If Alabama and BYU can work out a game in a matter of days (the matchup has been reported for Week 1 but not yet officially announced by either program), surely Texas and Texas A&M could do the same, right?

The two programs have met over 100 times on the football field but have not done so since the 2011 season after the Aggies left the Big 12 for greener pastures in the SEC.

Now after changes at leadership positions at both schools and head coaching turnover for each respective program, Texas appears very eager to renew the series with the Aggies.

“We’d love to play ’em, I know that,” Herman said on Thursday during a Zoom call according to Brian Davis of the Austin American-Statesman. “I know that at least I know within our program we would love to play Texas A&M, certainly.”

That sentiment has been expressed multiple times in recent years by Texas but Texas A&M doesn’t appear the least bit interested in meeting the Longhorns on the field anytime soon.

“I hope someday that we can figure out a way to be like everybody else in the country, the Clemsons and South Carolinas, the Georgias and Georgia Techs and all of the examples that I gave you,” Herman added.

Of course, expressing a desire to renew the rivalry and having room on the schedule to actually do that are two different things. While both programs are booked up for years to come, Herman was asked if Texas and Texas A&M could meet as soon as this season considering the uncertainty surrounding many of the scheduled matchups for each team this season.

For example, Texas A&M has already lost the Colorado game on its schedule for the coming season.

Considering the distance between Austin and College Station is under 100 miles, could the two teams find a way to meet on the field in 2020?

“You know, we’ll see,” Herman said. “I know (Texas AD) Chris Del Conte feels the same way that I do. And we’ve reached out to try to play them in the past. Didn’t go real well. And, you know, maybe this will be the catalyst to make it happen. I haven’t heard anything like that. But who knows? Desperate times call for desperate measures, right?”

Who knows, 2020 has been a terrible year so far but for fans of this rivalry, the second half of the year could deliver a nice respite from bad news if only these two teams could somehow come together and meet on the gridiron before the year ends.