The Texas-Texas A&M rivalry pits the Texas Longhorns against the Texas A&M Aggies in one of college football’s longest running matchups.
Known as the Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown, the rivalry is the third longest in college football history and epitomizes the spirit of Texas football. It’s even been memorialized in popular culture with a special edition Wheaties box.
Texas A&M and Texas are relatively close – for Texas standards, at least – at just a four-hour drive away, keeping the competitive fire burning year-round for both fan bases.
As we head into the 2025 season, let’s look back at the historic matchup.
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The Rivalry’s Legendary History
The series began back in 1894, and for decades it was often a back-and-forth battle. That changed in 1939 when Texas took over, dominating with a record of 27-7-1 from the 40s to the early 80s.
From 1984 to 1991, though, Texas A&M got a little bit of revenge, winning 10 of the 11 matchups during that stretch. But since 1994, Texas has won 12 of the last 17 games, reasserting their dominance in the series.
This legendary series was played every year from 1915 to 2011, until Texas A&M left the Big 12 Conference to join the Southeastern Conference as part of the 2010-2014 NCAA conference realignment. Texas leads the all-time series 76-37-5.
A Decade of Dormancy
In July 2011, Texas A&M elected to join the SEC beginning in 2012. Switching conferences meant that the Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown was ending, at least temporarily. Their 2011 game was one of the most exciting matchups with Texas winning on a field goal as time expired in College Station.
For the next 11 years, the rivalry went dark.
The loss of the rivalry was deeply felt by both fan bases.
A Texas state legislator filed a bill in January 2013 that would require the teams to play each other every year. The bill was referred to the house committee on higher education but went nowhere. Still, elected officials are trying to pass legislation over this rivalry. It’s a big deal.
Other attempts to bring the series back fell short, despite overwhelming fan support. In surveys between Texas and Texas A&M students, 90% of Texas students said they would be in favor of bringing back the game. In February 2019, 88% of Texas A&M students voted yes when asked about bringing back the rivalry as a nonconference matchup.
In December 2017, Chris Del Conte, the new athletic director at the University of Texas, called Texas A&M athletic director Scott Woodward to try and schedule a home-and-home series but was denied. In 2018, yet another elected official proposed a bill requiring the two teams to play each other every year. The bill gained support from the Texas governor but eventually died in committee.
The Rivalry Renewed
Finally, in 2024, the rivalry returned. Texas left the Big 12 Conference for the SEC themselves, and the two teams played their first game against one another in over a decade during the 2024 season. Texas won 17-7, picking up right where they left off.
The game will once again be played annually as part of the SEC’s Rivalry Week.
Lyrical Loathing
This rivalry runs deeper than just football; it gets musical.
Both schools mention the other in their fight songs. In the Texas fight song, there’s a line that says: “And it’s goodbye to A&M.” The author, Colonel Walter S. Honeycutt wrote, “Texas Fight” as a retort to A&M taunts and yells that he claimed ridiculed “The Eyes of Texas.”
Meanwhile, A&M student J.V. “Pinky” Wilson wrote the “Aggie War Hymn” with “goodbye to Texas University” mentioned twice in the second verse. It specifically says, “so long to the orange and white,” and references “The Eyes of Texas are upon you,” sometimes followed by “sounds like hell.”
Venues Fit for a Rivalry
The home stadiums of each team have also been influential in fueling the tension of this rivalry game for almost 100 years.
The infamous Kyle Field at College Station has been the home of the Aggies since 1927 and earned the nickname “The 12th Man” for the disruptive impact the crowd volume had on visiting teams. It’s the fourth-largest stadium in the NCAA and in 2014 broke an SEC attendance record with 100,633 fans attending.
The University of Texas at Austin has called Darrell K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium (capacity 100,119) home since 1924.
Looking Ahead: 2025 Meeting
Texas and Texas A&M are scheduled to play on November 28, 2025, in Austin. After more than a decade apart, this renewed rivalry promises to deliver the same intensity and passion that made it one of college football’s greatest matchups. Fans can tune into the historical game live on ABC.
The return of this historic rivalry adds another compelling storyline to the SEC. Texas is likely to be one of the top teams in the country and is led by Heisman candidate Arch Manning.
Where to Watch Texas Longhorns Games
NCAA college football is televised across numerous channels, depending on what conference your favorite team falls under. Where you’ll be able to watch games all season also depends on where you live. Below is a breakdown of the biggest CFB conferences and the networks they partner with to bring you games live.
You can find Texas games on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3 and ESPN Select.
- ACC: ABC, CW, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3, ESPN Select
- American: ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3, ESPN Select, CBS
- Big Ten:FOX, FS1, FOX Deportes, Fox One, CBS, Paramount+, NBC, Peacock, Big Ten Network
- Big 12: FOX, FS1, FOX Deportes, Fox One, ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNU, ESPN3, ESPN Select
- Ivy League: ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3, ESPN Select
- Mid-American: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3,ESPN Select, CBS Sports Network
- Missouri Valley: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3, ESPN Select
- Mountain West: FOX, FS1, Fox One, CBS, CBS Sports Network, Paramount+
- Pac-12: CBS, Paramount+, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3, ESPN Select, CW
- SEC: ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3, ESPN Select
- Sun Belt: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3, ESPN Select
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the rivalry between Texas and A&M?
The rivalry between Texas and Texas A&M is one of college football's most historic. It began in 1894 and features historic stadiums and passionate fan bases on both sides.
Why did the Texas vs Texas A&M rivalry end?
The Texas vs Texas A&M rivalry was paused for 11 years when Texas A&M left the Big 12 Conference to join the Southeastern Conference. When Texas joined the SEC in 2024, the rivalry returned and is now poised to be an annual event once again.
What is the Texas A&M vs Texas rivalry called?
The rivalry between Texas A&M and Texas is known as the Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown. A nod to two of Texas's legendary programs.
Who are Texas A&M's biggest rivals?
Texas A&M's biggest rival is the Texas Longhorns.
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