Texas A&M Aggies football

1901 Aggies players

Texas A&M first fielded a football team in 1894, under the direction of head coach F. Dudley Perkins.[3] The team compiled a 1–1 record.[3] W. A. Murray served as A&M's head coach from 1899 to 1901, compiling a record of 7–8–1.[4] From 1902 to 1904, J. E. Platt served as A&M's head coach, his teams compiling a record of 18–5–3.[4] From 1909 to 1914, A&M compiled a 38–8–4 record under head coach Charley Moran.[5] Moran's 1909 team finished undefeated, and all but one of Moran's other seasons the Aggies only lost one game each year.[4] Under head coach Edwin Harlan, the Aggies compiled a record of 12–5 in two seasons and joined the Southwest Conference.[6][7]

Coach Bible

Dana X. Bible became Texas A&M's head coach in 1919, leaving LSU, and under his tutelage the Aggies compiled a record of 72–19–9 in ten seasons.[8] Bible's 1919 Texas A&M Aggies football team, which was undefeated, untied, and outscored its opposition 275–0, was retroactively named a national champion by the Billingsley Report and the National Championship Foundation. In the 1922 Dixie Classic, Bible made his most visible and lasting impression in his A&M career when he began the Twelfth Man Tradition. Bible had a roster of only eighteen players, who had to play both offense and defense against the heavily favored Centre College. He lost three players to injuries early in the game, but the Aggies took the lead. Fearing more injuries and a possibility of having to forfeit the game for lack of men, Bible called upon a reserve halfback, E. King Gill, who was in the press box running stats for the team, to suit up and be ready if needed. The Aggies wouldn't need Gill's help to win, but since then A&M students stand throughout football games to show their willingness to play if needed.[9] Bible departed the Aggies after the 1928 season to accept the Nebraska head coaching position.[9] After Bible's departure, A&M brought in Matty Bell from TCU to lead the Aggies football program.[10] Under Bell's tutelage, the Aggies compiled a record of 24–21–3.[10] However, the Aggies did not play up to the standards set by Dana Bible's tenure, and Bell left for SMU after five seasons.[10]

Homer Norton was hired away from Centenary to replace Bell in 1934.[11] A&M enjoyed great successes under Norton. The 1939 Texas A&M team went 11–0, beating Tulane in the Sugar Bowl, and was named a national champion.[12] Norton's record at Texas A&M was 82–53–9, giving him the second most wins of any coach in Texas A&M Aggies football history.[12] Among the many stars that Norton developed were John Kimbrough and Joe Routt.[11] Norton was fired in 1947 when his team went 3–6–1 and lost to archrival University of Texas for the eighth straight year.[13]

In December 1947, Harry Stiteler was promoted from running backs coach to head coach for the Texas A&M football team following the firing of Homer Norton.[14] In Stiteler's first season as head coach, the Aggies failed to win a game, accumulating a record of 0–9–1.[15] For the 1949 season, the Aggies won only one game and had a record of 1–8–1.[16] Despite the poor record in his first two seasons, Stiteler developed a reputation as a good recruiter. In 1950, Stiteler turned the program around with a 7–4 record, including impressive wins over Arkansas (42–13) and SMU (25–20) and a 40–20 win over Georgia in the Presidential Cup Bowl at Baltimore.[17] The 1950 team had the best record of any Texas A&M football team in the first decade after World War II (1945–1954).[18]

In December 1950, Stiteler reported that he had been attacked and beaten by a stranger near the Shamrock Hotel in Houston, where Stiteler had been scheduled to address a group of Texas A&M alumni.[19] Stiteler tried to downplay the incident, but the press reported Stiteler declined to provide details to the police and that there were conflicting versions as to what had happened. The San Antonio Light reported the incident under a banner headline, "MYSTERY SHROUDS STITELER BEATING."[20] In March 1951, Stiteler admitted that he had misrepresented the facts concerning the assault. He reported that he had known his attacker and "the affair was a personal one."[19] Embarrassed, Stiteler submitted his letter of resignation to the President of Texas A&M upon revealing the true facts concerning "my affair in Houston."[19] Following the resignation, the members of the football team issued a statement in support of their former coach:

"We believe that whatever happened to Mr. Stiteler was a personal matter and it should have remained that. A lot of us boys came to A. and M. in 1948 not because A. and M. had won games but simply because of Harry Stiteler and his character. He has never ceased to set us that same example in the years we have played and worked for him."[21]

In three years as the head coach at Texas A&M, Stiteler compiled a record of 8–21–2.[22]

Raymond George, previously USC's defensive line coach, was hired as the 17th head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies after the Stiteler scandal.[23] He served as head coach for three seasons, from 1951 to 1953, during which time the Aggies produced a total record of 12–14–4.[24][25] Among A&M's notable wins during this time period were victories over Bud Wilkinson's Oklahoma Sooners, Henry Russell Sanders' UCLA Bruins and Bear Bryant's Kentucky Wildcats. George resigned as the Aggies head coach following the 1953 season.[23]

In 1994 as a result of the NCAA findings of major violations of NCAA rules in this case, Texas A&M became one of three universities to receive as many as seven public penalties since 1952. Between 1956 and 1977, the university was placed on probation three times and publicly reprimanded once for major violations of NCAA rules. This era began a series of NCAA rules violations that continued to 2020.[26]

Legendary coach Bear Bryant arrived in College Station after successful head coaching tenures at Maryland and Kentucky, signing a contract worth $15,000 per year.[27]

The Aggies suffered through a grueling 1–9 record in Bryant's first season, which began with the infamous training camp in Junction, Texas, during which time many Aggie football players quit the team.[28] The "survivors" were given the name "Junction Boys."[28] Two years later, Bryant led the team to the Southwest Conference championship, despite being on probation,[29] with a 34–21 victory over Texas in Austin.[30] The following year, star running back John David Crow won the Heisman Trophy and the Aggies were in title contention until they lost to Rice Owls.[31][32]

Bryant attempted to integrate the all-white Texas A&M squad. "We'll be the last football team in the Southwest Conference to integrate," he was told by a Texas A&M official. "Well," Bryant replied, "then that's where we're going to finish in football."[33] After the 1957 season, having compiled an overall 25–14–2 record at A&M, Bryant left for Alabama, his alma mater, where he would cement his legacy as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, college football coach of all time.[34]

A&M next turned to Iowa State head coach Jim Myers for its head coaching position.[35] Under Myers, the Aggies struggled mightily, compiling a 12–24–4 record.[36] The Aggies failed to win more than four games in a single season. The fallout that ensued from fans, boosters and the administration led Myers to join Tom Landry's Dallas Cowboys staff as an assistant coach.[35]

Hank Foldberg was hired as the Aggies head coach after Myers' departure, and brought with him high hopes that Aggie success would return.[37] However, the struggles remained, in the form of a 6–23–1 record in three seasons.[38] Foldberg was replaced after the 1964 season.

Coach Stallings

Fresh off helping Bear Bryant and Alabama win the 1964 national title as an assistant coach, Gene Stallings, one of the "Junction Boys", was named the head coach of his alma mater at the age of 29.[39]

The Aggies struggles persisted under Stallings. Texas A&M compiled a record of 27–45–1 in Stallings' seven seasons.[40] However, the Aggies won the Southwest Conference in 1967, Stallings' only winning season at A&M.[41] At the end of that season, A&M beat Alabama in the Cotton Bowl.[41] He was fired at A&M following the 1971 season, but, like his mentor Bryant, would go on to become Alabama's head coach in the 1990s and solidify a Hall of Fame career there.[39]

Texas offensive coordinator Emory Bellard became the Aggies' head coach in 1972 and brought with him the wishbone offense.[42] In his seven years at Texas A&M, he finished with a record of 48–27 and three top-15 finishes.[43]

Acting as his own offensive coordinator, Bellard hired former high school football coaches to assist him as backfield coaches.[43] Bellard's first two seasons at Texas A&M were difficult, as his Aggies finished 3–8 and 5–6, respectively.[43] In 1974, with a pair of his own recruiting classes suited to run the wishbone formation, the Aggies went 8–3,[44] then followed it up with two 10–2 seasons,[45][46] including a pair of wins over Texas and three consecutive bowl game appearances. After starting the 1978 season 4–0, Bellard resigned mid-season after two consecutive losses: 33–0 to Houston and 24–6 to Baylor.[47]

Tom Wilson was promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach of the Aggies following Bellard's resignation.[48] The Aggies enjoyed moderate success under Wilson's tutelage, compiling a record of 21–19 and an Independence Bowl victory in 1981.[49] However, the mediocrity did not sit well with the administration, and Wilson was fired after the 1981 season.[50]

On January 19, 1982, Jackie Sherrill was hired away from Pittsburgh by A&M as the replacement for Tom Wilson, signing a record six-year contract over $1.7 million.[51] Sherrill was the head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies for seven seasons, from 1982 to 1988.[52]

While head coach at A&M, Sherrill started the tradition of the "12th Man Kickoff Team", this tradition is still observed by A&M today only in a significantly scaled back form, including a single walk-on rather than an entire return team unit.[53] In Sherrill's seven seasons, A&M compiled a 52–28–1 record.[52] A&M also won three consecutive Southwest Conference championships during Sherrill's tenure, in 1985, 1986 and 1987.[52] As a result, the Aggies played in the Cotton Bowl Classic at the end of each season, defeating Auburn 36–16 on January 1, 1986[54] and Notre Dame 35–10 on January 1, 1988,[55] and losing to Ohio State 28–12 on January 1, 1987.[56] He is also one of the few coaches to leave Texas A&M with a winning record against the Longhorns, winning his last five against Texas after losing his first two. However, he only won two out of seven games versus Texas A&M's other conference rival, Arkansas, in that same time span.

In 1988, Texas A&M was put under probation by the NCAA for a period of two years. Violations included improper employment, extra benefits, unethical conduct and lack of institutional control.[57][58] Sherrill was not personally found guilty of any infractions. However, in December 1988, Sherrill resigned.[59]

Coach Slocum

In December 1988, R.C. Slocum was promoted from defensive coordinator and named head coach of the Aggies.[60]

During Slocum's 14 years as head coach, the Aggies compiled a record of 123–47–2, making Slocum the winningest coach in Texas A&M history.[60] During his career, Slocum never had a losing season and won four conference championships, including the Big 12 (the Southwest Conference was renamed in 1996) title in 1998 and two Big 12 South Championships, 1997 1998.[61] Additionally, he led the Aggies to become the first school in the Southwest Conference history to post three consecutive perfect conference seasons and actually went four consecutive seasons without a conference loss. Slocum reached 100 wins faster than any other active coach.

A&M's Kyle Field become one of the hardest places for opponents to play during Slocum's tenure, losing only 12 games at home in 14 years. For over a year, A&M held the longest home-winning streak in the nation, losing in 1989 and not again until late in 1995. In the 1990s, A&M lost only four times at Kyle Field. Slocum was named SWC Coach of the Year three times during his tenure as head coach. A&M's "Wrecking Crew" defense led the Southwest Conference in four statistical categories from 1991 through 1993 and led the nation in total defense in 1991. Over 50 Texas A&M players were drafted into the NFL during Slocum's career as head coach.[62]

Slocum inherited an Aggie football program that had just finished 7–5 and under severe NCAA sanctions, and cleaned it up quickly. He was quoted in 2002 as saying "I wouldn't trade winning another game or two for my reputation as a person. I've said from day one I'm going to do things the way I think they should be done. There were those who said, `If you don't cheat, you're pretty naive. You can't win that way.' Well, we're going to find out. That's the way we're going to do it. I can walk away and look myself in the mirror and say, 'We did it the right way.'[63]

After 14 years as head coach of the Aggies, Slocum was asked to resign in 2002 following only the second non-winning season of his career.[60] He immediately assumed a position as special adviser to Texas A&M president Robert Gates.[64]

Coach Francione

A&M turned to Alabama head coach Dennis Franchione to replace the ousted Slocum.[65] Franchione brought the majority of his coaching staff from the Crimson Tide for the 2003 season. Franchione signed a contract that was set to pay him a yearly salary of $1.7 million through 2010.[66]

The Aggies finished the 2003 season with a 4–8 record, including a nationally televised 77–0 loss to Oklahoma, the worst loss in A&M's history.[67] The season also marked the first losing season for the Aggies after 21 years. In the 2004 season, Franchione attempted the rebuilding process as the team improved to a 7–5 record, and a 5–3 record in conference play, including a 35–34 overtime loss to unranked Baylor, ending a 13-game winning streak the Aggies had over Baylor and a 32–25 overtime win over the then No. 25 Texas Tech at Kyle Field, snapping a 3-game skid to the Red Raiders.[68] The Aggies ended up advancing to the Cotton Bowl Classic to play No. 17 Tennessee, but lost 38–7.[69] Following the bowl game, A&M officials extended Franchione's contract through 2012 and raised his salary to $2 million.[66] In June 2005, prior to the 2005 season, Franchione donated $1 million to the A&M athletic department. The donation went toward the construction of an indoor practice facility, which is now located adjacent to Kyle Field.[70]

In the 2005 season, Franchione's Aggies, who were ranked 17th in the preseason AP Poll, regressed to a 5–6 record.[71] The 2005 Aggie defense ranked 107th nationally (out of 119 NCAA Division I-A teams) and allowed 443.8 yards per game. This prompted Franchione to dismiss defensive coordinator Carl Torbush. Franchione then hired former Western Michigan head coach Gary Darnell to replace Torbush.[72]

In the 2006 season, the Aggies again rebounded under Franchione, posting a 9–3 regular season record that included Franchione's first win over rival Texas.[73] The 9–3 record also marked the most wins for A&M since 1998. However, in that season's Oklahoma game, which ESPN's College GameDay visited, Franchione was criticized by fans for making a field goal call with 3:28 left in the game. The 18th-ranked Sooners ended up defeating the 21st-ranked Aggies, 17–16.[66] In the postseason, the Aggies faced 20th-ranked California in the Holiday Bowl and lost 45–10.[74]

During the 2007 season, Franchione was discovered selling a secret email newsletter, which violated two NCAA rules and one of the Big 12's "Principles and Standards of Sportsmanship".[75] After the Aggies' 34–17 loss to unranked Miami in September 2007, Franchione's coaching abilities were questioned.[76][77][78][79][80][81] Several news outlets reported that Franchione would not return for the 2008 season. After Franchione led the Aggies to a 38–30 victory over 13th-ranked Texas, he announced his resignation.[82] Defensive coordinator Gary Darnell was named the interim head coach. Darnell led the Aggies to a 24–17 defeat at the hands of Penn State in the Alamo Bowl.[83]

Coach Sherman

Mike Sherman was hired away from his post as offensive coordinator of the NFL's Houston Texans to replace Franchione.[84] Sherman signed a 7-year contract that at the time paid him $1.8 million annually.[85] Sherman abandoned the zone read option offense run by Franchione and his coaching staff, and installed a pro-style system.[86][87] A&M used a balanced offense run primarily out of the pro-style formations.[88][89] Sherman's quarterbacks at A&M were Stephen McGee and Ryan Tannehill, both of whom would go on to be drafted into the NFL.[90]

After two straight losing seasons, the Aggies started the 2010 season 3–3 but won their final six games and earn a share of the Big 12 South Division title.[91] No. 18 Texas A&M went on to play No. 11 LSU in the Cotton Bowl. Texas A&M lost 41–24 to end the season at 9–4.[92][93] After the 2010 season, A&M signed Sherman a contract extension through the 2015 season.[94] His salary was raised to $2.2 million.[95]

In 2011, the Aggies began as a top 10 ranked team, but fell out of the polls after losing four games, three of which had double-digit half-time leads.[96] Three of those four losses were to teams later ranked among the top ten in the nation. On November 12, 2011, Texas A&M lost 53-50 after 4 overtimes to the Kansas State University, the most overtimes in program history until a record 7-overtime 74–72 victory over Louisiana State University on November 24, 2018.[97]

On November 19, 2011, the Aggies defeated Kansas 61–7 and became bowl-eligible for a third straight season.[98] Five days later, on November 24, 2011, they would lose at home to Texas by a score of 27–25 on a last-second field goal,[99] in what would be the last game of the rivalry for the foreseeable future, as the Aggies were to join the SEC beginning in 2012.[100] It was the Aggies' sixth loss of the season, and the fifth in which they held a second-half lead of two or more scores.[96]

Sherman was fired by Texas A&M on December 1, 2011.[101] The Aggies compiled a record of 25–25 during Sherman's four-year tenure.[102]

Coach Sumlin

On December 13, 2011, A&M hired Houston head coach Kevin Sumlin as the program's 28th head football coach.[103] Sumlin was the first African American head coach in Texas A&M football history.[104]

In 2012, Sumlin led the Aggies to an 11–2 record, including victories over then-No. 1 Alabama, and No. 11 Oklahoma in the AT&T Cotton Bowl.[105] Starting quarterback Johnny Manziel won the Heisman Trophy.[106] The Aggies finished the 2012 season ranked in the top 5 of both the Coaches Poll and the AP Poll.[107] Texas A&M also led the SEC in total offense, total scoring offense, total rushing yds, and led the nation in third down conversion percentage.[108] Kevin Sumlin and the Texas A&M Aggies became the first SEC team in history to amass over 7,000 yds in total offense.[109] Sumlin's 2013 Aggies, led by Manziel, finished with a 9–4 record, which included a victory over Duke in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.[110][111] On November 30, 2013, A&M signed Sumlin to a six-year, $30 million contract extension.[112][113]

For the 2014 season, the Aggies came out strong to begin the season, winning their first 5 games before stumbling mid-season to three top 10-ranked teams, including a 59–0 loss to No. 7 ranked Alabama.[114] The Aggies finished the season 8–5 overall and 3–5 in SEC play.[115] With the Liberty Bowl victory over West Virginia, the Aggies won four straight bowl games for the first time in program history. After the season, which was marred by defensive struggles,[116] Sumlin dismissed his defensive coordinator, Mark Snyder,[117] and replaced him with John Chavis.[118] In 2015, A&M again finished 8–5.[119] The season was marked by a strong start with struggles to close the season. A&M finished the season with a loss to Louisville in the Music City Bowl.[120]

Sumlin led the Aggies to a third consecutive 8–5 mark in 2016.[121] The season was again marked a strong start with another late-season collapse, as A&M began the season 6–0, but losing four of its final five games. Texas A&M finished the 2016 season with a loss to Kansas State in the Texas Bowl.[122]

Sumlin started off the 2017 season by surrendering a 34-point lead to UCLA. Sumlin was fired from the position on November 26, 2017, after his team finished 7–5. Sumlin finished 51–26 at A&M and with a 25–23 record in the SEC. Despite A&M football's struggles during the Sumlin era, the program was recognized by Forbes in August 2018 as the most valuable in the country, based on average revenue and profit figures from the 2014–16 seasons.[123]

On December 4, 2017, Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher was formally introduced as the Aggies head coach.[124] A splashy hire, Fisher arrived in College Station after a very successful eight-year run at FSU, leading the Seminoles to three Atlantic Coast Conference championships, six ten-win seasons, the 2013 national championship and coached Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Jameis Winston.[125] A&M signed Fisher to a 10-year contract worth a total base salary of $75 million, the most lucrative contract in terms of guaranteed money signed by a newly hired head coach in college football history.[126]

In 2018, Fisher led the Aggies to a 9–4 record. The season included a notable seven-overtime victory over then-No. 7 LSU. The combined 146 points scored during the game broke the NCAA FBS record for the most points scored in a game, the most points scored in a losing effort (72 by LSU), and tied the record for the most overtimes along with multiple school records for both sides.[127]

In 2019, Coach Fisher posted a 4-4 conference record, good for fourth in the Southeastern Conference West division. The Aggies wound up with a 8-5 overall win-loss record.[128] On December 27, 2019, Texas A&M defeated #25 Oklahoma State 24–21 at the "Academy Sports + Outdoors Bowl", later titled the Texas Bowl.[129]

The Aggies improved substantially in 2020 despite the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. They finished the season with a 8-1 SEC record, a 9-1 overall result, and a #5 national ranking.[130] Texas A&M faced the #13 North Carolina Tar Heels football team at the 2021 Orange Bowl on January 2, 2021. The Aggies won handily 41–27. The victory produced a combined 3-0 Orange Bowl record for Fisher following his previous successful outings with the Florida State Seminoles football team at the 2013 and 2016 Orange Bowls.[131]

Texas A&M slipped in 2021. Despite an upset 41–38 win over the #1 Alabama Crimson Tide football team on October 9, 2021, and a 20–3 rout of the Auburn Tigers football team on November 6, 2021, the Aggies were unable to win consistently. They failed to qualify for a 2021-22 bowl game. Ultimately, Fisher steered the team to a 4-4 SEC conference standing and 8-4 overall record.[132]

Texas A&M has been selected national champions in three seasons from NCAA-designated major selectors.[133]^{: 111–112} Texas A&M claims all three championships.[134]^: 45–47

The 1919 team finished 10–0–0 and was not scored upon, earning a retroactive national title by ten selectors, including the Billingsley Report and National Championship Foundation. Other systems retroactively award the 1919 National Championship to either Notre Dame or Harvard.[135][136] The 1927 team finished 8–0–1, with a tie against TCU in Fort Worth, Texas, earning a retroactive national title awarded by the Sagarin Rating and the Sagarin ELO-Chess. In 1939, the undefeated Aggies were voted No. 1 by the AP Poll shortly after its inception along with No. 1 in 8 of the 12 other major polls, after the 1939 season.

The Aggies have won eighteen conference championships, with seventeen occurring in the Southwest Conference and the last being in the Big 12 Conference.[137]

Former head coach R.C. Slocum gives a gig 'em with his Big 12 Championship ring.

† Co-champions

The Aggies were previously members of the Big 12 South between its inception in 1996 and the dissolution of conference divisions within the Big 12 in 2011. The Aggies joined the SEC as members of the SEC West starting in 2012.

† Co-champions

Texas A&M and LSU were both members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association from 1903 to 1908 and 1912–1914 and are both members of the SEC. The Aggies first played the Tigers in College Station in 1899, winning 52–0. The Tigers are the Aggies' seventh-oldest collegiate-football rival. Last played in 1995, the Aggies and Tigers then faced off in the 2011 Cotton Bowl Classic. The series resumed in 2012, when the Aggies joined the SEC. Starting in 2014, the Aggies became LSU's final regular season opponent. LSU leads the series 35–23–3 through the 2022 season.[140]

Over the life of the series, the Aggies have claimed the largest margin of victory with a 63–9 final score in 1914 (the Aggies also have the next two largest margins of victory with the 52–0 win in 1899 and 47–0 win in 1922). The Aggies have shut-out the Tigers 7 times (including the Aggies' non-university recognized National Championship Season of 1917 when they did not surrender a point during 8 games, and beat the Tigers 27–0). The Tigers have shut-out the Aggies 9 times (including the Tigers' non-university recognized National Championship season of 1908, when they beat the Aggies 26–0, and the Tigers' non-university recognized National Championship season of 1962, when they beat the Aggies 21–0). Add to those totals the game in which the Aggies and Tigers shut each other out 0–0 in 1920. The Tigers hold the series' longest winning streak of 7 games from 2011 to 2017. The 1960 winning streak was part of a 10-game unbeaten streak for the Tigers from 1960 to 1969 which included a 7–7 tie in 1966. From 1945 to 1973 was the most dominant span by either team in the series history. LSU was 17–3–1 vs Texas A&M during this span.[140]

The Aggies first played the Razorbacks in 1903. From 1934 to 1991, the two teams played annually as Southwest Conference members. In 1991, however, Arkansas left the Southwest Conference to join the Southeastern Conference. Arkansas leads the all-time series 42–35–3 through the 2023 season.[141]

On March 10, 2008, officials from both schools announced the revival of the series, which recommenced on October 3, 2009. The game is played at Cowboys Stadium, which was initially expected to hold about 80,000 fans. The game is dubbed "The Southwest Classic", which pays homage to both schools' past relationship to the Southwest Conference. The initial agreement between the two schools allows the game to be played for at least 10 years, followed by five consecutive four-year rollover options, allowing the game to be played for a total of 30 consecutive seasons.[142][143][144]

Once the Aggies joined the SEC, the agreement with Cowboys Stadium came to an end because the SEC does not allow its members to entertain potential recruits at neutral-site games. However, the SEC has removed this recruiting rule, and the Aggies and Razorbacks will again move the rivalry to AT&T Stadium in 2014. (cf. Georgia and Florida, which play at a neutral site, do not intend to entertain recruits at that site.) The agreement is expected to last at least 11 seasons, or through the 2024 football season.

Over the life of the series, the Aggies have shut out the Razorbacks 10 times, and been shut out 9 times. The Aggies hold the largest margin of victory with a 58–10 win in College Station on September 29, 2012 (the Aggies also hold the second-largest margin of victory with a 41–0 win in College Station in 1942). The Razorbacks and Aggies are tied for the longest winning streak at 9, the Razorbacks from 1958 to 1966, and the Aggies from 2012 to 2020.

2006 Lone Star Showdown football game

The Texas-Texas A&M rivalry dates back to 1894. It is the longest-running rivalry for both teams. It ranks as the third most-played rivalry in Division I-A college football,[145] and the most-played intrastate rivalry. Most of the series' lopsided victories occurred prior to A&M's transition from an all-male and all-white military school, and the rivalry has been fairly even since. Until the rivalry ended in 2012, the two teams played each other every year since 1894 with the exception of six seasons [1895 (when the Aggies did not field a team), 1896, 1897, 1913, and 1914]. During some seasons, the Aggies and Longhorns played each other twice.

In an attempt to generate more attention for the rivalry in sports other than football, in 2004 the two schools started the Lone Star Showdown,[146] a trial two-year program. Essentially, each time the two schools meet in a sport, the winner of the matchup gets a point. At the end of the year, the school with the most points wins the series and receives the Lone Star Showdown trophy.

Aspects of the rivalry include:

• Each school mentions the other in its fight song (Texas with "and it's goodbye to A&M" in Texas Fight,[147] and the Aggies singing "Goodbye to Texas University, so long to the orange and the white" as the opening line of the second verse of the Aggie War Hymn),[148] and "saw Varsity's horns off" about Texas in the chorus.
• The football series between the two universities is the third longest running rivalry in all of college football.[149] Since 1900, the last regular season football game is usually reserved for their matchup.[150]
• Each school has elaborate pre-game preparations for the annual football clash, including the Aggie Bonfire[151] and the Hex Rally.[152]
• Texas has a unique lighting scheme for the UT Tower after wins over Texas A&M.[153]
• In the past, mischief has preceded the annual game, such as the "kidnapping" of Bevo.[154][155]

Though the Longhorns lead the series overall (76–37–5), the series has been much closer since 1965 (when Texas A&M dropped compulsory participation in the Corps of Cadets). Since that time, the Aggies have accumulated 20 wins to 27 losses. During the last 40 meetings (from 1972—when the NCAA introduced scholarship limitations—to the present), the series is nearly even at 19–21. The Aggies' best years in recent times were from 1984 to 1994 when they won 10 out of 11 games, losing only in 1990 by one point.

Over the life of the series, the Aggies have shut out the Longhorns 13 times, and have been shut out 27 times (including scoreless ties in 1902, 1907, and 1921). However, since 1961, neither team has been shut out. The Aggies and Longhorns have never had a game decided in overtime. The Longhorns hold the largest margin of victory with a 48–0 win in Austin on October 22, 1898 (the second meeting in the series). The Longhorns also hold the series' longest winning streak of 10 games from 1957 to 1966. In addition, the Longhorns had an 11-game unbeaten streak from 1940 to 1950 that included a 14–14 tie in 1948.

In the 75 meetings since 1936 when the Associated Press College Poll began, the Aggies and Longhorns have faced each other 59 times when one or both teams have been ranked (the Aggies have been ranked 25 times, whereas the Longhorns have been ranked 44 times). In those 59 meetings, the lower-ranked or unranked team has won 11 times (the Aggies did it six times—1951, 1979, 1984, 1999, 2006, and 2007; the Longhorns did it five times—1941, 1955, 1957, 1974, and 1998).

The Aggies first played the Baylor Bears in 1899, and competed with them annually since 1945.[156] It is the Aggies' eighth-oldest collegiate-football rivalry, and their third most played behind TCU and Texas. The rivalry is nicknamed the Battle of the Brazos, a term coined after the Brazos River, which flows by the two schools which are only 90 miles (145 km) apart. Texas A&M leads the series 68–31–9.[157] The Aggies' 68 wins against the Bears is the highest number of wins that the Aggies have accumulated against any team. From 1960 to 1990 the rivalry was very competitive as A&M won 16 times, Baylor won 13 times, and 2 games ended in ties; while many of the games were decided by 7 points or less.

Over the life of the series, the Aggies have shutout the Bears 29 times (including scoreless ties in 1903, 1923, 1932, and 1936). The Bears have shutout the Aggies 11 times (including those same scoreless ties). The Aggies hold the largest margin of victory with a 73–10 win in College Station on October 11, 2003, as well as the second-largest margin of victory with a 53–0 win in College Station in 1912. The Aggies hold the longest winning streak in the series of 13 games from 1991 to 2003. That winning streak is also part of an 18-game unbeaten streak for the Aggies from 1986 to 2003 (the Aggies and Bears played to a 20–20 tie in 1990).

As with the Texas Longhorns rivalry, the Baylor rivalry was put on hold after the 2011 season with the Aggies decision to leave the Big 12 Conference. When A&M announced its decision to leave the Big 12 and join the SEC in 2011, then-Baylor president Kenneth Starr filed suit in federal court in an attempt to block A&M from moving. Eventually the lawsuit was dropped, and soon thereafter, Missouri announced it was joining A&M in departing the Big 12 for the SEC.

The Aggies first played the Red Raiders in 1927. The Aggies lead the all-time series 37–32–1.[158]

Over the life of the series, the Aggies have shutout the Red Raiders four times, and the Red Raiders have shutout the Aggies four times. The Aggies hold the largest margin of victory with a 47–6 win in College Station on November 28, 1927. The Aggies and Red Raiders each have win streaks of six games, which are the longest in the series (the Aggies' streak included the 1927 and 1932 games as well as the games from 1942 to 1945; the Red Raiders' streak was uninterrupted from 1968 to 1973).

The rivalry with TCU began in 1897 and is the Aggies' third-oldest collegiate-football rivalry. Though the Aggies no longer play the Horned Frogs annually since the Southwest Conference disbanded in 1996, this series is still notable because it contains the longest, active winning streak that the Aggies have against any opponent. The Horned Frogs have not beaten the Aggies since October 21, 1972, when they won in College Station with a final score of 13–10. Adding further intrigue to this series is the fact that the Aggies' National Championship Season of 1939 succeeded the Horned Frogs' National Championship Season of 1938. Texas A&M leads the series 56–29–7 through the 2019 season.[159]

Texas A&M has six coaches inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.[204]

Texas A&M has 12 players inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.[204]

Aggie football fans call themselves the 12th Man, meaning they are there to support the 11 players on the field. To further symbolize their "readiness, desire, and enthusiasm," the entire student body stands throughout the game.[207] In a further show of respect, the students step "off the wood" (step off the bleachers onto the concrete) whenever a player is injured or when the band plays the Aggie War Hymn or The Spirit of Aggieland.[208][209]

Seniors wearing either their Senior boots or Aggie Rings are also encouraged to join the "Boot Line." As the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band leaves the field after their half-time performances, seniors line up at the south end of Kyle Field to welcome the team back onto the field for the second half.[210]

The tradition began in Dallas on January 2, 1922, at the Dixie Classic, the forerunner of the Cotton Bowl Classic. A&M played defending national champion Centre College in the first post-season game in the southwest. In this hard fought game, which produced national publicity, an underdog Aggie team was slowly defeating a team which had allowed fewer than 6 points per game. The first half produced so many injuries for A&M that Coach D. X. Bible feared he wouldn't have enough men to finish the game. At that moment, he called into the Aggie section of the stands for E. King Gill, a student who had left football after the regular season to play basketball. Gill, who was spotting players for a Waco newspaper and was not in football uniform, donned the uniform of injured player Heine Weir and stood on the sidelines to await his turn. Although he did not actually play in the game, his readiness to play symbolized the willingness of all Aggies to support their team to the point of actually entering the game. When the game ended in a 22–14 Aggie victory, Gill was the only man left standing on the sidelines for the Aggies. Gill later said, "I wish I could say that I went in and ran for the winning touchdown, but I did not. I simply stood by in case my team needed me."[211]

In the 1980s, the tradition was expanded as coach Jackie Sherrill created the 12th Man squad led by 12th man standout Dean Berry. Composed solely of walk-on (non-scholarship) players, the squad would take the field for special teams' performances.[211] This squad never allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown.[212] Sherrill's successor, R. C. Slocum, amended the tradition in the 1990s to allow one walk-on player, wearing the No. 12 jersey, to take the field for special teams' plays.[211] The player is chosen based on the level of determination and hard work shown in practices. Coach Dennis Franchione has continued Slocum's model, while also keeping an all-walk-on kickoff team that played three times in the 2006 season.[212]

Aggie Bonfire was a long-standing tradition at Texas A&M University as part of a college rivalry with the University of Texas at Austin, known as t.u. by Texas A&M students. For ninety years, Texas A&M students built and burned a large bonfire on campus each fall. Known within the Aggie community simply as Bonfire, the annual fall event symbolized the students' "burning desire to beat the hell outta t.u."[213] The bonfire was traditionally lit around Thanksgiving in conjunction with the festivities surrounding the annual game between the schools.[214]

The first on-campus Aggie Bonfire was burned in 1909, and the tradition continued for the next 90 years.[214] For almost two decades, Bonfire was constructed from debris and pieces of wood that Aggies "found," including lumber intended for a dormitory that students appropriated in 1912.[215] The event became school-sanctioned in 1936, and, for the first time, students were provided with axes, saws, and trucks and pointed towards a grove of dead trees on the edge of town.[214] In the following years the Bonfire became more elaborate, and in 1967 the flames could be seen 25 miles (40 km) away. In 1969, the stack set the world record at 111 feet (30 m) tall.[214][216]

In 1978, Bonfire shifted to a wedding-cake style, in which upper stacks of logs were wedged on top of lower stacks. The structure was built around a fortified centerpole, made from two telephone poles.[217] Although tradition stated that if Bonfire burned through midnight A&M would win the following day's game, with the introduction of the wedding cake design Bonfire began to fall very quickly, sometimes burning for only 30 or 45 minutes.[218]

At 2:42 am on November 18, 1999, the partially completed Aggie Bonfire, standing 40 feet (10 m) tall and consisting of about 5000 logs, collapsed during construction. Of the 58 students and former students working on the stack, 12 were killed and 27 others were injured.[217] On November 25, 1999, the date that Bonfire would have burned, Aggies instead held a vigil and remembrance ceremony. Over 40,000 people, including former President George H. W. Bush and his wife Barbara and then-Texas governor George W. Bush and his wife Laura, lit candles and observed up to two hours of silence at the site of the Bonfire collapse.[219] The Bonfire Memorial was officially dedicated on November 18, 2004.[220]

Bonfire was postponed until 2002 in order to restructure it to make it safer. Delays in the development of a safety plan and a high estimated cost (mainly due to liability insurance), led A&M president Ray Bowen to postpone Bonfire indefinitely.[221] Despite the university's refusal to allow Bonfire to take place on campus, since 2002 a non-university sanctioned Bonfire has burned annually.[222] Known as Student Bonfire, the off-campus event draws between 8,000 and 15,000 fans.[223] Student Bonfire utilizes many changes for safety purposes, and has only recorded two serious injuries since its inception, neither life-threatening. The newly designed stack was designed by a professional engineer (a former student) and features a center pole with 4 perimeter poles connected via "windle-sticks". In the new design, the height is capped at 45 feet (not including the outhouse), and all the logs touch the ground. Alcohol is strictly prohibited from all student bonfire functions as it was revealed that a number of the students working on the collapsed bonfire in 1999 had BACs higher than the legal driving limit.

The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band marches in TAM formation during halftime at Kyle Field.

The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band (also known as The Noble Men of Kyle or the Aggie Band) is the official marching band of Texas A&M University. Composed of over 400 men and women from the school's Corps of Cadets,[224] it is the largest military marching band in the world. The complex straight-line maneuvers, performed exclusively to traditional marches, are so complicated and precise that computer marching simulations say they cannot be performed.[225]

Since its inception in 1894, its members eat together, sleep in the same dormitories, and practice up to forty hours per week on top of a full academic schedule. The Aggie Band performs at all home football games, some away games, and university and Corps functions throughout the year. Other events in which the band participated include inauguration parades for many United States Presidents and Texas Governors, major annual parades across the country, and the dedication ceremony for the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library.[226][227][228]

Midnight Yell Practice is a pep rally usually held the night before a football game. If the football game is to be held at Kyle Field, midnight yell takes place the day of the football game at 12:00 am. If the football game is an away game, a yell is held on the Thursday night before at the Corps Arches on the Texas A&M campus, and Midnight Yell will be held in the city the game is being played.

Hand sign for the Wrecking Crew

The term Wrecking Crew is a name given to defenses of the football team.[229][230] The term, coined by defensive back Chet Brooks, became popular during the coach R. C. Slocum's tenure in 80s and the 90s. After the coach's firing, many fans, coaches, and sports analysts feel that recent Aggie defenses have not "earned" the title.[230][231] Despite this, the university still owns a trademark on the term.[232]

Yell Leaders are five students who lead the crowd in yells during the games. The team consists of three seniors and two juniors elected by the student body. The Yell Leaders take the place of traditional "cheerleaders" and perform many of the same functions without the gymnastics and dance routines. They also participate in post-game activities such as being thrown in the Fish Pond if the team wins, or leading the student body in the singing of The Twelfth Man if the team loses.

From 2012 to 2023, Texas A&M played in the West Division of the SEC and played each opponent in the division each year along with several teams from the East Division. The SEC will expand the conference to 16 teams and will eliminate its two divisions in 2024, causing a new scheduling format for the Aggies to play against the other members of the conference.[233] Only the 2024 conference schedule was announced on June 14, 2023, while the conference still considers a new format for the future.[234]

Announced schedules as of June 20, 2023.[235]