Never in the history of college football has there been a more storied rivalry than the one that came down every Thanksgiving in the heart of Texas….than the annual game between the Texas Longhorns versas the Texas A & M Aggies…as it didn’t matter whether the game was played in Austin (UT) or Bryan College Station (A&M)….or whether one team was more talented than the other coming into the game….it was always a war unlike any other….even during the halftime show….when the 350 strong Showband of the Southwest with Big Bertha, the largest bass drum ever used on a football field….would do battle with the awesome 400 strong precision marching corp of cadets of the Fighting Texas Aggie Band.
The first meeting between these two Texas football powerhouses was in 1894. By 1911, Texas led the series 15–4–2….as the series went back and forth until 1939…. but Texas still led 27–15–4….then after that, Texas went 36–7–1….but A&M then won 10 of the next 11 games in the series. Texas then won 12 of the last 17 games in the rivalry….which lasted through 118 battles on the gridiron.
In July 2011, A&M elected to join the Southeastern Conference beginning in 2012….in a move to switch conferences that resulted in the ending of this historic rivalry. On November 24, 2011, Texas faced A&M in College Station in the final scheduled meeting of the rivalry. Texas won 27–25 on a field goal as time expired….a fitting ending to this historic Texas football rivalry….as the Texas Longhorns would hold a 76 – 37 – 5 all time record over the A & M Aggies.
This 1982 SWC game featured Texas coach Fred Akers and Aggies coach Jackie Sherrill….as this 1st half would end in a 3 – 3 tie….for the Longhorns would dominate the 2nd half and win the game 56 – 16….as this 1st half was typical of when the Horns and Aggie would do battle….hard nosed football on every play.
