What is the story about?
Get to Know Texas:
- Location: Austin, TX
- Established: 1883
- Enrollment: 53,864
- Mascot: Longhorns
- Colors: Burnt orange and white
- Conference: Whichever one they think would give them the most favorable officiating
What You Need to Know:
- Texas A&M is 11-0 (7-0) and ranked No. 3 in the country. For the second straight year, the Aggies enter the Lonestar Showdown knowing a win punches their ticket to the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. But this time around, the Aggies know they’re Playoff-bound either way.
- Texas is 8-3 (5-2) is ranked No. 17 and is coming off a dominant victory over Arkansas that keeps their Playoff hopes technically alive, even if they’re on life support.
- When Texas has the ball, they’ll take their No. 110 rushing offense and No. 35 passing offense against an A&M defense that ranks No. 27 against the run and No. 23 against the pass. When A&M has the ball, their No. 25 rushing offense and No. 30 passing offense will go up against Texas’ No. 8 rushing defense and No. 107 passing defense.
Betting Lines:
- Texas A&M is listed as a 2.5-point favorite.
- The over/under is 51.5
Historical Notes:
- Texas leads the all-time series 77-37-5, and is on a two-game win streak, winning the Big 12 finale in 2011 and the resumption of the rivalry in the SEC in 2024.
- The Aggies won 24-17 the last time this game was played in Austin.
- t.u.’s list of famous alumni is admittedly pretty illustrious, featuring icons like Tom Landry, Lady Bird Johnson, Ben Crenshaw and Walter Cronkite. Add in folks like Matthew McConaughey, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and businessman Michael Dell, and you’ve got some pretty darn recognizable faces that we play to put a frown on this Friday.
What To Watch For:
- SECCG berth. Even if a Playoff spot is a foregone conclusion for the Aggies, getting to Atlanta for the first time (and perhaps sewing up a Playoff bye) is more than enough motivation on the A&M side.
- Heisman moment? The Aggies have been pushing Marcel Reed’s Heisman campaign pretty hard in recent weeks, but whether or not he ends up in New York likely rides on what he does Friday night at DKR. After struggling mightily against the Longhorns a year ago, a signature performance would go a long way in proving how much he has grown as a player over the past year.
- Bitterness. Obviously these two fanbases despise one another, and want nothing more than to be able to lord a victory over the other for the coming year. As much as this game could do for A&M’s Playoff resume, fans may value the bragging rights just as much.
Media Blitz:
- Venue: Darrell K. Royal Memorial Stadium (Austin, TX)
- Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28
- TV: ABC
Weather:
- Showers early then scattered thunderstorms developing late. High of 69, low of 59. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
