Texas A&M, Texas presidents voice support for renewing football rivalry
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Texas A&M has not faced in-state rival Texas since 2011, but it’s not because of a lack of interest in the game.
Throughout the Aggies’ seven seasons in the SEC, we’ve heard coaches on both sides voice support for renewing the rivalry. The school presidents are officially in favor, too.
The Austin American-Statesman asked both school presidents, Gregory L. Fenves (UT) and Michael K. Young (TAMU), about bringing back the annual clash on the gridiron.
“It’s a storied rivalry of a hundred years or so,” Fenves said. “We’re supportive’ of renewing it. Young said, “Absolutely. We have been from Day One,” since A&M joined the Southeastern Conference. Added Fenves: “We’ve told our ADs (athletic directors) to figure out a plan and bring it to us.”
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“There are some real practical and contractual issues with scheduling non-conference games,” Fenves said. “The SEC is different from the Big 12. We have non-conference games scheduled 10 years out.”
“You have to get the weekend that coincides and works together,” Young said. “It is complicated. Our schedules don’t match very well. They have non-conference games in the beginning; we have ours interspersed more throughout the season. All of this makes it very hard to schedule.”
Presumably it’s those obstacles the presidents identified have kept the athletic directors from being able to figure out a way to bring the game back.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaign of Fred Taylor.
