It’s been 13 years since these two schools last met on the football field. Since Justin Tucker’s kick sailed through the uprights in College Station, absolutely no love, or maybe hatred, has been lost between Texas and Texas A&M.
The rest of the Southeastern Conference schools almost unanimously voted for Texas and Oklahoma to move to the SEC. Texas A&M didn’t initially vote for Texas, but changed its mind once they learned the Lone Star Showdown would return to Kyle Field for the first time as an SEC matchup.
Finally, after Texas’ and Oklahoma’s move to the SEC was announced in 2021, it is time for the Lone Star Showdown’s return. And the game couldn’t have more hype. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian knows how much this rivalry means to everyone.
“Well, it’s a great game,” Sarkisian said. “It’s a game, like I said, that divides households and one that our players are way more excited for than most fans would probably (be) because we haven’t played the game in a while.”
Sarkisian is right, the players are more excited than ever. His quarterback, junior Quinn Ewers, is one of them. Ewers, like many, grew up a Longhorns fan. Though the rivalry ended when he was young, his family made sure he knew the importance of the game.
“I think I was 8 (for the last game), but hearing stories from my family and my dad, my dad actually said he believed growing up that the Texas A&M game was bigger than the Red Rivalry game,” Ewers said. “I’m excited to have that game back and it’s going to be cool, especially going to Kyle Field Thanksgiving weekend and that place is going to be rockin’. We’re all fired up for it.”
Ewers has played on the biggest stages and won big games. But this will be a new challenge. Kyle Field is the largest stadium in the SEC and is known to be one of the loudest in the country.
As expected, Texas will need to bring its A-game to College Station on Nov. 30. Though Texas has already played one rivalry game this year, the Texas and Texas A&M rivalry is more personal for some. It’s an in-state rivalry and many players on each team grew up together.
“The majority of the players on our two rosters probably went on visits together at, if not one school, both schools, and one guy chose Texas and one guy chose A&M,” Sarkisian said.
In Texas’ first season in the SEC, Texas A&M fans have been quick to criticize Texas for its performance, especially after the loss to Georgia. Texas has held bragging rights over Texas A&M’s head for 13 years, but now there will be a real space for the two teams to hash it out — the gridiron, specifically Kyle Field.
On Nov. 30, neither team’s prior history will matter. When the ball is kicked off in the rivalry, the Longhorns and Aggies will spend the next 60 minutes fighting for bragging rights and maybe more.
