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