Lawmaker proposes bill to force Aggies-Longhorns game after 7 years without it

Tuesday, November 27, 2018
AUSTIN, Texas (KTRK) -- For the seventh Thanksgiving weekend in a row, the Longhorns and Aggies did not face off in their historic rivalry game, further frustrating UT and Texas A&M traditionalists.

Sure, the Aggies and Longhorns found glory in their respective matchups over the holiday, but the absence of a Lone Star State tradition has pushed a lawmaker to propose a mandated game on the books.
[Ads /]


RELATED: Texas A&M, LSU play 7 overtimes until Aggies win, 74-72
Aggies win in overtime in game against LSU.


State Rep. Lyle Larson, a San Antonio Republican, officially filed Tuesday House Bill 412, which was nicknamed the Restore the Rivalry Bill.

Under Larson's proposed bill, both University of Texas and Texas A&M are required to face off in a regular season football game on the fourth Thursday, Friday or Saturday of every November.



The bill imposes athletic scholarships withheld at each university if the schools are unable to re-establish the matchup.

While the penalty sounds extreme, Larson's hope is the bill would push both schools back to the negotiating table.
[Ads /]
"We owe it to Texans to do all we are able to bring back this storied rivalry," Larson said in a statement. "It's time for the folks in Austin and College Station to get in a room and make a deal to restore the rivalry."

The last time both teams played each other was in 2011 when they were members of the Big 12 Conference. Texas A&M joined the Southeastern Conference the following year without a game with the Longhorns scheduled for the foreseeable future.

RELATED: Why we need the UT-A&M football rivalry back

The Longhorns reportedly approached the Aggies about renewing the rivalry, but A&M refused.



Even if the rivalry returns, UT still dominates the all-time series over A&M at 76-37-5.
Copyright © 2024 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.