The Arkansas–Texas A&M football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Arkansas Razorbacks and Texas A&M Aggies, which started in 1903. Between 1992 and 2008, the schools did not play each other when Arkansas left the Southwest Conference to join the Southeastern Conference. The rivalry was renewed as a neutral-site out-of-conference contest (and branded as The Southwest Classic) in 2009; in 2012 it once again became a conference rivalry when Texas A&M also joined the Southeastern Conference. Arkansas leads the series 42–35–3.
Series history
Arkansas and Texas A&M first played each other in 1903, and would play each other three times from 1903 to 1912, all as non-conference matchups.
Arkansas and Texas A&M would not meet on the field again until 1927, notwithstanding that both schools became charter members of the Southwest Conference twelve years earlier in 1915. The schools played annually from 1927 to 1930, but would not meet again until 1934. From 1934 to 1991, the two teams played annually as conference members. The annual matchup ceased in 1991 when Arkansas left the conference to join the Southeastern Conference.
On March 10, 2008, officials from both schools announced the series would recommence on October 3, 2009, under the name "Southwest Classic." The annual location for the game was announced as Cowboys Stadium (now called AT&T Stadium), located in Arlington. The attendance for the stadium was initially expected to be in the 80,000 range. Depending on ticket demand, temporary seating can be added to the stadium to increase the capacity up to 100,000 seats for the game. The tickets were said to be split 50/50 between the two schools. The initial agreement between the two schools allowed the game to be played for at least 10 years, followed by 5 consecutive, 4-year rollover options, allowing the game to potentially be played for a total of 30 consecutive seasons.
The rivalry once again became a conference matchup when Texas A&M joined the SEC on July 1, 2012, and became a member of the West Division of the conference alongside Arkansas. However, for Texas A&M's first two seasons in the SEC the series was played as a home-and-home series at the schools' campuses (Texas A&M hosted in 2012 and Arkansas hosted in 2013); the series resumed neutral-site play in AT&T Stadium for the 2014 season until at least 2024. Multiple athletic directors at Texas A&M have expressed a desire to move away from playing the game at AT&T Stadium, and on July 20, 2020, it was reported that the game would be played at Kyle Field due to precautions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, with a return trip potentially being played at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in 2021. That return trip to Fayetteville did not happen, and the series resumed being played in Arlington in 2021.
After joining the SEC in 2012, A&M went on a 9-game winning streak, which was its longest in the series and first winning streak of more than 2 games in the series for the Aggies since 1938–1943. Arkansas broke the streak in 2021 and improved its record against A&M in Arlington to 4–6.
Game results
Notable games
1903 – First meeting
Texas A&M 6 – Arkansas 0
In the first ever meeting, and only the 43rd game ever played by Arkansas and the 42nd ever played by Texas A&M, the Aggies won 6–0. The Aggies were coached by J. E. Platt and the Razorbacks were coached (in his only season as a head coach) by D. A. McDaniel.
1937 – First ranking in series
Arkansas 26 – Texas A&M 13
After the introduction of the AP Poll in the 1936 season, the first ranking in the series came just the next year, with defending conference champions Arkansas being ranked No. 20 prior to the matchup. Arkansas won 26–13, in the two teams' second meeting in Fayetteville as conference foes.
1939 – Texas A&M's national championship year
Texas A&M 27 – Arkansas 0
In 1939, after winning the game 27–0, the Aggies went on to an overall record of 11–0 and named the college football national champions in the Associated Press writers' poll for the 1939 college football season.