Texas A&M hopes to make a renewed rivalry with the University of Texas permanent once the Longhorns join the Southeastern Conference.
The Aggies and Longhorns have not faced each other on a football field since 2011. After that season, Texas A&M left for the SEC, ending a rivalry that dates to 1894.
During the SEC spring meetings in Destin, Fla., Texas A&M Athletic Director Ross Bjork told the Houston Chronicle he would like to have the Longhorns on the schedule every year.
That likely hinges on which model is approved.
An eight-game model would feature one common SEC opponent each season. The other seven SEC opponents would rotate.
Texas and the University of Oklahoma, which is also joining the SEC, have played every year since 1900.
“In an eight-game model, Texas wants to keep Oklahoma and Oklahoma wants to keep Texas,” Bjork told the Houston Chronicle. “So, if you have only one ‘permanent’ rival, that leaves us with LSU. We’re fine with LSU, but we want to play Texas and we want a third permanent rival. That gets you to the nine-game model.”
The nine-game model would feature three annual SEC opponents and six rotating opponents.
Texas and OU will most likely join the SEC in 2025.
“From an SEC perspective, 2023 is impractical financially,” Bjork told the Houston Chronicle. “Really, the earliest would be 2024, but that’s up to the Big 12 and Texas and Oklahoma... Practically speaking with TV contracts, the earliest would be 2024, if [UT and OU] can get out of their entanglements on the Big 12 side."
