nov. 28, 1963: President John F. Kennedy, who was scheduled to speak on the Austin, Texas, campus, was assassinated days before the game was played. Many college football games were canceled that week, but not this one. Texas overcame a 13-3 fourth-quarter deficit and scored 12 unanswered points to cap an undefeated regular season.
  • Dec. 1, 1984: This is considered the turning point of the rivalry for the Aggies. After struggling against their arch-rival, Texas A&M delivered a 37-12 statement victory. Texas went on to only beat Texas A&M once during a 10-year span. 
  • Nov. 27, 1998: In a breakout performance, Ricky Williams rushed for 259 yards en route to winning the Heisman Trophy. Despite scoring 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to take a 24-23 lead late, Texas A&M couldn't hold on as Kris Stockton drilled a 24-yard field goal to help Texas win 26-24. 
  • Nov. 25, 1999: The "Bonfire Game." One of Texas A&M's most storied traditions turned tragic when the 59-foot bonfire under construction collapsed, killing 12 people and injuring 27 more. A week later, and in front of more than 86,000 people, Texas A&M upset No. 7 Texas 20-16 in one of the rivalry's most emotional moments. 
  • Nov. 25, 2005: Texas came into the game undefeated with BCS National Championship hopes. Texas A&M led 22-21 at halftime before Texas came roaring back in the second half to win 40-29. The Longhorns then won the Big 12 Championship Game before defeating USC in the BCS national title game.