COLLEGE STATION — When Texas A&M football heads to Austin to end the regular season, the stakes will be high for both teams.
On the line for the Aggies (11-0, 7-0 SEC) is an undefeated season for the first time since 1994, and a spot in their first Southeastern Conference title game. For Texas (8-3, 5-2), a fourth loss would be a devastating blow as it tries to show it belongs in the College Football Playoff field.
Add in the history of these two hated rivals, and it could very well be one of the biggest games the Lone Star Showdown has ever seen.
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Friday’s game will be televised on ABC.
Here are five things to know about the Texas Longhorns ahead of Week 14:
Marcel Reed (10) of the Texas A&M Aggies throws the ball during the first quarter against the Texas Longhorns at Kyle Field on November 30, 2024 in College Station. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Tim Warner/Getty Images
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Texas football: 5 things to know about the Longhorns
1. Arch Manning’s been good as of late
A lot of attention has been paid to Longhorn’s quarterback Arch Manning.
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Although things were rough initially, needing overtime to beat Kentucky and Mississippi State, Manning and the Longhorns have looked like the team many expected them to be as of late.
Aside from a Week 12 loss to Georgia, Texas has won four of its last five games, Manning has surpassed 300 yards passing in three of those four games and has scored 12 touchdowns in the same period.
2. Longhorns potentially thin at LB for Week 14
Star linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. missed Week 13 due to a broken hand, and while there is optimism he may be available for Week 14, his status remains questionable for the season finale. A preseason All SEC selection, he has 69 tackles, which leads the team.
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His top backup, sophomore linebacker Ty’Anthony Smith was ejected in the second half of the Longhorns’ win over Arkansas due to targeting. As a result, he will now miss the first half Friday against A&M.
Smith has recorded 47 tackles this season, along with 4½ tackles for loss and two sacks.
3. Record history between A&M-Texas
This year’s matchup is the 99th in this historic rivalry. It has been dominated by the Longhorns, who hold a 62-33-3 all-time record and have won 10 of the last 13 meetings, dating back to 2000.
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Most importantly, Texas won the 2024 meeting, 17-7, to knock the Aggies out of the SEC title game. The Aggies will be hoping to clinch a perfect regular season and effectively knock the Longhorns out of playoff contention.
4. First meeting in Austin in 25 years
Last year marked the first meeting between these two rivals since 2011. This year will be the first encounter in Austin since 2010.
The Aggies won that game 24-17 and are hoping for similar results. Then head coach Mike Sherman handed Texas its first losing season since 1997.
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5. History behind the Longhorns’ nickname
According to the UT History Corner, the name “Longhorns” originated with Alex Weisberg, who was the editor-in-chief of the weekly student newspaper, the Texan, during the fall term of 1903.
Weisberg asked reporter David Frank to use the term “Longhorns” when referring to Texas athletic teams, hoping the nickname would become popular. By the time Frank became the editor-in-chief of the Texan in 1907, the Athletic Council officially recognized the Longhorns as the university’s mascot.
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The University of Texas states that the athletic teams were already known as the Longhorns by 1916, when the original Bevo was introduced to football fans.
Reach Texas A&M beat reporter Tony Catalina via email at Anthony.Catalina@statesman.com.