Photo via HookEm.com
Some of the best sports memories you have were from rivalry games.
Think about it. No matter how successful, or unsuccessful, your high school team may have been in certain sports, you still remember those rivalry games. To do this day, you recall traveling across town, wearing school colors, walking into a hostile stadium or arena, and every spine-tingling minute of that contest. If you were a player, those games meant wearing your letterman jacket around town for a year with pride. If you were a fan, you remember screaming for your team during those games, and the celebration that occurred afterwards as the students from your school gathered at a fast-food restaurant.
When you think about college football, there are historic rivalries that mean so much to the sport we love. Texas and Oklahoma in the Red River Showdown. Alabama and Auburn in the Iron Bowl. Ohio State and Michigan. The beauty of Army and Navy. Notre Dame and USC. Florida State versus Florida and Miami. Clemson and South Carolina in The Palmetto Bowl. Georgia and Georgia Tech. Even the small schools have rivalry games.
However, college football fans have been denied one of the greatest football rivalries since 2011. Each side has given reasonable explanations why this game has not been played again. However, it does not negate the need for this rivalry to be renewed. Pride has played a part. Ego is also to blame. Some fans on both sides will tell you good riddance. Other fans will say bring it on.
College football needs Texas and Texas A&M to renew its rivalry.
Do not immediately jump to the comments and trash the Aggies (plenty of time of that). Save your best sheep jokes for a moment. Hold off on the Aggie Yell memes. Try to refrain from posting your favorite gifs. Yes, I know you hate everything Aggie related, and your coworker who loves Texas A&M is the biggest doofus in the office. I get it.
That being said, college football fans are being denied one of the greatest rivalries in history.
You still remember Ricky Williams rushing for 259 yards against the Aggies in 1998, but the Longhorns holding off your rival in the fourth quarter. There was that 16-6 victory on the road against Texas A&M in 1995. Some of you have memories of great games in the 1960s.
Then there was Justin Tucker’s 40-yard field goal against A&M to end the rivalry in 2011.
This game needs to be played again, and after speaking to multiple sources, the Longhorns are interested in seeing this rivalry renewed. Initially, it might be hard meet annually, but committing to at least one home-and-home series would be a step in the right direction.
We already know Texas Governor Greg Abbott wants to see this game again.
During his State of the State address at the Texas Capitol in February, Abbott said he was inspired by the togetherness and collaboration during the legislative session before adding his thoughts about seeing this rivalry game in the future.
“It seems unprecedented and I got to tell you, I’m feeling it myself. I’m feeling moved,” Abbott said. “And I want to set the example. For example, I’m willing to step up and put aside past differences and work with Lyle Larson to reinstate the rivalry game between the Aggies and the Longhorns.”
If only it were that simple.
When Texas A&M left the Big 12 for the SEC, the Aggies were reportedly interested in keeping its rivalry game against Texas. Nevertheless, former Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds was not, according to multiple reports.
Here is an excerpt from an ESPN story in 2011:
“The Texas-Texas A&M rivalry appears to be over.
“Or, at the very least, suspended.
“Texas athletics director DeLoss Dodds sent an email to his counterpart Bill Byrne at Texas A&M to let him know that Texas' nonconference schedule was full through 2018.
"In my e-mail to Bill Byrne, I wrote that we were not in a position now to look at future football scheduling," Dodds said. "We're scheduled out with nonconference games through 2018 and our Big 12 schedule is not yet settled. What we have right now is a full schedule but if any future options are available, the decision will not be made by just one person."
“Texas A&M will start competing in the Southeastern Conference in 2012.
“Even with that move, Byrne told the Houston Chronicle that Texas A&M has always been open to continuing the 117-year-old rivalry with Texas. But Byrne told the paper that door had been closed by Dodds when he told him Texas' nonconference schedule was full through 2018.”
Texas A&M viewed that move as a slap in the face, according to the conversations I had with multiple people close to that program. Some Aggie leaders and fans are still resentful about Texas’ refusal to continue a rivalry that began in 1894, and they are willing to give a shoulder shrug to the mention of another meeting.
Instead, Texas A&M is content to sell playing in the SEC to recruits and fans, and some associated with the program are not concerned with facing Texas anytime soon.
Oklahoma and Nebraska had the same issue.
That historic rivalry ended once Nebraska left the Big 12 after the 2010 season. However, the Sooners and Cornhuskers agreed to renew their rivalry in Norman on Sept. 18, 2021, play in Lincoln on Sept. 17, 2022, plus will meet in the 2029 and 2030 seasons.
The same common-sense thinking needs to occur with Texas and Texas A&M.
A lot has changed since 2011. Mack Brown and Dodds are no longer at Texas. Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte and coach Tom Herman are in charge, and they want the game.
In fact, Del Conte tried to renew to rivalry in 2018, but the Aggies were unable to make it happen.
Here is what Dallas Morning News columnist Chuck Carlton reported last year:
“In a phone interview Wednesday evening, Texas AD Chris Del Conte confirmed that he did talk with his A&M counterpart while offering further context.
“Things started, Del Conte said, when he got a call from Ohio State shortly after being hired at Texas in December. Texas and Ohio State had scheduled a home-and-home series for 2022 and '23. Suddenly, the Buckeyes had a chance to play Notre Dame, where Ohio State AD Gene Smith had won a national championship as a player.
“Del Conte said he would try to schedule a replacement on his end with no guarantees.
"Again, you have to look at 2023. In football scheduling terms, that's just around the corner," Del Conte said.
“He called Woodward about the opening in in the schedule, trying to a resurrect the historic series last played in 2011, the season before A&M moved to the SEC. Del Conte asked if the Aggies had an opening on the schedule.
"They did not," Del Conte said, noting A&M was playing a home-and-home with Miami (Fla.) those two years. "No sweat off of my back. Fortunately, Alabama did have openings in those two years."
Texas has done a great job of finding quality opponents to fill up DKR in lieu of facing Texas A&M.
Texas will travel to Gainesville to face Florida on Sept. 7, 2030, while the Gators will play in Austin on Sept. 6, 2031. The Longhorn’s two-game series versus LSU will begin in Austin on September 7, followed by a Baton Rouge road game on Baton Rouge on Sept. 12, 2020. Other future matchups include Alabama (2022 and 2023), Michigan (2024 and 2027), Ohio State (2025 and 2026), Georgia (2028 and 2029) and Arizona State in 2032 and 2033.
Let us keep it real.
Texas does not need Texas A&M.
LSU, Alabama, Michigan and Ohio State will be sellout games. Each contest will have national appeal. Having premier opponents on the calendar is a win for Texas.
Regardless, it is not Texas vs. Texas A&M.
I spoke to sources close to Herman this week, and he definitely wants the game. Herman has stated it publicly, but behind-the-scenes, I sense he believes renewing this rivalry is a win for his Longhorn program and fans.
Even though A&M is no longer in the Big 12, that is not an excuse for people associated with the program. They quickly point to Florida-Florida State, Clemson-South Carolina, Iowa-Iowa State, Georgia-Georgia Tech and Notre-USC as non-conference rivals that face each other every year. Texas administrators do not believe a lack of conference affiliation is enough to prevent this game from happening again.
In fact, those close to the Longhorn program eliminated every excuse for not playing this game during multiple conversations this past week.
--- I asked if the game could be played on Thanksgiving Day again and was told that ship probably has sailed. Instead, the Longhorns would prefer to play a tune-up game in week one, Texas A&M in week two, followed by another non-conference opponent before nine consecutive Big 12 games.
--- When I asked about the difficulty of breaking up two football schedules planned years in advance, one source said, “You’re telling me that if A&M and Texas, two of the richest schools in the country, wanted to play each other that we couldn’t buy those contracts out? We could. There’s no doubt in my mind.”
--- People within the Texas program believe not playing a true rival in a home-and-home series is not fair to the fan base. Oklahoma is Texas’ biggest rival on the schedule, but that game is played in Dallas. I was told Florida may face Georgia in Jacksonville, but the Bulldogs have a home-and-home series against Georgia Tech. Obviously, Texas can fill the stadium with LSU or Alabama, but everyone associated within the program would prefer a rivalry game against Texas A&M.
--- Rivals ranked Texas’ recruiting class fourth in 2019, while Texas A&M finished sixth. Texas was ranked fourth in 2018, while Texas A&M finished 16th. However, one source inside the building told me, “We recruit against A&M, but when we beat those guys every year, they won’t be the force they are in recruiting.”
--- Texas may have defeated Texas A&M in the last meeting, and own a 76–37–5 record against its opponent, but nobody currently associated with the program believes that is enough. They want new memories against a program they believe Texas can dominating in the future.
Photo via HookEm.com
If only it were that simple.
Texas A&M can lean on its eight-game SEC schedule and think that is enough. Texas can continue scheduling marquee names and fill its stadium. Each side can continue to act is if there is no benefit to this game. Everybody knows there is a benefit, even if they will not publicly admit it.
I spoke to someone close to the A&M program this past week, and there probably needs to a baby step before both sides decide to jump the broom again.
The easiest way to get this ball rolling is for Texas and Texas A&M to face each other in a bowl game sometime soon. Maybe it is the Sugar Bowl. It could be the Cotton Bowl. Heck, maybe something crazy happens and these programs face each other in a college playoff game.
Sure, Texas A&M was not interested in facing Texas in the Texas Bowl a few years ago, but a postseason game would remind everyone in the country why this rivalry needs to be renewed. If both sides want the game, it might be easier to work together, contrary to believing 118 games in this series is enough.
You read this entire column and still cannot get past your dislike of Texas A&M. Your main thought is “screw that program.” You have a sheep reference that cannot wait. There is no way in hell you ever want to step in the same stadium with Texas A&M fans. Yep, you cannot stand the Aggies.
That is why this game must be played again.
College football needs Texas and Texas A&M to renew its rivalry.
Photo via AP
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Sports On A Dime
1. I feel for the Texas coaching staff. A few weeks ago, Zach Evans announced Texas is not in his top five, and the Longhorns decide to move on. Last week, Evans wanted to take an unofficial visit to Austin. Longhorn fans, this is going to be a long one.
2. That being said, if Arizona running back Bijan Robinson had a great visit and commits soon, Evans will be a luxury.
3. The biggest strength of this staff is their ability to recruit defensive backs. Kitan Crawford is the latest talented defensive back to commit since Herman took over. Considering how wide-open offenses are in the Big 12, Texas is doing one heck of a job recruiting guys who can cover.
4. Big 12 Media Days begin on July 15, and I will not be surprised if Sam Ehlinger is one of the players Herman brings to Arlington. If Ehlinger receives the nod, he will join Shea Morenz, James Brown, Major Applewhite, Chris Simms, Vince Young, Colt McCoy, Garrett Gilbert and David Ash as non-senior quarterbacks who represented Texas at media days.
5. Speaking of Ehlinger, here are a few stats to get you ready for the upcoming season:
6. This is definitely one heck of an achievement (that kick against Oklahoma was pretty darn cool, too)
7. How triggered is Baker Mayfield right now?
8. I said this on Twitter, but let me repeat it here. Jaxson Hayes is a first-round pick in 2019. Mohamed Bamba was selected sixth overall by the Orlando Magic in 2018. Jarrett Allen went 22nd overall to Brooklyn in 2017. Shaka Smart has to win NCAA Tournament games at some point.
9. I viewed Houston as a potential obstacle to Los Angeles after Anthony Davis joined LeBron James, but Denver is probably the L.A.’s biggest hurdle, followed by a bunch of teams that will be competitive, yet, unable to take down James in the playoffs.
10. I will never understand parents who become jerks during youth sporting events. Clearly, this group of jackasses hit the next level of idiocy. They already scarred this group of kids. Let us hope they do not have any more kids to damage in the future.
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