Texas and Texas A&M Playing Again? It's Feasible in 2019
By Ty Duffy
Texas and Texas A&M are arch rivals. The first lines of their respective fight songs are shots across the bow. As realignment tempers have cooled, those in power are coming around to the idea fans might want to watch them play football, eventually. Both head coaches support renewing the rivalry.
From Charlie Strong…
"“Over 100 years, we’ve played that game. Why stop it now because we’re in different conferences? At some point, when it’s right for everybody with the different schedules, I would love to play Texas A&M again.”"
From Kevin Sumlin…
"“Now, moving into Year 4 and listening to our former students and our alumni base and knowing a lot of Texas alums, it’s important that we play again,” Sumlin said. “I think it will happen somewhere down the road.”"
Will it happen in the near future? Doubtful. In the intermediate future? Possible.
The Longhorns are locked down through 2018. They play home and homes with Notre Dame and Cal the next two years and Maryland and USC the years following. Even if it’s feasible, it’s doubtful Texas would want to put a third Power 5 game on those schedules. Beyond that, the Longhorns have home and homes with LSU, Ohio State and Michigan on the books. But, there is room to slot a second tough game from 2019 onward.
That window could work for Texas A&M. The Aggies have a slot open in 2019, if they are willing to play a second tough game besides Clemson. Beyond that, home and homes with Colorado and Notre Dame later in the decade are the only games on the books.
There’s a will and a plausible way, beginning in 2019 on a day that is not Thanksgiving. Much will depend on how valuable the game is to administrators and TV overlords, who have had no problem killing such rivalries in the past in the name of footprint and profit. For now, boosters will have to be content measuring belt buckles.