Dormant for 13 years, Texas and Texas A&M face off with hate and respect still part of rivalry


Dormant for 13 years, Texas and Texas A&M face off with hate and respect still part of rivalry

Published 29 November 2024 The rivalry had a perfect ending, but only for half of the parties involved: In late November 2011, what was assumed to be the last meeting in series history between Texas and Texas A&M ended with Justin Tucker’s 40-yard field goal attempt splitting the uprights as time expired to hand the Longhorns the 27-25 win. This was it for the Aggies, who were set to leave the Big 12 for the SEC the following summer, chasing the riches afforded in that new conference and, most crucially, the chance to escape the Longhorns’ long shadow. Well, so long, partner, Texas said. The Longhorns’ win had gone down as one of the most brutal sendoffs in college sports history, a final noogie and wedgie from the bullying big brother who had largely dominated the series from inception to expected conclusion. “We knew the stakes at the time, that we would have a chance to send Texas A&M off to the SEC with a sour taste in their mouth, and we did exactly that,” Tucker said this week. “We knew for the foreseeable future that it was going to be the last matchup. So to be on the winning side of that was a special moment for anybody that cared about Texas football.” Welcome back to a rivalry renewed. Thirteen years after the No. 19 Aggies’ split, the two programs were brought back together this past summer with the No. 3 Longhorns’ arrival in the SEC. With epic bragging rights on the line, the series officially restarts on Saturday night with the bonus of immense regional and national stakes.