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Texas A&M Aggies
2018 Texas A&M Aggies football team
First season1894
Athletic directorScott Woodward
Head coachJimbo Fisher
1st season, 0–0 (–)
StadiumKyle Field
(capacity: 102,733)
LocationCollege Station, Texas
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionWest
All-time record732–476–48 (.602)
Bowl record17–21 (.447)
Claimed national titles3 (1919, 1927, 1939)[1][2]
Unclaimed national titles1 (1917)
Conference titles18
Division titles3 (1997, 1998, 2010)
RivalriesArkansas Razorbacks
Baylor Bears
TCU Horned Frogs
Texas Longhorns
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Heisman winnersJohn David Crow
Johnny Manziel
Consensus All-Americans28[3]
Current uniform
ColorsMaroon and white[4]
   
Fight songAggie War Hymn
MascotReveille
Marching bandFightin' Texas Aggie Band
OutfitterAdidas
Websitewww.12thman.com
The Aggies play their home games at Kyle Field.

The Texas A&M Aggies football program represents Texas A&M University in the sport of American football. The Aggies compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).[5] Texas A&M football claims three national titles and eighteen conference titles. The team plays all home games at the newly redeveloped Kyle Field, a 102,733-person capacity outdoor stadium on the university campus. Jimbo Fisher is currently the team's head coach.

The Texas A&M Aggies football team represents the Texas A&M University in the sport of American football.

History

Conference affiliations

Championships

National championships

Texas A&M claims three national championships; however, there is no one governing or official body that regulates, recognizes, or awards national championships in college football and many independent selectors of championships exist.

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.[6][7]

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. This championship is the Aggies' only consensus national championship.

Additionally, the 1917 team finished 8–0–0 and was not scored upon, earning a retroactive national title by 1st-N-Goal and James Howell.[citation needed] Texas A&M does not claim 1917 as a national championship, however.

Season Coach Selectors Record Bowl Result
1919 Dana X. Bible Billingsley, National Championship Foundation 10–0 - -
1927 Dana X. Bible Sagarin Ratings, Sagarin ELO-Chess 8–0–1 - -
1939 Homer H. Norton AP, College Football Researchers Association, Helms Athletic Foundation 11–0 Won Sugar Bowl Texas A&M 14, Tulane 13
National Championships 3

Conference championships

The Aggies have won 18 conference championships;.[citation needed] The first 17 were Southwest Conference championships, and the most recent was the Big 12 Championships won in 1998.

Former head coach R.C. Slocum gives a gig 'em with his Big 12 Championship ring.
Season Conference Coach Overall record Conference record
1917 Southwest Conference Dana X. Bible 8–0 2–0
1919 Southwest Conference Dana X. Bible 10–0 4–0
1921 Southwest Conference Dana X. Bible 6–1–2 3–0–2
1925 Southwest Conference Dana X. Bible 7–1–1 4–1
1927 Southwest Conference Dana X. Bible 8–0–1 4–0–1
1939 Southwest Conference Homer H. Norton 11–0 6–0
1940 Southwest Conference Homer Norton 9–1 5–1
1941 Southwest Conference Homer Norton 9–2 5–1
1956 Southwest Conference Paul "Bear" Bryant 9–0–1 6–0
1967 Southwest Conference Gene Stallings 7–4–1 6–1
1975 Southwest Conference Emory Bellard 10–2 6–2
1985 Southwest Conference Jackie Sherrill 10–2 7–1
1986 Southwest Conference Jackie Sherrill 9–3 7–1
1987 Southwest Conference Jackie Sherrill 10–2 7–1
1991 Southwest Conference R. C. Slocum 10–2 8–0
1992 Southwest Conference R. C. Slocum 12–1 7–0
1993 Southwest Conference R. C. Slocum 10–2 7–0
1998 Big 12 R. C. Slocum 11–3 7–1

† Co-champions

Divisional championships

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.

Season Division Opponent CG result
1997 Big 12 South Nebraska L 15–54
1998 Big 12 South Kansas State W 36–33
2010 Big 12 South N/A -

† Co-champions – Oklahoma represented the South Division in the 2010 Big 12 Championship Game due to a BCS[citation needed] tiebreaker.

Bowl games

Texas A&M has participated in 39 bowl games. The Aggies have a bowl record of 17–22 (.436). During their 81 years in the Southwest Conference, the Aggies went 12–10 (.545) in bowl games, winning their AP National Championship in 1939. During their 16 years in the Big 12 Conference, the Aggies went 2–9 (.182) in bowl games. Since joining the Southeastern Conference in 2012, the Aggies have gone 3–3 (.500) in bowl games.[8]

Season Coach Bowl Opponent Result
1921 Dana X. Bible Dixie Classic Centre W 22–14
1939 Homer H. Norton Sugar Bowl Tulane W 14–13
1940 Homer H. Norton Cotton Bowl Classic Fordham W 13–12
1941 Homer H. Norton Cotton Bowl Classic Alabama L 21–29
1943 Homer H. Norton Orange Bowl LSU L 14–19
1950 Harry Stiteler Presidential Cup Bowl Georgia W 40–20
1957 Bear Bryant Gator Bowl Tennessee L 0–3
1967 Gene Stallings Cotton Bowl Classic Alabama W 20–16
1975 Emory Bellard Liberty Bowl Southern California L 0–20
1976 Emory Bellard Sun Bowl Florida W 37–14
1977 Emory Bellard Bluebonnet Bowl Southern California L 28–47
1978 Tom Wilson Hall of Fame Classic Iowa State W 28–12
1981 Tom Wilson Independence Bowl Oklahoma State W 33–16
1985 Jackie Sherrill Cotton Bowl Classic Auburn W 36–16
1986 Jackie Sherrill Cotton Bowl Classic Ohio State L 12–28
1987 Jackie Sherrill Cotton Bowl Classic Notre Dame W 35–10
1989 R. C. Slocum John Hancock Bowl Pittsburgh L 28–31
1990 R. C. Slocum Holiday Bowl BYU W 65–14
1991 R. C. Slocum Cotton Bowl Classic Florida State L 2–10
1992 R. C. Slocum Cotton Bowl Classic Notre Dame L 3–28
1993 R. C. Slocum Cotton Bowl Classic Notre Dame L 21–24
1995 R. C. Slocum Alamo Bowl Michigan W 22–20
1997 R. C. Slocum Cotton Bowl Classic UCLA L 23–29
1998 R. C. Slocum Sugar Bowl Ohio State L 14–24
1999 R. C. Slocum Alamo Bowl Penn State L 0–24
2000 R. C. Slocum Independence Bowl Mississippi State L 41–43
2001 R. C. Slocum Galleryfurniture.com Bowl TCU W 28–9
2004 Dennis Franchione Cotton Bowl Classic Tennessee L 7–38
2006 Dennis Franchione Holiday Bowl Cal L 10–45
2007 Gary Darnell (interim) Alamo Bowl Penn State L 17–24
2009 Mike Sherman Independence Bowl Georgia L 20–44
2010 Mike Sherman Cotton Bowl Classic LSU L 24–41
2011 Tim DeRuyter (interim) Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas Northwestern W 33–22
2012 Kevin Sumlin Cotton Bowl Classic Oklahoma W 41–13
2013 Kevin Sumlin Chick-fil-A Bowl Duke W 52–48
2014 Kevin Sumlin Liberty Bowl West Virginia W 45–37
2015 Kevin Sumlin Music City Bowl Louisville L 21–27
2016 Kevin Sumlin Texas Bowl Kansas State L 28–33
2017 Kevin Sumlin Belk Bowl Wake Forest L 52–55

Top 25 finishes

The Aggies have finished in the final season rankings of the AP Poll and Coaches Poll 26 times.[citation needed][when?] The AP Poll first appeared in 1934, and has been published continuously since 1936. The Coaches Poll began its ranking with 20 teams in 1950–51 season, but expanded to 25 teams beginning in the 1990–91 season.[9][failed verification]

Season AP rank Coaches rank
1939 1 N/A
1940 6 N/A
1941 9 N/A
1955 17 14
1956 5 5
1957 9 10
1974 16 15
1975 11 12
1976 7 8
1978 19 18
1985 6 7
1986 13 12
1987 10 9
1989 20 -
1990 15 13
1991 12 13
1992 7 6
1993 9 8
1994 8 -
1995 15 15
1997 20 21
1998 11 13
1999 23 20
2010 19 21
2012 5 5
2013 18 18

Rivalries

SEC rivalries

LSU Tigers

Texas A&M and LSU were both members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association from 1903–1908 and 1912–1914 and are both currently members of the SEC l. The Aggies first played the Tigers in College Station in 1899, winning 52–0. The Tigers are the Aggies' seventh-oldest collegiate-football rival.

Over the years, the two teams have built good home-field advantages, and the series' record is reflective of these reputations. The Aggies are 7–4–1 in College Station, 10–25–1 in Baton Rouge, and 3–4–1 at neutral sites (including the losses in the 1944 Orange Bowl in Miami and the 2011 Cotton Bowl in Dallas). Through 1923, the Aggies built a 7–3–2 advantage (which included neutral site games in New Orleans in 1908, Houston in 1913, Dallas in 1914, Galveston in 1916, and San Antonio in 1917). The Aggies and Tigers next played every year from 1942 to 1949 during the regular season with all of the games held in Baton Rouge. The Aggies were 2–7 in those match-ups with LSU winning the last five. In addition to the regular season match-up in 1943, the Aggies and Tigers also faced each other in the first bowl match-up of their rivalry. Though the Aggies won the regular season game 28–13, the Tigers won the January 1, 1944, Orange Bowl 19–14.

The Aggies and Tigers met twice more in 1955 and 1956 with the Aggies taking both match-ups (the 1955 game was held at a neutral site in Dallas, and the 1956 game was held in Baton Rouge). From 1960 to 1975, the Aggies and Tigers produced the most consecutive match-ups of the series. The Aggies were 3–12–1 over this span, with all games in Baton Rouge to allow Texas A&M to take home a larger gate than it would have earned playing in College Station.

After an eleven-year absence, the rivalry was renewed in 1986 and continued until their last regular season meeting in 1995, this time with the games alternating between Baton Rouge (even-numbered years) and College Station (odd-numbered years). The Aggies were 6–4 over this span, winning the last five meetings - four of which were against LSU teams coached by former Aggie Curley Hallman - and winning six of the last seven meetings.

From 1996 through 2011, the Aggies and Tigers faced each other only once, in the Cotton Bowl Classic. It was only the second time the teams faced each other in a bowl game. The Tigers won 41–24.

The series resumed in 2012, due to the Aggies joining the SEC. LSU won the first ever SEC matchup 24-19 at College Station. In 2013, #22 LSU won 34–10, Texas A&M's first SEC road loss. In 2014, they played on Thanksgiving night for the first time in the series history. The last time LSU played on the holiday was 1973. LSU beat Texas A&M 23-17 at College Station. The Tigers continued their dominance of A&M in 2015 (19-7 at Baton Rouge), 2016 (54-39 at College Station), and 2017 (45-21 at Baton Rouge). The next meeting is scheduled for November 24, 2018 at College Station.

Starting in 2014, the Aggies became LSU's final regular season opponent. Arkansas, which had been LSU's final regular season opponent from 1992 through 2013 (except in 2001 due to LSU's game vs. Auburn being rescheduled to the end of the regular season in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks) now plays Missouri the same weekend of the A&M-LSU game.

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 6 games from 1960 to 1966 and 2011 to present. 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 1945-1973 was the most dominant span by either team in the series history. LSU was 17-3-1 vs Texas A&M during this span.

Texas A&M-LSU: All-Time Record
Games played First meeting Last meeting A&M wins A&M losses Ties Win %
56 December 2, 1899 (won 52–0) November 25, 2016 (lost 45-21) 20 33 3 35.7%

Arkansas Razorbacks

The Aggies first played the Razorbacks in 1903. From 1934–1991, 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 41–30–3.

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.[10][11][12]

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 hold the longest winning streak in the series of 9 games from 1958 to 1966.

Texas A&M-Arkansas: All-time record
Games played First meeting Last meeting A&M wins A&M losses Ties Win %
74 1903 (won 6–0) September 23, 2017 (won 50—43, OT) 30 41 3 40.5%

Other Rivals

Texas Longhorns

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,[13] and the most-played intrastate rivalry. However, as rivalries go, it’s not a particularly close one: Texas beats Texas A&M twice for every Aggie win—the all-time record is Texas 75 wins–Texas A&M 37 wins, five ties.[14] Most of these lopsided victories occurred prior A&M's transition from all male 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,[15] 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,[16] 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),[17] 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.[18] Since 1900, the last regular season football game is usually reserved for their matchup.[19]
  • Each school has elaborate pre-game preparations for the annual football clash, including the Aggie Bonfire[20] and the Hex Rally.[21]
  • Texas has a unique lighting scheme for the UT Tower after wins over Texas A&M.[22]
  • In the past, mischief has preceded the annual game, such as the "kidnapping" of Bevo.[23][24]

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).

Texas A&M-Texas: All-Time Record
Games played First meeting Last meeting A&M wins A&M losses Ties Win %
118 1894 (lost 38–0) November 24, 2011 (lost 25–27) 37 76 5 31.4%

Baylor Bears

The Aggies first played the Baylor Bears in 1899, and competed with them annually since 1945.[25] 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.[26] The Aggies' 68 wins against the Bears is the highest number of wins that the Aggies have accumulated against any team. From 1960-1990 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 a 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.

Texas A&M-Baylor: All-Time Record
Games played First meeting Last meeting A&M wins A&M losses Ties Win %
108 1899 (won 33-0) October 15, 2011 (won 55-28) 68 31 9 63.0%

Texas Tech Red Raiders

The Aggies first played the Red Raiders in 1927. The Aggies lead the all-time series 37–32–1.[27]

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).

Texas A&M-Texas Tech: All-Time Record
Games played First meeting Last meeting A&M wins A&M losses Ties Win %
70 November 28, 1927 (won 47–6) October 8, 2011 (won 45–40) 37 32 1 52.9%

TCU Horned Frogs

The Texas A&M/TCU rivalry began in 1897 and is the Aggies' third-oldest collegiate-football rivalry (behind the Texas A&M/Texas rivalry which began in 1894, and the Texas A&M/Austin College rivalry which began in 1896). The Aggies have accumulated 56 wins against the Horned Frogs (which is their second-highest total against any collegiate program). 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, 24, with the last win coming on December 28, 2001, in the Galleryfurniture.com Bowl, played in the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. 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.

Over the life of the series, the Aggies have shutout the Horned Frogs 21 times, and been shutout 9 times (including scoreless ties in 1909 and 1927). The Aggies hold the largest margin of victory with a 74–10 win in College Station on November 22, 1986 (the Aggies also hold the next ten-largest margins of victory, with each ranging from 34 to 56 points). The Aggies' current winning streak of 24 games from 1973 to 1995 and including the 2001 galleryfurniture.com Bowl is the longest in the series.

At a yell practice before the 1930 TCU game, A&M Board of Regents member Pinky Downs '06 shouted, "What are we going to do to those Horned Frogs?" His muse did not fail him as he improvised, borrowing a term from frog hunting. "Gig 'em, Aggies!" he said as he made a fist with his thumb extended straight up. And with that the first hand sign in the Southwest Conference came into being.[28] Interestingly, the "Hook 'em Horns" cheer was also invented by a UT cheerleader prior to the November 12, 1955 UT-TCU game.[29] TCU wound up winning both of these historic games.

Texas A&M–TCU: All-Time Record
Games played First meeting Last meeting A&M wins A&M losses Ties Win %
92 1897 (lost 6–30) December 28, 2001 (won 28–9, Galleryfurniture.com Bowl) 56 29 7 60.9%

SMU Mustangs

SMU and Texas A&M both were in the Southwest Conference (1915-1996). A group of cadet in Corp decided that the best way to prepare for the SMU game was to fabricate spurs hand-made from coat hangers, with rowels made from flattened bottle caps. "Spur them Ponies" was the battle cry. The Sunday prior to the A&M-SMU game saw hundreds of fish out in the quad, pounding bottle caps, punching holes in their centers, and bending coat hangers. The coat hangers had to be bent just so, to keep the spurs attached to the shoes, without doing permanent damage to the required spit-shine. The SMU-A&M rivalry isn't very strong anymore. However, Freshman in the Corp of Cadets still to this day walk around campus the week before the SMU game with these "Fish Spurs".

In 1994, SMU ruined A&M's bid for an undefeated, untied season by playing the Aggies to a 21-21 draw at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The Aggies finished the year 10-0-1, but were ineligible to win the Southwest Conference championship and play in a bowl game due to NCAA probation.

Texas A&M-SMU: All-time record
Games played First meeting Last meeting A&M wins A&M losses Ties Win %
81 October 23, 1916 (won 62–0) September 20, 2014 (won 58-6) 45 29 7 55.5%

Rice Owls

The Texas A&M/Rice rivalry began in 1914, and was played annually from 1920 to 1995. The Aggies have accumulated 52 wins against the Owls (which is their third-highest total against any collegiate program, behind the 68 wins they have accumulated against the Baylor Bears, and the 56 wins they have accumulated against the TCU Horned Frogs). Though the Aggies no longer play the Owls annually since the Southwest Conference disbanded in 1996, this series is still notable because it contains the second-longest, active winning streak that the Aggies have against any Division I opponent, 17, with the last win coming on September 13, 2014, in a game played at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas. The Owls have not beaten the Aggies since October 25, 1980, when they won in College Station with a final score of 10–6.

Over the life of the series, the Aggies have shutout the Owls 16 times, and been shutout 6 times (including a scoreless tie in 1942). The Aggies hold the largest margin of victory with a 49–7 win in College Station on October 23, 1982 (the Aggies also hold the next two largest margins of victory with a 45–7 win in 1989 and a 45–10 win in 1986). The Aggies current 17-game winning streak from 1981 through 1995 and 2013 to 2014 is the longest in the series.

The Aggies and Owls met for the first time in 18 years when the Aggies scheduled Rice for its home opener on August 31, 2013. Texas A&M won the game 52-31 despite the first-half suspension of 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel.[30] Currently, the Aggies and Owls have a home-and-away series scheduled for 2014 (College Station) and 2019 (Houston, NRG Stadium).

Texas A&M-Rice: All-Time Record
Games played First meeting Last meeting A&M wins A&M losses Ties Win %
82 November 9, 1914 (won 32–7) September 13, 2014 (won 38-10) 52 27 3 63.4%

Player accomplishments

Individual awards

Texas A&M Football has eight players who have won a total of eighteen trophies: John David Crow won the Heisman Trophy in 1957; Dat Nguyen won the Lombardi Award and Chuck Bednarik Award in 1998; Von Miller won the Butkus Award in 2010; Randy Bullock won the Lou Groza Award in 2011; redshirt freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel won the Heisman Trophy, the Manning Award, AP College Football Player of the Year, and the Davey O'Brien Award in 2012; Luke Joeckel won the Outland Trophy in 2012; Myles Garrett won the Bill Willis Award in 2015; and Trevor Knight won the Wuerffel Trophy in 2016.

Several other players received recognition from the award organizations, including:

Texas A&M first-team All-Americans

In the years since 1889, several organizations and publications have recognized the top players in the nation by naming them to All-America teams. To be considered an All-American, a player needs to be named to the first-team on at least one of the lists of these organizations. In addition, the NCAA further recognizes certain players by honoring them with the "Consensus" All-American title. At present, the Consensus honor is determined by referencing the first, second, and third teams of five organizations and assigning a varying amount of points for each time a player appears on one of those five lists. The points are totaled and the player with the most points at his position is awarded the Consensus honor. The five organizations whose lists are used for the Consensus determination are the Associated Press (AP),[38] American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).,[39] Football Writers Association of America (FWAA),[40] Sporting News (TSN).,[41] and Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF).[42] Finally, a player can be recognized with the "Unanimous Consensus" honor if all five of the previously listed organizations have recognized that player as a First-Team All-American.

Texas A&M has had 53 players that have been named First-Team All-Americans for a total of 72 seasons (19 players have been honored in two different seasons). 30 of those were Consensus All-Americans. Texas A&M has had 27 All-Americans on Offense, 34 All-Americans on Defense, and 11 All-Americans on Special Teams. The Linebacker position is the most represented position with 14 selections (Offensive Tackle/Offensive Guard is the next highest with 12 selections). Texas A&M has had an All-American selection at every position, and has had at least one All-American in every decade since the 1930s. The highest number of All-Americans during one decade took place from 1990 to 1999 when 16 players were named All-Americans for a total of 18 seasons.

Name Position Years at Texas A&M All-America
AP (Since 1925) AFCA (Since 1945) FWAA (Since 1944) TSN (Since 1934) WCFF (Since 1889) Other Consensus Unanimous Consensus
Sam Adams DE 1991–1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993[43] 1993
Antonio Armstrong LB 1991-1994 1994 1994[44]
Mike Arthur C 1987-1990 1990
Patrick Bates FS 1992 1992 1992 1992[45]
Rod Bernstine TE 1983–1986 1986[46]
Joe Boyd (American football) OT 1936-1939 1939[47]
Marcus Buckley LB 1990–1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992[43] 1992 1992
Randy Bullock PK 2008–2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011[48] 2011
Ray Childress DT 1981–1984 1984 1983, 1984[49] 1984
Quentin Coryatt LB 1989-1991 1991[46]
John David Crow RB 1955–1957 1957 1957 1957 1956, 1957 1957 1957[50] 1957 1957
Dave Elmendorf FS 1968–1970 1970 1970 1970
Mike Evans WR 2012-2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013
Tony Franklin PK 1975–1978 1976, 1978 1976[51] 1976
Myles Garrett DE 2014- 2016 2016 2015, 2016 2016 2015, 2016 2016[52] 2016 2016
Aaron Glenn DB 1992–1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993[53] 1993 1993
Dennis Goehring OG 1953-1956 1956
Jacob Green DE 1977–1979 1979 1979 1978
Lester Hayes FS 1973–1976 1976
Bill Hobbs LB 1965-1968 1967 1968[49]
Johnny Holland LB 1983–1986 1985 1985 1986[44] 1985
Robert Jackson LB 1973-1976 1976 1976 1976 1976 1976 1976[54] 1976 1976
Luke Joeckel OT 2010-2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012[55] 2012 2012
Drew Kaser P 2012-2015 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013, 2015[56] 2013 2013
John Kimbrough FB 1938–1940 1939, 1940 1939, 1940 1939,[57] 1940[58] 1939, 1940 1940
Christian Kirk PR 2015- 2015[59]
Charlie Krueger OT 1955–1957 1957 1956,[60] 1957[60]
Rolf Krueger OT 1965-1968 1968 1968[61]
Shane Lechler P 1996–1999 1999 1998 1999[62]
Darren Lewis RB 1987–1990 1988, 1990 1990 1988 1990 1990[63] 1990
Jack Little FB 1949-1952 1951 1952
Leeland McElroy AP/KR 1993–1995 1995 1994 1994 1994 1994[64] 1994
Johnny Manziel QB 2012-2013 2012,2013 2012 2012 2012 2012,2013[55][65] 2012
Jake Matthews OT 2010-2013 2013 2013 2012,2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013
Tommy Maxwell FS 1965-1968 1968 1968[61]
Ray Mickens DB 1992-1995 1995
Von Miller DE/LB 2007–2010 2010 2009 2010 2009,[66] 2010[67] 2010
Brandon Mitchell DE 1993–1996 1995
Keith Mitchell LB 1993–1996 1996[44]
Damontre Moore DE 2010-2012 2012 2012 2012 2012[65] 2012
Maurice "Mo" Moorman OT 1966-1967 1966 1966 1966[61]
Dat Nguyen LB 1995–1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998[44] 1998 1998
Steve O'Neal P 1965-1968 1968
Jack Pardee FB 1954–1956 1956 1956[68]
Marshall Robnett OG 1938–1940 1940 1940[69] 1940
John Roper LB 1985–1988 1987 1987 1987
Joe Routt OG 1935–1937 1936, 1937 1937[70] 1937
Ed Simonini LB 1972–1975 1975 1975 1975 1975 1975 1975[63] 1975 1975
Bob Smith RB 1949–1951 1950[71]
Kevin Smith CB 1988–1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991[72] 1991
Garth TenNapel LB 1973-1975 1975[46]
Pat Thomas CB 1972–1975 1974, 1975 1975 1974 1975 1974,[46] 1975[73] 1974, 1975
Jason Webster DB 1996–1999 1999[74]

Hall of Fame

College Football Hall of Fame coaches

Coach Years Induction
Madison A. "Matty" Bell 1929–1933 1955
Dana X. Bible 1917, 1919–1928 1951
Paul "Bear" Bryant 1954–1957 1986
Homer H. Norton 1934–1947 1971
Gene Stallings 1965–1971 2010
RC Slocum 1982–2002 2012

College Football Hall of Fame players

Player Position Years Induction
Ray Childress DT 1981–1984 2010
John David Crow HB 1955–1957 1976
Dave Elmendorf S 1968–1970 1997
Joel Hunt HB 1925–1927 1967
John Kimbrough FB 1938–1940 1954
Charlie Krueger T 1955–1957 1983
Jack Pardee FB 1954–1956 1986
Joe Routt G 1935–1937 1962
Gene Stallings DB 1954–1956 2010
Joe Utay HB 1905–1907 1974

Pro Football Hall of Fame players

Player Position Years Induction
Yale Lary S 1948–1951 1979

Traditions

12th Man

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.[75] 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.[76][77]

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.[78]

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."[79]

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.[79] This squad never allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown.[80] 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.[79] 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.[80]

Bonfire

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."[81] The bonfire was traditionally lit around Thanksgiving in conjunction with the festivities surrounding the annual game between the schools.[82]

The first on-campus Aggie Bonfire was burned in 1909, and the tradition continued for the next 90 years.[82] 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.[83] 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.[82] 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.[82][84]

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.[85] 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.[86]

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.[85] 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.[87] The Bonfire Memorial was officially dedicated on November 18, 2004.[88]

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.[89] Despite the university's refusal to allow Bonfire to take place on campus, since 2002 a non-university sanctioned Bonfire has burned annually.[90] Known as Student Bonfire, the off-campus event draws between 8,000 and 15,000 fans.[91] 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 ATM formation during halftime at Kyle Field.

Fightin' Texas Aggie Band

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,[92] 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.[93]

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.[94][95][96]

Midnight Yell Practice

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.

Wrecking Crew

Hand sign for the Wrecking Crew

The term Wrecking Crew is a name given to defenses of the football team.[97][98] 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.[98][99] Despite this, the university still owns a trademark on the term.[100]

Yell Leaders

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.

Future opponents

Non-division opponents

[when?]Texas A&M plays South Carolina as a permanent non-division opponent annually and rotates around the East division among the other six schools.[101]

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
at South Carolina vs South Carolina at South Carolina vs South Carolina at South Carolina vs South Carolina at South Carolina vs South Carolina
vs Kentucky at Georgia vs Vanderbilt at Missouri vs Florida at Tennessee vs Georgia at Kentucky

Non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of November 29, 2016[102]

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
vs Clemson at Clemson vs North Texas at Colorado vs Miami at Miami vs Notre Dame at Notre Dame
vs UAB vs UTSA vs Colorado vs New Mexico
vs Louisiana–Monroe vs Fresno State
TBA vs Abilene Christian

See also

References

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