Maroon Life Magazine — Rivalry 2025

Dynamic Duo Finds

OUR TEAM

Editors

Sydnei Miles, Editor-in-Chief

Hudson Elkjer, Creative Director

Ayla Francis, Managing Editor

Olivia Ingram, Art Director

Quentin Deming, Photo Director

Sydney Hale, Social Media Manager

Brianna Buffalo, Assoc. Social Media Manager

Macy Richardson, Event Head

Sara E. Gonzales, Associate Director

Photographers

Adriano Espinosa

Megan Fifer

Anastasia Acosta

Andy Holden

Business & Distribution

Hayden Arevalo

Hamsini Mahadevan

Writers

Lucy

Valeria Salazar

Angeline Nappoly

Adhithi Shankar

Victoria Taylor

Photo by Adriano Espinosa, Staff Photographer

Photo by Andy Holder, Staff Photographer

HORNS VS. HULL

How traditions bring both rivalry and unity

For over a century, Texas A&M and the University of Texas, or t.u., have met sporadically in a storied football match-up. On paper it may be just a game, but to students at both universities, the traditions and emotions surrounding the rivalry run as deep as its history.

Details around the competitive origins are murky and controversial. A long-held Aggie belief maintains that t.u.’s beloved horned mascot Bevo gained his name from the branding of a losing football score (130), bestowed on the steer’s hide by a few wily cadets from A&M. An article from t.u.’s alumni organization, the Texas Exes, begs to differ. It cites the fact that the name Bevo was first announced in a 1916 magazine issue, while the branding prank was performed in February of 1917, prompting the university to move the steer to an off-campus ranch over fears of outright theft by the Aggies.

Interestingly, t.u. boasted a canine mascot before Bevo took his crown. “Pig Bellmont” first arrived in Austin in 1914 and bore striking similarities to A&M’s first Miss Rev. While not a stray, Pig was also a small shorthaired pup who visited classrooms, attended games and was present at inspections for t.u.’s aeronautics cadets during World War I, when they were housed on campus. While the Aggie’s Reveille was first discovered after a car accident, Pig’s career sadly came to an end with one, when he was hit by a Model T in 1923.

Similar first mascots aside, fans from both schools find plenty of opportunity to make jabs at the opposing sides, especially while in the stands. Both universities’ fight songs include a line bidding goodbye to the rival team, although A&M’s War Hymn could be said to express slightly more hostile threats, especially when it comes to

a certain mascot’s horns.

While well-rehearsed chants are staples in both universities’ student sections, A&M

Longhorn, serves as the athletic policy director for t.u. Student Government and has plenty of experience cheering her team

Courtesy of Kennedy Weatherby, The Daily Texan

ABALOOS

these traditions within football … what they mean to me as the chair of Traditions Council is it truly allows us to extend that branch and connect others to the Aggie Spirit and invite them into the Aggie family.”

Not all rivalry traditions are divisive. Hofstetter said that the tragedy of the

incredible loss.”

Directly following the tragedy, t.u. helped organize a blood drive to help those injured in the collapse. The university’s annual “Hex Rally” — similar to Bonfire — was cancelled and a “Unity Gathering” held instead. Volunteers from the Texas Exes still

‘Hook ‘em,’” Anwar said. “Putting a horns up on something, it shows we stand for this thing and we are here to help others.”

The unified spirit of both universities is exemplified by their mutual respect for each other, Anwar said.

“We’ll trash on y’all for football sometimes, but I think deep down … acknowledging that we’re both premier Texas universities,” Anwar said. “We’re both universities shaped by [their] students and that … is what matters during the darkest

The Aggie core value of selfless service as it relates to the remembrance of Bonfire is still on display today. The Student Bonfire organization was recently honored by the city of College Station, which proclaimed Oct. 9 “Bonfire Day,” according to a report by KBTX. Volunteers used their skill set — usually reserved for Cut and Stack — to help search efforts in Kerr County following the devastating July floods.

Hofstetter said she feels the Tradition Council’s role in upholding the tradition of Bonfire Remembrance helps acknowledge both the legacy of Bonfire and the Aggie

“Being able to … keep that bridge of camaraderie not only between two huge universities in Texas … but between our own Aggie family, current and former students, speaks a lot to that Aggie Spirit that was housed around Bonfire,” Hofstetter said. “Even though Bonfire may not burn in the spot it used to, the lives and the legacies of those that were lost that day will forever burn in the spirit of Aggieland.”

FLASHPOINTS FLASHBACK

A

look back at the moments

that have defined A&M’s best season in over 30 years

By Mathias Culliban, The Battalion Associate Sports Editor

No. 3 Texas A&M football’s season has been a kaleidoscope of flashpoints and highlights, chock-full of storylines in its best season since 1992. These moments have reinvented a veteran team that has fully emerged from its cocoon into both Southeastern Conference and national relevance.

to the end zone in addition to being the key cog in offensive coordinator Collin Klein’s passing game.

It didn’t take long for the Kyle Field stands to rise for junior wide receiver KC Concepcion. The NC State transfer announced his Aggieland arrival by gliding through the UTSA special teams unit on an 80-yard punt return touchdown for the first A&M score of the season.

Coming to College Station with 18 total touchdowns already under his belt, Concepcion has already added nine trips

Cashius Howell gets a sack hat trick: In a seemingly innocuous 44-22 drubbing of an overmatched Utah State squad, A&M was still able to send a message to the SEC. In the second quarter, redshirt senior defensive end Cashius Howell pantsed the Utah State left tackle for sacks of graduate quarterback Bryson Barnes on three straight plays.

The feat had not been accomplished in an NCAA Football game since 2015 and marked the start of Howell’s breakout campaign. The former Bowling Green Falcon now leads the SEC in sacks with 10, effortlessly filling the void left by Nic

Scourton last season.

On the road to face then-No. 8 team Notre Dame, A&M’s other transfer acquisition at wide receiver snatched back the headlines — and a Beats by Dre NIL deal — with a 207-yard performance.

Sophomore WR Mario Craver’s day started with a pirouetting, pinballing 86-yard touchdown in which a gaggle of Golden Domers couldn’t bring him down. The Aggies’ wide receiver duo has been at the heart of the renaissance, with Craver still second in the conference in receiving yards.

The biggest crossroads moment of the season for the Maroon and White came late in the fourth quarter against the Fighting Irish. Going down 40-34 with 2:55 left, redshirt sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed engineered a go-ahead comeback drive to give A&M the upset win in South Bend, Indiana.

The final touchdown pass fell into the unlikely mitts of graduate tight end Nate Boerkircher, a Nebraska transfer pegged as no more than an industrial blocking tight end upon his arrival. The play not only

vaulted A&M into the top 10 of the AP Top 25, but was another example of the Aggies finding a way to make a play when they needed it most.

Reed’s ascension from 2024 backup quarterback to bonafide Heisman Trophy contender, but that doesn’t mean there haven’;t been hiccups. During a sleep-walking offensive performance against Auburn, a routine screen pass resulted in a tip-drill interception that the Tigers returned to the Aggies’ 2-yard line.

The sound of “Battered Aggie Syndrome” felt amongst the Kyle Field faithful was practically palpable, but coach Mike Elko’s A&M team eased the symptoms. In past years, a disaster like this would have ruined the game, but Reed slickly walked his team down the field on the next possession to ice the game with a field-goal drive to win it.

After earning SEC All-Freshman Team honors in 2023 before going down with a Lisfranc injury in 2024, A&M fans were awaiting the day that redshirt sophomore running back Rueben Owens II looked like his old dynamic self.

Those believers looked like prophets when Owens steamrolled Mississippi State for 161 total yards. The El Campo native thrived in a supplementary role before taking over as the feature back during this

It wouldn’t be a hyperbole to say the A&M season was derailed in 2024 when star then-junior RB Le’Veon Moss was lost for the year with a knee injury against South Carolina. The sentient bowling ball was back to his best form in 2025, racking up 389 yards on the ground.

Against Florida, though, Moss took an awkward hit before writhing on the ground in agony, injuring his ankle and leaving the field for a “significant amount of time.” For the second straight season, the loss of the Aggies’ lead back puts a stress on the room’s

In the middle of a back-and-forth shootout with Arkansas’ explosive offense, Elko turned to graduate student RB EJ Smith on one of the game’s most pivotal plays.

The former Stanford transfer had the ball placed in his gut on fourth-and-1 with less than 10 minutes remaining. Getting hit in the backfield, Smith managed to wriggle his way past flailing Razorbacks and over the first-down marker and keep the chains moving — another high-leverage situation converted thanks to a role player.

A year after Reed’s comeback against LSU vaulted himself into national conversation, the quarterback led A&M into enemy territory against those same Tigers. After putting up 35 unanswered points in the second half, A&M downed LSU for the first time in 31 years in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

While the LSU student section cleared out and left the tattered remnants of its season behind, the traveling 12th Man took over the Bayou and played the Aggie War Hymn. Coaches and players alike swayed back and forth in front of the supporters to express gratitude and show the national audience that this A&M team is different.

Photos by Adriano Espinosa, The Battalion Photo Chief

She’s got 10 Aggies in her corner; he’s got seven Longhorns on his side. Come Nov. 28, this couple’s love will hit the road to face the ultimate family face-off.

Communication senior Lauren Rozas and construction science senior Charlie Barker have been dating for six years and counting. Descending from a long line of Aggies, it was a given Rozas would follow in their footsteps. But Barker? His family consists fully of Longhorns, so he had to hang up his horns to join the Maroon and White.

“I really just loved the Aggie culture and the traditions,” Barker

ROAD to RIVARLY

High school sweethearts from divided families face a Texas-sized rivalry

By Valeria Salazar, Staff Writer

said. “UT wasn’t the school it used to be whenever I was younger.”

Nov. 30, 2024, marked the longawaited comeback of Texas A&M and t.u.’s football rivalry after a 13year layoff. With A&M Athletics recording last year’s score ending in a 7-17 loss, all eyes are eagerly set on the Aggies, who’ve found their rhythm as a team and are shaping up for the upcoming 2025 rivalry match.

More than ever, the spirit of Aggieland seems to be bubbling over like freshly poured champagne in celebration of the football team’s strong starting record.

“Now being a student, I feel like it’s just ten times better because you’re in the student section, and you’re just fully embodied in the traditions,” Rozas said.

With the couple catching on to the contagious competitive energy, their hopes of winning are high and their upcoming trip to Austin couldn’t come soon enough.

Barker’s family has had their eyes set on spending Thanksgiving in Austin, and the pair has been building a plan over the course of

the semester for their little road trip getaway.

Their first stop on the rivalry journey will begin with a true house divided as they head back to Coppell, Texas, for Thanksgiving Break.

“Since I’ve been dating Charlie, Texas has always been better at football, and so they’ve always gotten to put that in our face,” Rozas said. “I’m kind of excited to maybe have the chance to do that back.”

For the last 109 years, the schools have been settling their rivalry on the field. While going head-to-head against the Longhorns in football, the Aggies have racked up a total of 33 wins, 62 losses and 3 ties, according to A&M Athletics.

Photos by Anastasia Acosta, Staff Photographer

No bets have been placed as of yet, but both families know what’s at risk. The stakes are high, and the countdown for who will take home the Lone Star Showdown win has begun.

As for game day, the plan has been set in turf.

The entirety of Barker’s family that has previously attended t.u. will be in attendance while Rozas and Barker, the only two Aggies within their group, will parade Maroon and White with a pride that hasn’t taken a day off since their freshman year.

Rozas is looking forward to the electrifying setting, as the Aggies pack the stadium. With a yearning for a win in Longhorn territory, the couple has this night at the top of their senior bucket list.

Although they won’t be seeing any state capital landmarks, the couple has planned to venture out to a few local bars and restaurants during their time in Austin.

“I really wanna go to Matt’s El Rancho while I’m there,” Rozas said.

“I hear they have really good food and drinks and just a fun environment to be in.”

After their local Tex-Mex experience, they plan to get a glimpse of the Austin nightlife. The pair hopes for an Aggie win for a perfect way to round out the monumental trip.

With an aspiration to keep up their winning streak and finish their final year at A&M with a bang, Rozas and Barker are gearing up for the game of a lifetime with family pride on the line.

“I honestly am hopeful that I can finally have the chance to have bragging rights for a while versus all seven of them against me,” Barker said.

“I really just loved the Aggie culture and the traditions.”

The game might only have four quarters, but this football-loving couple will go into overtime on the trip of a lifetime.

Aggies preserve and recognize rich history of Downtown Bryan

Therich history and charm of Downtown Bryan sends Texas A&M students 15 minutes down the road from campus for an easy escape from the busyness occurring on campus. With cozy breakfast stops to find a spot to study and quaint restaurants enjoyable for friends and family, Aggie business owners in Downtown Bryan want to bring life to current students’ time in the Bryan-College Station area.

Not wanting to pursue corporate life right out of college, Rami Cerone, Class of 1995, bought one of the many at-the-time vacant buildings in Downtown Bryan and opened his own restaurant. Sitting on the corner of North Main Street, the orange brick of Italian restaurant Caffé Capri stands out next to the white-painted buildings on its left.

“I wanted to do something on my own, and I thought that it’d be easier to do it now — when I was 22, used to making no money and living cheap — versus if I had a family or waited 10 years and was used to making money,” Cerone said.

30 years later, Caffé Capri has made its way from being a shot in the dark to having multiple awards under its belt, such as being an honoree on the ‘Aggie 100’ in 2005, along with consistently bringing in visitors, both old and new. The restaurant has remained in the heart of Bryan, but the ambiance has

shifted greatly since the mid-‘90s. Now there’s more opportunity to draw a crowd.

“It was slow [business] at first. I was young and naive enough where I wasn’t very scared because I was 22,” Cerone said. “There was still the courthouse downtown, so I opened lunch and dinner assuming the courthouse business would give me business for lunch at least, and dinner was a hope and a dream that people would come.”

Caffé Capri has suited thousands of visitors throughout their 30-year time period as a restaurant, as they’ve stayed open through many generations of Aggies, Cerone said.

“I’m proud that we’ve made it. So many restaurants have come and gone, being in this town especially, and we are still busy,” Cerone said.

In 2016, Jake Mitchell, Class of 2009, built and opened Rx Pizza and, after years of success there, decided to open a business duo in November 2024 that occupies one space: Sunbeam Bagels and The Owl.

Coming back to Bryan to open his original business, Rx Pizza, was an easy decision for Mitchell.

“I knew the community really well, and I had found a lot of community, specifically in Downtown Bryan. Getting to come back to be part of a revitalization of downtown, I think, was a big part of the decision [to open Rx Pizza],” Mitchell said.

Mitchell wanted to make sure that his

businesses had some history tied to the previous Downtown Bryan, highlighting the spirit of tradition deeply rooted in Aggieland.

The namesake of each of Mitchell’s businesses is special. Rx Pizza is named after ‘James Pharmacy,’ which used to occupy the space dating back to 1906. For Sunbeam Bagels and The Owl, this pair is named after the trains that traveled on the tracks right behind the business. The historic ‘Sunbeam’ train was the first to travel between Houston and Dallas in the morning each day in the 1950’s, and ‘The Owl’ was the train traveling back late at night.

One student from A&M decided to venture to a new location for some study time. She now enjoys spending it primarily at Sunbeam Bagels/The Owl.

“Every time I want an escape from campus to study, I drive over and get a bagel. Then I’ll sit on ‘The Owl’ side because the booths are perfect for a long day of studying,” marketing senior Sarah Lankford said.

Mitchell said his hope for current students is to just play a small part in their four years here at A&M.

By Victoria Taylor, Staff Writer

Photos by Anastasia Acosta, Staff Photographer

Howdy! Welcome to the official Instagram of Texas A&M University, Home of the #12thMan. ��

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By Angeline Nappoly, Staff Writer

Years before Kyle Field crowds would chant their names, DJ Hicks and Daymion Sanford were only two teenagers from Katy, Texas, bound by their blood, sweat and tears over football. Both were heavily recruited. Both had the choice between College Station and Austin. And both chose maroon over burnt orange.

“Texas was on their list,” Daymion’s mother, Natasha Sanford, said. “[But] it wasn’t a contender. It wasn’t even in their top three or top five or top ten.”

Daymion Sanford

A broken wrist changed everything. As a freshman, Daymion lined up as a receiver before an injury moved him to defense. From there, he rose through the ranks as an outside linebacker — until the world shut down.

“COVID happened, and I think Daymion took it as a chance to work on perfecting his football career,” Natasha said. “He was up in the morning before I even went to work and was already working out and probably had a meal. So he went back [to school] with a bunch of muscle and a lot more weight and football-ready.”

Discipline paid off. When he returned to Patricia E. Paetow High School, coaches were taking notice of his game. Daymion quickly flew through the

ranks.

“[During sophomore year] his first two games, he was playing JV and varsity,” Natasha said. “By the second game, during practice, one of the varsity coaches said, ‘He needs to be on varsity. My varsity offense cannot stop this kid.’”

Daymion’s work ethic became the foundation of everything that followed. He went on to record 150 tackles and 25 sacks in high school, helping lead Paetow to a 15-1 season and the 2021 state title. Every decision, every tackle and every record brought him one step closer to playing for Texas A&M.

“He’s always wanted to go to Texas A&M; it’s been his dream school since he was very young,” Natasha said. “I believe one of his coaches was like, ‘Please list some other schools, just in case you don’t make it to Texas A&M.’ And [Daymion] was like, ‘I want to put just Texas A&M on my list and have that as an ambitious goal and strive for that.’”

When A&M finally came with a recruitment offer, it was a moment for the books. Daymion had been pushing through a blur of football camps and study sessions — Missouri one day, College Station the next — capped off by an early morning SAT before the A&M camp. Exhausted, he didn’t think he performed his best. Or so he thought.

“We went to lunch after his camp, and Jimbo Fisher approached us during lunch,” Natasha said, referring to the former A&M football coach. “Jimbo turns to us and says, ‘I’m not supposed to do this. I need to meet with you in my office later to tell you your results of your camp. But I can’t wait; I’m going to give you the offer right now during lunch.’”

With one school standing solo on his list, doubt lingered over whether his dream would come true. But when A&M came calling, it felt like a dream finally within reach, complicated only by a surprising t.u. offer.

“Getting the UT offer … was long after I got my A&M offer, so I didn’t really have a connection with them as much as I did with A&M,” Daymion said.

The decision was made easier with the Hicks family by his side. When David Hicks Sr., DJ’s father, became Paetow’s head coach, the two families grew inseparable.

“After the camps were done, we started visiting schools together — we visited

Oklahoma, Oregon, places we hadn’t been to — so we were part of DJ’s journey as well,” Natasha said.

The connection later bloomed into long talks about the future, shared goals and a vision of playing together. But ultimately, for Daymion, the choice came down to three things.

“The main reason was the A&M connection and life after ball,” Daymion said. “The second was staying close to home and family. And the third was the competition — playing in the SEC.”

DJ Hicks

When Daymion finally put pen to paper with the Aggies, the decision was complete — but that was only half of this duo’s story. Just a few lockers down, another Paetow prospect was crafting his own legacy. Through every season and every challenge, one thing has stayed the same for DJ: his love for the game.

“[Football has] never stopped being something I played,” DJ said. “I come out here every day loving to play the game of football and thinking … not everybody gets the opportunity to do what I’m doing.”

As a five-star prospect and the No. 1 recruit in Texas, DJ was pursued by every major program in the country. But much like Daymion, A&M was in his sights from early on.

“I came here in my eighth-grade summer,” DJ said. “I had a great camp with A&M, and I remember talking to Coach E[lko], and he was telling me, ‘Just keep going and we’ll see what happens.’”

From then on, it was all about the grind. Under the guidance of his dad, Coach David, DJ worked his way onto varsity and never looked back — snagging the Defensive MVP for UIL District 5-6A title as a junior and ranking among the top throwers in the country. So when A&M came knocking, everyone saw it coming — except DJ.

“I always knew I was good, but I didn’t really think I was at the point I was until I received the offer from [A&M],” DJ said.

Soon after A&M, Oklahoma and t.u. came calling with offers. With options lined up, fans hoped DJ would follow Daymion.

“I know they wanted to play together, but if that didn’t happen, it wasn’t going to be the end of their career or the world,” Natasha said. “We want the best for them, and it was not a conversation between us

as parents that ‘Hey, they need to go to the same school or else.’”

In the end, DJ was still torn between Oklahoma and A&M. With both families rooting for A&M, hoping the boys would stay close to home, DJ made his choice.

“Daymion was another reason I came, because he convinced me to go,” DJ said. “There was a little surprise when I actually chose to come [to A&M]. [My family] didn’t really know until I announced on ESPN.”

Transitioning from high school standout to SEC starter isn’t easy, but DJ has handled it with the same drive that got him here. But it’s hard not to think what might’ve been if DJ and Daymion had taken the other road down Highway 6 — defending the Longhorn jersey instead of the Aggie maroon.

Thankfully for the Aggies, that what-if scenario never even reached the drawing board. Still, for DJ, choosing A&M wasn’t just about football.

“It’s the Aggie network — every Aggie I’ve ever met has always been kind,” DJ said. “The togetherness of the whole culture, not just [within] the football mindset. Everybody is together. Everybody is family.”

That sense of belonging extended well past the locker room. Life in College Station soon got its appeal. When he’s not on the field, DJ is usually out fishing or sharing food from Taco La Perlita or a Korean barbecue place with friends. But as rivalry week creeps closer, those easy moments fade, and the Aggie community rallies around him — family and friends alike — as all eyes turn to Nov. 28.

“It’s going to be a fun game when it comes,” DJ said. “We’re going to be at their place, so [I] can’t wait to play, show up for the fans. It’s going to be a fun one.”

For Daymion, A&M was never just a school: it was an ambition and a goal. For DJ, it was a place that united friends, family and tradition.

Choosing A&M was not some dramatic rejection of t.u. for Daymion and DJ. It was about choosing what mattered more — life after football, family and the Aggie Ring — something that lasts beyond the rivalry.

“I have a lot of Aggies that I am around,” DJ said. “So being around those people, being close to home and just knowing I could come here, get developed and be around a lot of great human beings was the main reason I came to A&M.”

Player photos provided by Ethan Mito

photo provided by Adriano Espinosa

IN EVERY CORNER

One State. Two Schools. Three Showdowns.

By Adhithi Shankar, Staff Writer

When one thinks about the longstanding rivalry with Texas A&M and the University of Texas, the first thing that comes to mind is football — the roar of the stadium and seas of maroon and burnt orange lining the stands. But long before the first kickoff of the game, these two universities find other arenas to battle it out.

Last year’s return of the notable rivalry ignited a series of smaller annual rivalries that invigorate the Aggie spirit. Last November, Aggie and Longhorn alumni gathered at the Miramont Country Club in Bryan for the debut of the Rivalry Cup Golf Tournament. David Coolidge, Class of 1987 and member of the 12th Man Foundation Board of Trustees, was one of last year’s participants.

“It was an honor to be able to represent A&M in the inaugural Rivalry Cup,” Coolidge said. “We all had breakfast together, and Coach R. C. Slocum gave us a little pre-game speech, which was awesome. It was a close match, and it was a lot of fun to be able to do this.”

As a student, Coolidge was a member of the 12th Man kickoff team — a unique unit of walk-on players who covered football — from 1985 to 1987, when the Aggies won Southwest Conference championships three years in a row. He credits this experience as a driving factor as to why this iconic rivalry was influential to his time at A&M.

“To be able to ‘lace ‘em up,’ as they say, and do it again on the golf course was a privilege,” Coolidge said.

Coolidge and the rest of the Aggie golfers will travel to Austin this November for the second Rivalry Cup. They hope to make

Photos provided by Texas A&M Robotics

this tournament a recurring tradition every year, fostering an environment of friendly competition that ultimately uplifts both schools’ golf programs.

While A&M and t.u. face off on the fairway, another competition unfolds back on campus — one powered by circuits, code and caffeine.

Justin Simms, a mechanical engineering sophomore, is a member of the Aggie Robotics team that advanced to the VEX University Robotics Competition World Championships last year. The team works year-round on their robot to prepare for competition season every May. They faced t.u. on day three of the competition, hoping to maintain their winning streak.

“We had the stands full, and the Aggies showed up to support our team in our biggest match yet,” Simms said. “We ended up with double their score, keeping our perfect record.”

Simms believes that competition between these schools is what drives his team to

push the boundaries of technology and engineering solutions.

“At the end of the match, both of our robots reached the highest climb level, which almost no teams in the world could do successfully. Overall, this friendly rivalry helps both of our teams advance,” Simms said.

Though victory comes to Aggieland in the form of both sports and STEM competitions, it also manifests in charitable giving. Mary Grace McQuillan, Class of 2019, serves as the manager of annual giving at the Association of Former Students, and her team collaborated with various different departments for a new initiative beginning last November.

“We were approached by the University of Texas to compete in a friendly fundraising challenge to mark the renewal of the A&MUT rivalry,” McQuillan said.

For one week before the football kickoff, the two schools go head to head in the Rivalry Challenge, seeing which university

can rack up the most donations. At A&M, these gifts support scholarships, traditions and programs, while t.u.’s funds go towards scholarships and other aspects of student experience.

The 2024 Rivalry Challenge concluded with A&M receiving a whopping 2,250 donations, and t.u. receiving just 367. McQuillan said this demonstrates the strength of the Aggie Network. The Texas A&M Foundation and Texas Exes are hoping to work together to scale up the challenge for future years, funding more student experiences at both schools.

“Aggies are known for their generosity and loyalty,” McQuillan said. “And we love a victory.”

At the end of the day, each new challenge fuels the long-burning friendly fire between the two fanbases. Ultimately, the tug-of-war of the A&M-t.u. rivalry is a way of life, and the tradition lives on no matter how big or small the contest.

Photo provided by Texas A&M Athletics

Dear t.u.,

“Keep Austin Weird”? Don’t worry, you’re doing great at that, sweetie. Between your neverending traffic on I-35, overpriced parking, and ridiculous main character energy, you’ve definitely got the weird part covered. Oh, also, you might actually be able to relive the glory days of 2005 if you spent more time in the end zone than you do complaining about hand gestures.

Sincerely, Texas’ oldest public university, and still its best.

Sydnei Miles,

Editor-In-Chief

t.u. calling itself the “pride of Texas” is like your uncle crashing Thanksgiving — bragging about 2005, quoting Matthew McConaughey and looking like a burnt, round pumpkin. The rest of the SEC family just smiles and says “Bless their hearts.”

Ayla Francis, Managing Editor

In last year’s magazine y’all changed one of your section fronts to say “Texas vs. UT Rejects.” I always find it funny when I hear someone say that. My roommate and I both got accepted into t.u. and still made the easy decision to be Aggies.

Hudson Elkjer, Creative Director

By the Maroon Life Staff

t.u. students call it “the Forty Acres,” but you’d think they were majoring in parallel parking. For all that brainpower, they still can’t figure out how to get from West Campus to class on time. Maybe we should send a few of our engineering majors down there to fix I-35.

Sydney Hale, Social Media Manager

Not only does Kyle Field hold more fans than DKR, but they’re actually Aggies who went to A&M, not just random Austin tourists in brand-new Tecovas who think burnt orange and longhorn logos on their Yetis make them look more “Texan.”

Olivia Ingram, Art Director

All that talk about t.u. getting an easy win over A&M in volleyball, but we gave them the toughest fight in the SEC. NOT ONLY did we take it to 5 sets, but we beat you on our home court ON Halloween. Looks like we had more tricks up our sleeves to treat you with. Better luck next time, t.u. Volleyball!

Brianna Buffalo, Associate Social Media Manager

t.u. loves to say “Keep Austin Weird” but really it’s just “Keep Austin Mildly Unusual and Chronically Expensive.” Their version of “weird” is drinking overpriced coffee and calling it art. Then again, all the time they spend skipping class is enough to convince themselves they’re creative.

Quentin Deming, Photo Director

t.u. bragging about Arch Manning is like bragging about your cousin’s success. Sure, his uncles were legends, but this one’s still trying to throw a complete pass in conference play.

Macy Richardson, Event Head

Graphic by Hudson Elkjer, Creative Director

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charlie partheymuller

/ the daily texan staff

Redshirt freshman Parker Livingstone secures a catch during the Longhorns game against Florida on Oct. 4, 2025.

charlie partheymuller / the daily texan staff

Texas quarterback Arch Manning steps toward Sam Houston linebacker Antavious Fish after Manning scored a touchdown in a brief confrontation Sept. 20 at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

charlie partheymuller / the daily texan staff

Steve Sarkisian and senior Michael Taaffe celebrate after the game against Kentucky on Oct. 18, 2025.

2025 Texas Football

charlie partheymuller / the daily texan staff

Freshman Graceson Littleton forces a fumble during the Longhorns game against Florida on Oct. 4, 2025.

justin doud / the daily texan staff

Freshman Smith Orogbo forces a fumble against Sam Houston on Sept. 20, 2025.

tessa harfenist / the daily texan staff

Trey Moore and Ty’Anthony Smith tackle San Jose State running back Floyd Chalk IV on Sept. 6, 2025.

charlie partheymuller / the daily texan staff

Assistant coach Duane Akina celebrates the Longhorn

defense recovering a fumble during the Longhorns game against Florida on Oct. 4, 2025.

houses over 100 different species and hosts daily zookeeper chats discussing animals in depth. Oneday tickets to the zoo range from $15.95 to $18.95.

Austin Zoo provides the ideal day-trip for animal lovers and families. Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., the zoo

With the mission to conserve and educate, the

Austin Zoo — 10808 Rawhide Trail

p.m. every Sunday, the market features live DJ music and vendors selling vintage clothing, -jew elry and other artisanal goods.

The Guad Vintage Market, situated outside Pavement, offers the perfect spot for those -seek ing their next thrift find. Open from noon to 6

Guad Vintage Market — 2932 Guadalupe St

those more interested in science, the Texas Science & Natural History Museum showcases exhibits on paleontology and Texas wildlife.

El Greco, Velázquez, and the Hispanic Baroque.” For

Closer to UT’s campus, the Blanton Museum of Art presents a vast collection of art, with -exhibi tions such as “Contemporary Project 15: Betsabeé Romero” and its newest addition, “Spirit & Splendor:

The Bullock State History Museum, located near the Texas Capitol, provides a great place to take an in-depth look at Texas’ history. On Oct. 18, it also opened the exhibition “T. rex: The -Ulti mate Predator,” where visitors encounter a life-sized model of an adult T. rex, along with several -hatch lings and juveniles.

Museums

p.m., hosts a wide variety of handmade artisan goods, clothes and furniture.

This eclectic neighborhood features boutiques, markets, restaurants and coffee shops that give visitors a taste of Austin culture. On Sundays, the SoCo Makers Market, open from 1:30 p.m. to 5

Shop on South Congress Avenue

The Lorne Michaels Collection”

Harry Ransom Center’s “Live from New York:

The Texas Farmers Market, open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday, features fresh produce from local farmers and artisan goods from vendors. With over 120 stalls sprawled across their location next to Mary Elizabeth Branch Park, attendees shop, eat and drink while listening to live music.

Philomena St

Texas Farmers Market — 2006

fully experiencing the city’s culture. The Daily Texan selected some fun Sunday activities to -at tend before heading back home.

As people new to Austin visit to attend the Longhorns football game, many leave before ever

For fans of Lorne Michaels’ works, such as “Saturday Night Live” and “Mean Girls” (2024), the Ransoms Centers’ limited-time exhibition highlights Michaels’ life in the industry and his role in shaping society. Scripts, behindthe-scenes photos and iconic outfits worn by actors such as Rachel McAdams and Lindsay Lohan offer a unique look into the creation of some of the most well-known television and media.

at the Guad Vintage Market outside of Pavement on Oct. 26. The pop-up market takes place every Sunday presented by

6 SUNDAY ACTIVITIES TO DO BEFORE LEAVING TOWN AFTER A FOOTBALL GAME

Samantha Nowlin

General Life&Arts Reporter

ysa mendoza / the daily texan staff

People are pictured browsing vintage clothing

Austin Pavement off of Guadalupe Street.

Trail loops 10 miles around Lady Bird Lake, offering skyline views and tree-shaded paths. Bike rentals are available nearby at several kiosks along the -water front, with rates starting at over $15 per hour.

The Ann and Roy Butler Bike

Butler Bike Trail — Robert T Martinez Jr St

Biking at The Ann and Roy

Since 1948, Peter Pan Mini Golf has remained a staple on Barton Springs Road, drawing people in with its hand-painted figures and colorful course designs. Entry costs $11 per person, offering a short, easygoing way to play golf.

Barton Springs Rd

Mini Golf at Peter Pan — 1207

The courts are free to use, and informal matches often fill up the evenings. Between games, parkgoers can picnic or walk the trails that line the nearby Barton Springs area.

Stratford Dr Zilker Park’s sand volleyball courts sit against a backdrop of open fields and skyline views.

Volleyball at Zilker Park — 2200

ing walls for all skill levels, from first-time climbers to experienced athletes. Day passes cost $22 for young adults ages 14 to 20, and $25 for adults 21 and over. The gym also includes fitness areas and yoga rooms.

Bouldering Project features -climb

ing Project — 979 Springdale Rd

Indoor Rock Climbing at -Boulder

can fill up quickly with hikers and cyclists.

Falls and Gus Fruh. On weekends, a $7 parking fee applies and trails

cliffs and shaded pathways, the Barton Creek Greenbelt connects several of Austin’s scenic outdoor spots. The trail offers both -chal lenging hikes and easy walks with popular access points near Twin

Trail — 2212 William Barton Dr Stretching across 12 miles of

Hiking at Barton Creek Greenbelt

Kayaks start at $15 per hour or $35 per day, and paddleboards cost $25 per hour or $55 per day. Early mornings bring a calm environment and cooler -tem peratures, while afternoons fill up with people taking in the view of downtown.

Set along Lady Bird Lake, the Texas Rowing Center offers kayaks and paddleboards with skyline views across calm waters.

Paddleboarding and Kayaking at Texas Rowing Center — 1541 W Cesar Chavez St

parks, these activities give -vis itors a chance to get moving, see the city and enjoy Austin outside the stadium. The Daily Texan compiled a list of six ways to stay active while in Austin for the game.

sides tailgates and kickoff. From lakeside adventures to trails and

bring crowds to the stadium, but the city has plenty to offer -be

Football weekends in Austin

By Jeweleann Garcia General Life&Arts Reporter

6 WAYS AUSTIN active in BEYOND GAME DAY

izabella hernandez / the daily texan staff

A paddle boarder journeys across Lady Bird Lake on Oct. 23. The Austin skyline and

Lady Bird Lake can be scenically taken in from Lou Neff Point on Ann and Roy Butler

Trail in Zilker Metropolitan Park.

door seating area that combines lounging

riety of seating areas, from a cozy dining room, a coffee or cocktail bar and an -out

gant brunch and dinner menus of lemon ricotta pancakes or the Josephine Burger with fries. The restaurant features a -va

Josephine’s is known for their -extrava

On the corner of West Lynn Street and Waterston Avenue lies a prominent, upscale restaurant littered with alumni hosting brunches and out-of-town -fami lies visiting their children. This restaurant is perfect for those seeking a classy, but down-to-earth post-game experience.

Josephine’s House

Known for its steak and grilled chicken, Mattie’s is a more refined post-game dining experience.

offering an intimate backyard setting.

es. When the restaurant first opened, it entertained Austin’s oldest families, governors and celebrities. Nowadays, this place embodies southern charm,

featured Southern food and French -dish

mother, Martha “Mattie” Faulk, has

Mattie’s, named after the owner’s

inceS opening their doors in 1946,

Mattie’s at Green Pastures

This pub brings together the comfort of watching games in the living room with the socialization of attending an ac tual game. With a variety of hamburgers and fries on its menu, Crown and An chor serves as the perfect comfort food spot for enjoying the game or stopping by after. Pluckers Founded by UT alumni, Pluckers’ original West Campus location is a popular spot for students. With wings covered in buffalo sauce, BBQ sauce and a variety of dry rubs, Pluckers’ chicken wings offer the perfect greasy and fatty end to a day full of -foot ball. Experience a post-gameday wind down with football blaring in one ear, the deafening roar of the crowd in the other and good food and company.

Crown and Anchor Pub

Originally a public bar and cafe -found ed in 1866, Scholz Garten has since expanded to a wider variety of foods. It hosted a celebration for the Longhorn football team’s first undefeated season in 1893 and has since then been -rec ognized by the Texas legislature as a gathering place for Texans filled with -cul ture and taste. With an outdoor seating area that transforms into a tailgate-ready setup, Scholz offers the ideal location for immaculate post-game day vibes and traditional sports food — hot dogs.

Scholz Garten

This Saturday, football is the main topic of conversation, and many are -look ing for places to celebrate school spirit with friends and family. The Daily Texan compiled a list of the top five Austin restaurants that embody football spirit and serve fantastic food.

AUSTIN around TOP 5

RESTAURANTS

charlie partheymuller / the daily texan staff

Crown and Anchor Pub pictured on Oct. 26.

By Harshitha Anaparthy

General Life&Arts Reporter

Even though emotions may run high during games, the Knolles have found that the rivalry is a way to come together. They watch, they cheer and they share every moment with their daughter by their side. Those cherished family memories exist because the rivalry is so intense, turning every play into a chance for laughter and connection.

Mark said. “If you love a person, then that’s all that matters.”

“I realized it’s not about the school,”

Heather have learned to balance -loyal ty, family and love.

Mark and

Even though neither of them will be changing their loyalties any time soon, the Knolles are embracing the rivalry as a family tradition.

“I’m on my mom’s team,” Hannah said.

Heather and Mark sported their usual team colors, but their daughter, Hannah Knolle, rocked a maroon and burnt orange combo. Even though she was decked out in both, she made it unmistakably clear which side she was cheering for, much to her dad’s chagrin.

While the preseason game did not appear to generate much tension -be tween the married couple, the playful rivalry was still there.

In October, the Knolles made their way to Red & Charline McCombs Field to watch the Longhorns play a fall ball rivalry game against Texas A&M. Most cheered for the Longhorns, but there were noticeable yells for the Aggies.

“We agree to disagree when we’re playing each other,” Heather said.

be the reason for some trash talk and minor disagreements.

The Knolles welcomed the news with equal parts excitement and dread. While it allows the family to -at tend games together again, it can also

A&M left the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference. However, the rivalry

That healthy competition was put on pause for 12 years after Texas

“You aveh a lot of things in -com mon. You’re just going to have a healthy competition every year around Thanksgiving,” Williams said.

Knolle eventually passed the torch to Nefertiti Williams, a close friend, who was admittedly skeptical in the -begin ning about an Aggie dating Heather, but eventually, she came around.

Heather maintains pride for her alma mater, participating in the Longhorn Alumni Band for over 25 years and even serving as the president in 2019-2020.

“She cheers for her team and I cheer for mine,” Mark said.

Even with all their similarities, their schools still divide them.

It was not until a Sunday morning service at a church in Austin that the two crossed paths. Their shared faith and experiences allowed the two to form a strong, lifelong connection.

Heather spent her days twirling flags in the Longhorn Band’s color guard, while Mark marched with his trumpet in the Aggie Band. They performed the same games under the same Texas sky, completely unaware of each other’s existence.

Unknowingly, the married pair were not so different in college.

While the rivalry might be a touchy topic for the Knolles, the two teams have brought Heather and Mark -to gether over the years.

Heather Knolle roots for the Texas Longhorns, and Mark Knolle swears by Texas A&M, so when they sit down at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 28, their living room will turn into neutral territory.

In the Knolle household, burnt orange and maroon do not mix; they coexist.

resumed last year when Texas made its move to the Southeastern Conference, giving fans across the state a game for which they’ve been waiting for over a decade.

By Paige Durrenberger

Cheering

General Sports Reporter

courtesy of heather knolle and reproduced with permission

Honestly, sometimes the biggest compliment for an influential person is nothing at all.

Although there are no statues, stadiums named in his honor or anything of that sort for Emory Bellard, his contributions to the game of football and beyond are still felt today in both the Austin and College Station communities.

in a 2011 TexAgs article.

a former Texas A&M defensive end, said to Gabe Bock

“As a head coach, Emory really took a lot of the guys and made them feel comfortable and would guide them in the right path and direction,” Tank Marshall,

Inheriting an Aggie team with just two Black players the roster, Bellard was the first Texas A&M coach to heavily recruit Black students to College -Sta tion. He was instrumental in establishing women’s athletic programs during his tenure as the Aggies’ athletic director.

Wishbone offense is Bellard’s pioneering spirit in civil rights.

eOn aspect that is often overshadowed by his fable

Bellard left College Station in the middle of the 1978 season after a pair of blowout losses to Houston and Baylor. At the time of his resignation, Bellard was the third all-time winningest head coach in program history.

split the Southwest Conference title three ways and nockedk Texas A&M out of national contention.

But on a cold December day in Little Rock, -Arkan sas, the Razorbacks stunned the No. 2 Aggies, rolling the best defense in the country 31-6. The game’s result

The No. 2 Aggies took down No. 5 Texas, 20-10 on the day after Thanksgiving Day, marking just the third time Texas A&M prevailed over its rivals in 20 years.

The Aggies opened up the year at No. 8 and spent the majority of the season in the AP’s top 10. With Texas A&M and Texas at full power, it set up the Lone Star Showdown’s only AP top-five showdown.

Rouge during his third season, Texas A&M would be ranked in the AP Poll for the first time since the 1968 season. The headway made in 1974 built the -suc cess of the 1975 team, one of the great seasons in the program’s history.

After a statement victory over No. 7 LSU in Baton

“I haven’t noticed any big problem in making that transition whatsoever,” Bellard said in a 1972 -in ewtervi with WFAA. “It’s always been a competitive aspect of the game to me … I’m on the other side of the fence now and 100% Aggie.”

In 1972, Bellard was named Texas A&M athletic -di rector and head coach, taking over a football team that had only one winning season in the past 10 years.

“We started tearing people up,” Steve Worster, a former Texas running back, said in a 2018 ESPN -Ar ticle. “They didn’t know how to defend the Wishbone. They didn’t know what to do, and we loved it.”

Texas would not see the loss column until the end of the 1970 season, winning 30 games in a row en route to two national championships.

The Wishbone offense truly took off when starting quarterback Bill Bradley was replaced by a more nimble James Street after the Longhorns’ week two loss in -Lub bock during the 1968 season.

“He said, ‘we’re going to put all of y’all in the backfield.’”

‘who’s going to start?” Ted Koy, a former Texas running back, said in the “SEC Storied: Wishbone” documentary,

‘Ted, we are going to put in a new offense,’ and I said,

“Coach Bellard (called) me in August and he says,

“Wishbone” offense, a brutal rushing attack made to confuse opposing defenses by loading up the backfield with two running backs and a fullback.

Bellard, now offensive coordinator, concocted the

You could not tell the story of the Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M football programs without the name Emory Bellard. It took three consecutive four-loss seasons for -legend ary Texas head coach Darrel K Royal to make a change on offense. Initially bringing Bellard in as a defensive assistant coach in 1967, Royal shook up his coaching staff, changing his coordinators around before a pivotal 1968 season.

By Nicholas Kingsman

The Southwest Conference’s last pioneer

Double Coverage Editor

courtesy of texas sports hall of fame and reproduced with permission

This Saturday night will

tant Steve Sarkisian. I watched the streets of one of college football’s most prestigious universities

And there’s nothing more dangerous than an -under estimated team, hungry for redemption, playing in its own playground.

If there’s ever a time to shake up the world of college football, it’s now.

The tradition and tension of the past 131 years will rush at you all at once at a dizzying pace when that ball is kicked off.

be cold and -brim ming with adrenaline. The burnt orange will flood the stands. The hair on your arms will stand up with the sound of “Hell’s Bells.”

We are everywhere. So now, look at you, Aggies, with the expectation that you can come into Austin and believe that you can be a wrecking force. The Longhorns have been through it. But they fight back. Against Georgia, water bottles were thrown everywhere in the end zone. Against Alabama, the turf shook. This team has not held its ground every time, but it has learned, grown and understood. Aggies, unfortunately, you are not Alabama. You are not Georgia. Your résumé of the past 15 years has consisted of coaches being fired, bowl games lost, five-stars transferring and so on. Texas’ losses this season hurt — bad. But with defeat comes regrowth, and with pain comes drive. The 2025 Texas Longhorns have proven they can get through tough circumstances and everything they have been through this season. At this point, it all just feels like experience to prepare for you. This is their stadium — their house, and they are ready. This season, Texas has -tend ed to overcome the worst of odds when it’s rated as an -un derdog. This year, the Aggies are the outsiders. We’re welcoming you to our playground — our own turf.

of the 21st century turn into a wasteland on a Saturday night. Longhorns travel well, and some don’t have to travel at all.

At Tuscaloosa, I watched then-head coach Nick Saban and crew get throttled by his former assis -

This is what Longhorns do. This is what we are known for. From Austin to the Northeast, the upper Midwest or the Pacific Ocean — we’re everywhere.

es of this next meeting are night and day from the buzz in Kyle Field last year. Zach: Going back a year earlier, the stage looked different — different colors, different fans and different people. At the Big House, one of the most touted environments in all of college football, all I could see was burnt orange once the final whistle blew.

Yet, the series isn’t over. That was just the first of many future encounters, and the circumstanc -

It was a riveting moment — a proper introduction to my experience of a rivalry that silently filled the 13 years since the two teams clashed last, charging that night’s air with tension and a sense of finality.

Not long after, those same fans were leaving in single-file lines as the Longhorns took control of the game and never loosened their grip.

er and swayed in rhythm, roaring the fight song throughout the stadium.

Wearing burnt orange in that sea of maroon was intimidating at first, but something to be proud of all the same — especially as the stadium shook under my feet as Aggies fans joined togeth -

I went to the game, not as a reporter, but as a fan. Walking out to the deck was something else — the cold November air rushed to my face, the roar of the stadium filled my ears and the sight of thousands and thousands of white towels swinging in unison is still burned into my memory.

No. 3 Texas marched into Kyle Field and dominated 17-7, the last game to cap off a regular season in which the Longhorns lost just once to Georgia and held their heads high. They were full of playoff hopes and national championship dreams in their first year in the Southeastern Conference.

The circumstances in the last meetup with Texas A&M were much different from what this Saturday will look like.

Meaghan:

DAVIS & WELCOME TO OUR PLAYGROUND!

ENGLISH

By Meaghan English & Zach Davis

Associate Sports Editor, Sports Desk Editor

kennedy weatherby / the daily texan staff

game brings out the best in both pro

“It’s always a must-win game for both teams,” Robbins said. “I don’t think the rankings matter. I don’t think past performance matters. This

Getting their 47th victory at home will be a challenge, but when it comes to this and any other rivalry, once the pads are put on and the cleats laced up, everything that precedes goes out the window.

In 119 total meetings, the Longhorns lead the series 77-37-5, while -remain ing dominant, especially at home, holding a 46-13-1 record.

“That was a real missing piece to the experience of going to Texas, and I’d like to think of the experience of going to Texas A&M,” Robbins, who is currently a Journalism professor at the University, said. “I hope -Tex as A&M cherishes the return of the rivalry, and I hope Texas does too. It brings back to life this identity collision in the state of Texas and -ul timately, it’s school pride too.”

Kevin Robbins, who served as a sports writer for the Austin -American-States man for 12 years, said that Texas fans felt “betrayed” and “abandoned” as the Aggies switched conferences.

just over 100 miles apart, did not face each other on the gridiron between 2012 and 2023.

The universities, whose stadiums sit

When Texas A&M announced its athletic programs would be moving from the Big 12 to the Southeastern Conference in the 2012 season, the -ri valry was put on an indefinite hiatus.

“It is hard to summarize it,” junior offensive lineman David Snow said postgame. “It is a lot of pain and a lot of agony. You expect to win all the time, and when you are faced with the -hard ship of losing, it is very difficult. There is no way to just summarize it, except just pain and agony.”

return possession to the Aggies. Texas A&M ran out the clock and escaped Austin with a victory.

Von Miller got under it in coverage to

After the sides traded touchdowns, Texas was able to pull it within one score on a Justin Tucker chip shot in the fourth quarter. Minutes later, the Longhorns got the ball back, driving 68 yards for an opportunity to tie it up late. But all went wrong from there. On a third down at the Texas A&M 12yard line, Gilbert’s pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage and linebacker

Texas A&M further capitalized on that momentum out of the half, turning an interception and fumble recovery into 10 points to take a -com manding lead early on.

“That’s a 14-point exchange,” head coach Mack Brown said postgame. “It’s right at the end of the half. We could have taken the ball in at half with a 14-point lead and been in great shape with a lot of momentum.”

Only a few plays later, Texas A&M running back Cyrus Gray sped down the field for an 84-yard touchdown run to even up the score. Gray -end ed with 223 rushing yards on an 8.3-yard-per-carry efficiency.

Gilbert fumble on the Aggies’ 10-yard line halted Texas’ progress.

Texas was the first to get on the board at DKR with quarterback -Gar rett Gilbert connecting with wide receiver Marquise Goodwin for a 31yard touchdown late in the opening quarter. Midway through the second, the Longhorns looked destined to -ex tend their lead to two scores. But a

On Nov. 28, the Longhorns and Aggies will square off in Austin for the first time since a Thanksgiving matchup in 2010. That night, the No. 17-ranked Aggies outlasted the -Long horns, 24-17, pushing Texas to a 5–7 record and eventually securing a spot in the Cotton Bowl for themselves.

After more than a decade of -wait ing, the Texas faithful will get its opportunity to chant “and it’s -good bye to A&M” in the face of its in-state arch-rival at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

Senior Sports Reporter

By Tyler Firtel

The loss to Texas A&M was the culmination of a rough season all around for the Longhorns. Coming off a national championship appear ance the year before, Texas missed the sonpostsea for its first and only time under Brown.

tamir kalifa / the daily texan file

Senior center Matt Allen lines up to snap the ball facing the Longhorns defensive line in

Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Nov. 25, 2010.

While dozens of journalists hovered around Baxter as he left his press conference, the cameras, microphones and recorders seemed to be forgotten for just a second. Baxter is back playing football, and as the room quiets down, the strut echoes into something more: excitement.

“It’s not really trying to get back to myself. It’s a new version of myself,” Baxter said. “I don’t want to be my -pre vious self because I’ve grown so much in the last year.”

Heading into this season, Baxter insists he feels 100% physically and mentally. His motto is “one day at time,” and he is less focused on his stats and more on being grateful for every step of the game. He doesn’t see himself as his old self, and he doesn’t want to, either.

“I put the work in for the last year to not have this happen again or any setbacks,” Baxter said. “The big thing (was) just relying on my faith and the work I did put in.”

The next thing Baxter sees is written on his mirror: “You do not now under -

“She pushed me,” Baxter said. “Because I gotta go win one.”

ter ever since. On his nightstand, it’s the last thing he sees before he falls asleep, and it’s the first thing he sees when he opens his eyes in the morning. To Baxter, if she can do it, why can’t he?

Her trophy has sat right next to Bax -

stand what I am doing, but later you will understand.” Known as John 13:7, the passage keeps him going.

Insert Mia Scott, the star utility player for Texas softball and Baxter’s girlfriend. This July, Scott played in the Women’s College World Series on a torn ACL and led her squad to a national championship despite her injury.

“The first two months were very -bru tal,” Baxter said. “It was hard for me to watch football. It was hard for me to do a lot of things.”

It took a toll on Baxter mentally more than physically, especially at the -begin ning of his recovery.

When Baxter went down on Aug. 6, 2024, practice stopped, something unconventional for head coach Steve Sarkisian’s offseason training camps.

“I’m coming back, so a new start for me,” Baxter said. “The hair was a big part of that. I was growing my dreads for five, six years, so I was ready for a new start, a new change.”

For the sophomore running back, it’s a fresh start. New look, new change, new him.

Strutting to the back corner of the Hall of Fame, CJ Baxter looked -differ ent. His dreads, the ones that seemed to lag behind his blazing strides, were gone, replaced with a low fade for the 2025-26 season.

Everyone on the Texas football field knew what was going on. His lateral and posterior collateral ligaments were torn, and so was any hope of playing football for the year.

charlie partheymuller / the daily texan staff

Sophomore CJ Baxter Jr. reaches for the goal line against San José State on Sept. 6, 2025.

I wear burnt orange in public. My mom even bought a house divided flag to hang in our backyard, half burnt orange and half maroon. While the rivalry is intense, for me, it’s more personal than against Oklahoma. I simply hate the Sooners, but as you can see from my history, it’s more -complicat ed for the Aggies. Even if my mom decides to decorate my entire room in maroon or my brother annoys me by making the horns down symbol in front of my face, when the clock winds down in the game, it’s family that matters the most.

But instead, I fell absolutely in love with the Longhorns, much to my -fami ly’s chagrin. Now, when I go back home, strangers start conversations with me if

So you can imagine that the majority of my high school went to A&M. And, if I’m being completely honest, I might have considered it more if the school had given me more money.

In my freshman year at A&M -Con solidated High School — yes, it is really called that and yes, the school colors are maroon and white — I scanned tickets at the football games as a school -fund raiser. For homecoming my senior year, we took pictures on Kyle Field.

— I got to see Johnny Manziel alternate between tiptoing down the sidelines or throwing to Mike Evans. Growing up in College Station was a unique experience. When my family had a free weekend, we would tailgate or get a cheap ticket high up in the stands at Kyle Field. Most weekends, though, we would just watch from home or head over to a family friend’s house. Here’s a local tip for you: the best time to go to the grocery store is during the game.

Then, when my mom got remarried the summer before my third-grade year, we moved to Aggieland. It was a good time to live close to the stadium

his Aggie ring around on his finger and watching the Corps of Cadets’ Stepoff. I grew up visiting the Bonfire Memorial with my mom and saying “Howdy.”

I grew up on the 12th Man, spinning my white towel in the air, and swaying back and forth in the stands to saw off horns. I grew up watching my dad spin

When I was around 6 years old, I was going around to my Longhorn family members saying that I hated burnt -or ange. In fact, even at that age, my mom and my dad, who was also an Aggie, used to joke that if I went to Texas, they wouldn’t pay for my tuition.

Hymn to me as a lullaby to put me to sleep at night. While “We’re going to beat you all to Chig-gar-roo-gar-rem” sounds a little aggressive on paper, I can attest that it can be very soothing when sung in soft tones.

My mom used to sing the Aggie War

And I mean from day one. If you find my mom’s Facebook account, you’ll eventually stumble upon a picture of me as a baby wearing a onesie with “Future Aggie” printed on the front.

So let’s start from the very beginning.

So when I say that I know what a house divided looks like — trust me, I do. Honestly, when I sat down to write this story, I struggled to figure out where to start. How do I sum up an entire lifetime of experiences with the Texas and Texas A&M rivalry? How do I explain what it means to me, to my family?

“No!” I shouted. I ran up to the bed, took my head out of the sweatshirt and turned a foam hand the right way up, fingers pointing to the sky.

tered other assorted A&M memorabilia throughout the room.

My mom took a cardboard cutout of my face, stuck it through a Texas A&M sweatshirt and rested it on my bed. She spread out a maroon and white quilt, built out of T-shirts from her days as a pink pot for the Bonfire and scat -

When I walked into my room at home in College Station, Texas, last year for the first game of the renewed Lone star Showdown game, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

By Lauren Hightower Sports Editor

courtesy of lauren hightower and reproduced with permission

FieldTurf USA to install new FieldTurf in 2021. The new playing surface, designed with a multi-layer dual -poly mer surface, cost the Longhorns nearly $430,000. 2023 — In a week two matchup against Wyoming, -Tex as debuted a new burnt-orange LED lighting system. The system included app integration that allowed fans to use their phones to join the light show.

2021 — The field was changed physically just one year after it was changed nominally, as Texas Athletics hired

Second, a statue of Julius Whittier, Texas football’s first black letterman, was erected on the north end outside the stadium on Deloss Dodds Way.

2020 — In the midst of the south end zone project’s completion, UT made two significant changes to the stadium. First, the field was renamed from Joe Jamail Field to Campbell-Williams Field to honor UT’s two Heisman trophy winners, Earl Campbell and Ricky Williams.

2019 — Two years later came the biggest change yet, as ground was broken on a $175 million expansion of the south end zone. The 215,000 square-foot project included a 106,000 square-foot training facility, 4,500 new seats, a collection of club and box seating that accommodates more than 800 people and a brand new 160-by-44-foot video board. This change will be the most recognizable to Aggies returning to DKR for the first time in a decade and a half. The project was completed ahead of the 2021 season.

2017 — Texas Athletics added a new video board and ribbon boards inside of DKR ahead of the 2017 season. The west-side façade also saw restoration and reinforcement, including an application of a protective coating and paint. Minor improvements were also made to the locker, weight and meeting rooms at the Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletic Center.

space, which included executive and business offices, men’s and women’s basketball offices, travel services and more. This allowed the management and leadership of Texas Athletics to move out of Bellmont Hall on the west side of the stadium, opening more space for the -De partment of Kinesiology and Health Education, which was previously limited to the first floor.

Athletics Leadership Center, a nearly 54,000 square-foot

2012 — The next improvement came only one year later with the construction of the Walter W. Fondren III

2011 — The first change to the stadium came only one year after A&M’s last go-round. Ahead of the 2011 season, the Longhorn locker room got an upgrade featuring 135 new wide-space lockers, a state-of-theart exhaust system, a nutrition bar, a lounge area with gaming stations, a new sound system and six LED screens, including a 72-inch screen in the center of the room.

The Texas A&M Aggies are returning to Austin for the first time since 2010 this season. To Aggies who traveled to Austin the last time all those years ago, Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium will look very different. So, what has changed?

After the 2012 season, Texas completed a -waterproof ing and bleacher replacement project on the lower east and west grandstands. They repaired, sealed and painted damaged concrete and installed new bleachers and -chair backs. This served a dual purpose of preserving DKR and improving the fan experience.

By Carter Long

It’s been 15 years since the Aggies came to DKR : What has changed?

General Sports Reporter

jamie hwang / the daily texan file

Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium pictured on Aug. 4, 2020.

With the offenses and defenses lining up to hopefully produce a memorable gridiron battle, it is the aftermath that could make this one of the great Lone Star Showdowns. At the end of the day, all these perspectives about matchups and season momentum are thrown out the door come rivalry weekend — even if the Longhorns and Aggies are on opposite spectrums of rankings and stats.

“We won the football game,” -Tex as A&M head coach Mike Elko said after allowing Arkansas to score 42 points. “We won’t win very many games playing football and defense like that. I know that. I think our players know that.”

Across their opening eight games of the season, the -Long horns have only allowed 14.6 points per game, only behind the -Soon ers’ 12.5. Texas A&M’s defense, on the other hand, has allowed 23.6 per game.

On the other side of the field, the Texas defense, aside from a loss against Florida, has been one of the best in the nation.

Manning, however, has shown flashes of brilliance from the quarterback position with stand out performances against rivals -Okla homa and an overtime win away at Mississippi State, where he had 346 yards on 63% completion -percent age and three touchdowns.

lot of quarterbacks, a lot of players, want to be great. I know I’m better than this.”

“I’ve got to play better,” -Man ning said earlier in the season. “A

Once a pre-season Heisman Trophy favorite, Manning has struggled to get the offense rolling and, at one point, was booed off the field by a home crowd against the University of Texas at El Paso.

Marred by inconsistency, the Longhorns’ offense is led by -soph omore quarterback Arch Manning.

Heading into the game, their -re spective seasons have truly been a tale of two halves for the Longhorns and Aggies. Through the first nine weeks of college football, the Texas offense was the 11th-best in the SEC -com pared to A&M’s fifth-ranked offense in the conference.

As of Oct. 27, the -Ag gies are the No. 3 team according to the AP Poll, while the Longhorns are No. 20. Texas A&M has defeated two ranked opponents, then-No. 8 Notre Dame and then-No. 20 LSU, while Texas has lost to then-No. 3 Ohio State and an unranked Florida team.

lege Station with a 17-7 win over the

The then-No. 3 Longhorns left -Col

The 2024 Lone Star Showdown did not just have the first-year -an ticipation, but it also had a trip to the Southeastern Conference Championship game on the line.

Steve Sarkisian said before last year’s game. “It divides the state — houses are divided. All eyes are on the state of Texas.”

“It’s great that (the rivalry) is back in play,” Texas head coach

Around this time last year, college football fans in Texas were counting down the days until the Lone Star -Show down between Texas and Texas A&M. For the players and younger fans, it would be their first-ever taste of the rivalry. For the older generations, though, they had been waiting for 13 years.

No. 20 Aggies. However, only about a year apart, this year’s mega is -al ready looking very different, looking to hopefully become one of the biggest editions of the rivalry.

By Alistair Manliguez

Senior Sports Reporter

kennedy weatherby / the daily texan staff

Redshirt freshman quarterback Arch Manning scores at Texas’ game at Texas A&M on Nov. 30, 2024.

at DKR

However, the Longhorns find themselves walking into DKR on Nov. 28 for the Lone Star Showdown, the hatred of a bitter rival, the life the fans breathe into them and the spirit of reminding little brother where they belong will run strong.

Maybe it is the week after losing to a spiraling -Flor ida Gator team, but guess what? Anything can happen in rivalry games, as the Oklahoma Sooners found out Oct. 11.

Coy” chants ring ever since the hit Michael Bennett laid on McCoy in 2006 and leading one of the largest victories in the series, 49-9 in 2008.

Maybe it is 2008 with the legend, Colt McCoy, who was winless against Texas A&M, hearing “Cart -Mc

Perhaps it is in 1940, after the Aggies claimed their only national championship, and the Longhorns stunned them with an upset.

No matter how the teams stride confidently into the game or stumble their way in, it will always be an even match, especially at DKR.

An estimated 20,000 fans, the largest crowd in state history at that time, piled into the wooden stands of Clark Field to witness the Longhorns beat Texas A&M 7-3 in 1920. Both teams were undefeated until that game, which helped grow the pageantry of this game and rivalry.

The first-ever matchup between the two teams came in 1894, but the showdown didn’t happen -con secutively until 1915.

Expect a similar level of energy and hostile -envi ronment to play in for the first return to Austin for the Aggies in 15 years.

But DKR is not far behind in the top 10, with room for 100,119 fans each week — including a record showing of 105,215 fans in the game against the Georgia -Bull dogs in 2024.

Kyle Field may be in the top five college football stadium capacities, hosting 102,733 fans each week.

A&M boasts a woeful 14-45-1 record at Darrell K -Roy al-Texas Memorial Stadium and Clark Field.

The Lone Star Showdown does not get any -friendli er as the teams meet up in the state’s capital, as Texas

For a school that prides itself on the home-field advantage that Kyle Field imposes, the Aggies are a dreadful 21–27–2 against the Texas Longhorns in College Station.

But the largest gap between these Thanksgiving weekend rivalries is the Longhorns’ 40-game -differ ence over little brother. Texas A&M Aggies didn’t bother scoring a single point in their first four trips west to Austin, being outscored 129-0.

The Alabama Crimson Tide has a 14-game -advan tage over nemesis Auburn Tigers, and the Ole Miss Rebels lead the series by 22 games over rival -Missis sippi State Bulldogs.

Synonymous with the holiday are college football rivalries — the Egg Bowl, the Iron Bowl and, of course, the revived Lone Star Showdown.

Thanksgiving brings the three all together.

Fall brings to the forefront family, food and football.

Editor

By Charlie Partheymuller

The Aggies are historically bad in the Lone Star Showdown

Double Coverage Photo

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Advisor

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Zachary Davis

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With both programs back on the national stage, the stakes feel high as ever.

From Williams’ record-breaking run to last season’s long-awaited renewal, the Lone Star Showdown has -contin ued to evolve while holding firm to its historic roots. Now back in full force, this year’s matchup at DKR offers -an other chance to add to one of college football’s most storied rivalries.

rivalry success and its enduring place in the record books.

memories in Texas football history, -re flecting a celebration of the program’s

ments later. The game not only capped Williams’ Heisman-winning season, but also became one of the defining

Williams was honored on the field -mo

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record with a 60-yard touchdown run against the Aggies.

sett’s 22-year-old NCAA career rushing

Williams cemented his place in college football history by breaking Tony -Dor

DKR. In the first year of the Mack Brown era, Texas senior running back Ricky

shines brighter than the 1998 clash at

No Lone Star Showdown moment

1998: Ricky’s record-breaking run

Photo Charlie Partheymuller

Lauren Hightower

Howard

Kylee

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Forty Acres.

The win restored Texas’ confidence and reignited the belief that no matter how

Led by former Longhorn player and then head coach David McWilliams, the 1990 squad carved out a narrow 28-27 victory over the Aggies. On a goal-line stand, the Longhorns’ defense prevented a two-point conversion that would have brought the Aggies ahead late in the game.

Fifty years later, the Longhorns found themselves fighting to reclaim their pride rather than rankings. After six straight losses to the Aggies, Texas finally flipped the script in front of a roaring home crowd.

1990: Snapping the streak

Texas head coach and athletic -direc tor Dana X. Bible’s Longhorns had other plans. A single touchdown was all -Tex as needed to hand the Aggies a crushing defeat, knocking the Aggies out of bowl contention and setting the tone for one of the rivalry’s most legendary upsets.

high after claiming a national -cham pionship the previous year, boasting a 9–1 record.

dominant their opponent appeared, the Longhorns could always rise above on the

The Aggies entered the game riding

In 1940, the Longhorns stunned the college football world with a narrow, 7-0 victory over a heavily favored Texas A&M squad.

1940: Major upset

brighter in the memories of Texas fans than those that turned the tide of the rivalry or college football history itself.

Over more than a century of -match ups, few games in Austin have burned

5. This year’s game marks the second meeting since the rivalry’s -long-await ed return last season.

Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium has hosted 60 of the 119 -meet ings between the two programs, with Texas leading the all-time series 77-37-

not even score a single point until the 1902 season.

The series began in 1894, when the Longhorns opened it with a dominant seven-game win streak. Texas A&M did

Every autumn in Texas, the Lone Star Showdown reignites a decades-old rivalry that transcends mere wins and losses.

GREATEST GAMES IN AUSTIN

By Liv Elizondo

General Sports Reporter

kassi patton /

Junior Ricky Williams stiff arms a Kansas Jayhawk defender at

Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Nov. 15, 1997.

Your yell leaders are glorified twinks.

Newton Tran, Associate Managing Editor

wanting to race a Corvette. An e-readers mouse trying to fight a Longhorn. Don’t compete where you don’t compare, little brothers. Enjoy Austin, hope it’s not too weird for you.

ing to outdo the zoo. A Hot Wheels car

The Aggies call it “tradition,” but most of their traditions look like they were -in vented by people who got lost on their way to an actual football trophy. The score is 77–37 Longhorns. Honestly, it’s cute how College Station keeps trying to compete with Austin. A petting zoo -try

Matthew Gomez, Associate Managing Editor

Transfer applications are open, maybe use CoPilot this time?

I’m sorry ChatGPT didn’t generate a good enough application to UT for you.

Kylee Howard, Managing Editor

You guys come to us — enjoy the music and the city. I know they say to keep Austin weird, but I don’t think the city will ever get as weird as the weekend you guys are here. I recommend Shakespeare’s or Aquarium for a true Austinite experience!

If your “campus” didn’t look like a scene from a horror movie, I might be more interested in visiting College -Sta tion. But thankfully, I don’t have to do that this year.

Zach Davis, Sports Desk Editor

I’d say ask Texas A&M Athletics for help, but after losing $15.2 million in baseball, softball and basketball revenue last year, they may be in the same sticky situation as y’all. Besides, with the minuscule size of the sports department, how much of a travel budget do y’all need anyway?

The rumors are true — we do, indeed, have a bigger travel budget than The Battalion. But that’s a low bar.

Meaghan English, Associate Sports Editor

you guys haven’t hit the books yet?

Maybe Reveille has been barking in y’all’s classes too much, and that’s why

on how the Aggie War Hymn is all about a Longhorn. As big brother, I’d suggest you hit the books and take a look at why you Aggies are our little brothers.

obsessed because of a singular line in our fight song, but let’s not get started

enough? Y’all always tell us that we’re

losses on the gridiron not tell you Aggies

Do 77 Longhorn wins compared to 37

fles me that after all these years, you guys have not accepted your role as the little brother in this relationship.

wherever College Station is. It truly -baf

Austin. After all, it’s far and away from

Aggies, please enjoy your time in

Alistair Manliguez, Senior Sports Reporter

A&M used to be.

Porsches or Teslas that were paid for by their daddies? I mean, I wouldn’t say UT is much better, but at least we have never claimed to be. Once y’all entered the SEC, it was almost like you threw away what

Also, can you really say that you are a blue-collar, agricultural school if a large portion of the student body drives around

Speaking of unsanitary, you would think that the Midnight Yell kissing tradition would be completely gone after COVID-19. I mean, maybe I would get the magic of it if people actually had lighters like back in the day, but holding up your phone just feels desperate and gross.

Lauren Hightower, Sports Editor

Thank you for making everyone think we are a bunch of characters out of a poorly written western movie.

“Howdy” as a casual greeting.

erners have asked me if we actually say

Also, y’all have done insurmountable damage to Texan culture outside of the state. I don’t know how many -North

pect nothing less from a cow school …

The Aggie Ring Dunk tradition is -ter ribly unsanitary. Do you know how many people touched that ring before you dropped it into that cheap ass beer? I -ex

I understand that y’all are so jealous of everything we do. We are better at academics, athletics, campus life or any other B.S. metric that USAToday throws up every single year around application season.

me sick — quite honestly, it’s weird.

Your obsession with us makes

Nicholas Kingman, Double Coverage Editor

By The Daily Texan Staff

DEAR A&M

charlie partheymuller / the daily texan staff