College Football Rivalries: Texas vs Texas A&M

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 Lone Star Showdown, the rivalry is one of the longest running 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 just a two-hour drive away, keeping the competitive fire burning year-round for both fan bases.

As the 2026 season heats up, let’s look at where these teams currently stand and how they got here.

When Is Texas vs. Texas A&M in 2026?

The Texas Longhorns visit the Texas A&M Aggies on Friday, Nov. 27, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. ET at Kyle Field in College Station. The game airs on ABC.

• Date: Friday, Nov. 27, 2026
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Kyle Field, College Station, Texas
• TV: ABC
• Last meeting: Texas won [27-17] in Austin in 2025
• All-time series: Texas leads [78-37-5]

Both programs entered 2026 with playoff expectations, but their seasons have taken different paths through September. Texas climbed from No. 5 in the preseason AP poll to No. 1 after a 4-0 start, while Texas A&M has largely fallen out of the rankings following two SEC losses.

Texas A&M Aggies 2026 Outlook

Texas A&M is coming off its best season in more than a decade. The Aggies went [11-2] and made their first College Football Playoff. They lost to eventual national runner-up Miami [10-3] in the first round.

Quarterback Marcel Reed returns with Mario Craver as his top target.

The defense should again carry the Aggies. Dalton Brooks and Marcus Ratcliffe form one of the best defensive back ends at safety in the country.

Texas Longhorns 2026 Outlook

Texas enters 2026 ranked No. 5 in the preseason AP Top 25. Arch Manning is back for what’s expected to be his final season in Austin.

Head coach Steve Sarkisian also added wide receiver Cam Coleman, a transfer from Auburn projected as a potential top-five pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.

With future pros on both sides of the ball and a Heisman contender at quarterback, the Longhorns’ goal is a national championship.

Watch Texas vs. Texas A&M with DIRECTV.

Texas vs. Texas A&M Rivalry History

The series began in 1894, and Texas built an early edge, going 15–4–2 through 1911.

From 1915 to 1939, the rivalry was nearly even. The home team won 21 of the 23 games that didn’t end in a tie, and Texas held a 27–15–4 series lead.

Texas took control from 1940 to 1983, going 36–7–1. That included a 10-game winning streak from 1957 to 1966.

Texas A&M’s best stretch came from 1984 to 1994, when the Aggies won 10 of 11 meetings. Texas answered by winning 12 of 17 from 1995 to 2011.

Through 120 meetings, Texas leads the all-time series 78–37–5.

Why Did Texas and Texas A&M Stop Playing?

Texas and Texas A&M stopped playing after 2011, when Texas A&M left the Big 12 for the SEC. The move was announced in July 2011 and took effect in 2012. It ended a series that had been played every year since 1915.

The last game before the break was one of the best. On Thanksgiving 2011, No. 25 Texas beat Texas A&M 27–25 at Kyle Field on a Justin Tucker field goal as time expired.

The rivalry then went dormant for 12 seasons, despite efforts from lawmakers, students and athletic directors to bring it back.

Students on both campuses voted to revive the game as part of a movement called “Reinstate the Rivalry.” In September 2017, 96.71% of UT students voted yes. In February 2019, 88.71% of Texas A&M student voters agreed.

In December 2017, newly hired Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte proposed a home-and-home series for 2022 and 2023. Texas A&M athletic director Scott Woodward declined because the Aggies’ nonconference schedule was already full.

In November 2018, state Rep. Lyle Larson filed a bill requiring an annual game on or around Thanksgiving. Gov. Greg Abbott backed it in February 2019, but it died in committee.

When Did the Lone Star Showdown Return?

The Lone Star Showdown returned in 2024, when Texas joined Texas A&M in the SEC. The move made the rivalry a conference game, and the teams now play every year.

On Nov. 30, 2024, No. 3 Texas beat No. 20 Texas A&M 17–7 at Kyle Field in the first meeting in 13 years.

The 2025 rematch raised the stakes. On Nov. 28 in Austin, No. 16 Texas upset No. 3 Texas A&M 27–17. The loss ended the Aggies’ perfect season and kept them out of the SEC Championship Game.

The series heads back to College Station on Nov. 27, 2026.

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, ESPN Unlimited, ESPNU, SEC Network

*Certain streaming platforms airing college football are not included in DIRECTV packages and must be subscribed to separately.

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