If you walk into any dive bar in College Station or a high-end steakhouse in Austin, you’ll hear the same arguments. It’s a deep, generational heat. For over a decade, the greatest rivalry in college football—yeah, I said it—was basically put into a coma because of conference realignment and some very hurt feelings in high-level offices. But things changed. Fast.
The question of when was the last time texas played a&m used to have a dusty, depressing answer. For years, the answer was 2011. We all remember Justin Tucker’s kick sailing through the uprights in College Station, a 27-25 Longhorn win that felt like a door slamming shut. Then, nothing. Just silence for 13 years while the two schools threw shade at each other from across the fence.
The 2025 Showdown: The Rivalry is Back for Real
Honestly, the wait made the return even more explosive. The most recent meeting happened on Friday, November 28, 2025. It wasn't just a game; it was a total collapse of the status quo.
Texas A&M came into Austin ranked No. 3 in the nation. They were 11-0. They were looking at a clear path to the SEC Championship and a top seed in the playoffs. Then they ran into a No. 16 Texas team at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium that had absolutely nothing to lose and everything to prove.
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The Longhorns pulled off a 27-17 upset that effectively ruined the Aggies' perfect season.
It was a gritty, ugly, beautiful game. After a scoreless first quarter that felt like a boxing match where nobody wanted to throw the first punch, the tension finally snapped. Arch Manning—yeah, the name everyone’s been obsessed with—proved he could handle the pressure of the Lone Star Showdown. He threw a 29-yard touchdown to Ryan Wingo in the third quarter to take the lead and then iced the game himself with a 35-yard touchdown run in the fourth.
Breaking Down the Drought (2012–2023)
You can't talk about when these two last played without acknowledging the massive gap in the middle. When Texas A&M left for the SEC in 2012, the "Lone Star Showdown" became a ghost.
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- The 2011 "Finale": Justin Tucker’s 40-yard field goal was supposed to be the end. Texas leads the all-time series 78–37–5, and for over a decade, Longhorn fans used that 2011 win as the ultimate "last word."
- The SEC Reunion: The ice finally melted when Texas joined the SEC in 2024. Suddenly, the game wasn't just a "maybe" or a non-conference dream; it was a mandatory calendar event.
- 2024 Renewal: The first game back in 2024 saw Texas travel to Kyle Field. It was a defensive slugfest where the Longhorns walked away with a 17-7 win. That win officially ended the 13-year hiatus and proved that the hatred hadn't faded one bit.
Why the 2025 Game Felt Different
Most people expected the Aggies to steamroll Texas in 2025. Mike Elko had that defense playing like a brick wall. Marcel Reed was putting up massive numbers. But rivalries don't care about your record.
Texas won the battle in the trenches. They held A&M to just 17 points—well below their season average. The atmosphere in Austin was arguably the loudest it has been in the 21st century. When EJ Smith scored a 13-yard touchdown to bring the Aggies within three points late in the game, you could feel the collective heart attack happening in the stands. But Manning’s legs ended the threat.
What's Next for the Lone Star Showdown?
Now that the game is back on the annual schedule, the dynamic has shifted. We aren't looking at "the last time" as a historical artifact anymore. It’s a living, breathing part of the SEC schedule again.
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The next scheduled meeting is set for November 27, 2026, back at Kyle Field in College Station. You can bet the 12th Man is already counting down the days for revenge.
If you're planning on heading to the next game, keep a few things in mind:
- Ticket Prices: Expect secondary market prices to start in the $400 range for nosebleeds. This is the hardest ticket to get in the state.
- Travel: If the game is in College Station, book your hotel in Bryan or Navasota now. Literally, right now.
- Tradition: Watch for the return of the "Bonfire" tributes and the "Hex" rallies. The pageantry is half the reason this game matters.
The long national nightmare of no Texas vs. A&M is over. We’ve traded the history books for a current scoreboard, and based on the last two years, the Longhorns currently hold the bragging rights with a three-game winning streak dating back to that 2011 kick.