Texas A&M vs. Texas Longhorns Among College Football's Greatest Rivalries

While the Texas A&M Aggies have enjoyed the greater spotlight of the SEC over the past decade and a half, there was always something missing until recently.

That something was, of course, the Lone Star Showdown against the Texas Longhorns. These two teams had played almost every year since their first meeting in 1894, so to have the rivalry be put on hold for over a decade was very upsetting for both fanbases.

Fortunately, the rivalry came back in 2024 with the Longhorns moving to the SEC themselves. The first game of renewed rivalry may not have gone the Aggies' way, as the Longhorns earned a 17-7 victory in College Station to clinch a berth in the SEC Championship Game, it is great to have it back. Not just for the two teams involved, but for the sport as a whole.

Lone Star Showdown Named a Top 15 College Football Rivalry

The Athletic's Scott Dochtertman took on the unenviable task of ranking the top 100 rivalries in college football history, and placed the Lone Star Showdown at a respectable No. 15.

"When it comes to pure passion, few can match this one," Dochterman wrote. "But the win-loss column is fairly uneven and there aren’t nearly as many ranked matchups as other rivalries. Its fierce competition, however, keeps it as a top-15 rivalry."

The rivalry has unfortunately been a bit more one-sided than A&M fans would like, with Texas boasting a 77-37-5 advantage all-time. However, the sheer hatred between the two teams is tough to match.

That's not the only Aggies rivalry to make this gargantuan list. Their feuds with LSU and Baylor also made the cut at No. 71 and No. 74, respectively. The former is particularly notable for the thrilling 2018 game, which the Aggies won 74-72 after seven overtimes.

"Texas A&M’s entry into the SEC turned this into an annual affair, and it became one of the top organic rivalries from recent conference realignment," Dochterman wrote.

Meanwhile, the latter, which has sadly been lost to conference realignment, is more notable due to off-field drama.

"The 'Battle of the Brazos' escalated from rivalry to feud in 2011 when Baylor threatened to sue departing conference member Texas A&M and the SEC for destabilizing the Big 12," Dochterman wrote. "Ultimately, the sides reached an agreement, but each day was filled with drama that fall."