The Lone Star Showdown Preview

It’s here. It’s finally here. After 13 long awaited years. One of the greatest rivalries in college football has returned. Texas vs Texas A&M. Thanksgiving Weekend. Kyle Field. With a chance to go to the SEC championship game on the line. You could not have scripted this game's return any better. In what is without a doubt the most important game A&M has ever played, you get it in your house. What a moment this will be for Aggies, Longhorns, and any fan of the sport. Nothing but pure hatred for both sides alike. After 13 years of hypothetical noise coming from both sides, it is finally time for the talk to end. Here come the chills.

What this Rivalry Means –

To fans of other schools and to the younger generation, this may just seem like any other game. Those who never got to witness this game unfold truly don’t understand. I myself was just old enough to watch and understand the last two games in 2010 and 2011.  I remember exactly where I was when Cyrus Gray took a 50 yarder to the house to seal the game in 2010. And sadly I remember exactly where I was when Justin Tucker drilled a field goal in the closing seconds of what many thought was the final game of the Lone Star Showdown. From that moment on, as a 10 year old, pure hatred had started to grow towards that school in Austin. As my love for Aggie football grew through the Johnny years and beyond, I wanted nothing more than this game to be played. But it never happened. That didn’t put a pause in any of the hatred these schools had for each other. If anything, as the years of hypotheticals went on, the resentment grew. As it seemed more real that the Sips and Sooners were likely to join the SEC, fans couldn’t help but wonder if the game was finally making its return. Many narratives were put out into the world debating on whether each university wanted or didn’t want this move to take place. I can only speak for myself and many other Aggies / Longhorns I know. We absolutely wanted this game back and have been waiting for this opportunity for more than a decade. Now it is finally real.

Game Preview Thoughts –

In what is now recorded as the most expensive regular season ticket of all time, the matchup is set. In rivalry games such as this one, it is almost impossible to imagine how this game will play out. That’s without the fact that the winner of this game will face Georgia in the SEC championship. Let’s disregard everything we know about rivalry games and try to predict how this game goes down. For games like this, you can almost throw everything you have seen all season out the window. But it’s impossible not to talk about where these two teams are at.

Sips seem to be hitting their stride at the right time. Sark has built what was a laughing stock of a program to a team that is suddenly competing for a national championship in back to back years. Talk about their weak schedule all you want. If this season has shown you anything, it’s that anyone in the SEC can lose on any given Saturday. Texas has proven, unlike many others in this conference, that they are able to take care of business against teams they should. I will give credit where credit is due on that front. Their only loss this season came at the hands of Georgia, their only true test in terms of a matchup standpoint. You saw the Longhorn defense thrive, forcing Beck into 3 interceptions. That alone should have won them the game. The difference? Georgia’s defense went to town on what is regarded as one of the best offenses in the sport. Texas couldn't do a thing offensively, forcing Sark to make a questionable move in benching Ewers for a few drives. The only reason the game was close is because those Sankey suck off fans threw trash on the field, leading to a game altering call. Bottom line is proof of concept is there in terms of Texas facing a defense with a pulse. Ewers has great moments and is a veteran in this offense who has played in many high profile games. That said, he has his flaws. I alluded to this when I said they forced Beck into 3 interceptions, Texas’ defense is the real deal. Led by once Aggie commit Anthony Hill, they are a defense littered with talent and stats to back it up. It will be the Aggies biggest test on both sides of the ball. 

The Aggies are coming into this game on a low point. After running the table, starting 5-0 in conference play, they found ways to lose their last two conference games. But time to dwell on the past is over. I was absolutely gutted Saturday night after the Auburn ending. But this game and what’s at stake made me change my tune quickly. One of the more promising developments throughout the year has been Marcel Reed. After it was clear he was the guy this team needed, I knew it would be a bumpy, but necessary road he had to go down in order to develop. He has been getting better game by game. Of course, hiccups will happen for a freshman QB. But his quick development in this offense has me excited for Saturday and more importantly, excited for his future. On the downside, this defense has fallen off a cliff. Our flaws have been magnified and our last two opponents took full advantage. They will need to be near flawless Saturday against this offense. 

Why I Think the Aggies CAN Win –-

While I did give respect to sips for handling their business against teams well below their talent level, I think adversity faced so far this season will have a huge role in this game. I mean, you saw exactly what happened when they played Georgia. Georgia had already been battle tested vs Clemson and Alabama, whereas Texas hadn’t had to sweat leading to that game. I think that alone had the biggest impact on why Texas got so dominated, and why Georgia has thrived since. A&M has been facing adversity since the opening kickoff vs Notre Dame with little room for error since. I think it will pay huge dividends in this game.

Yes, I know the Aggie defense has looked completely different as of late. But at their best they are one of the toughest units the Longhorns will face this year. Do they show up and go back to the unit we saw early this year? We will absolutely need it. We need to be pressuring Ewers all freaking night — the same way Georgia did. Pressure is absolutely the most important factor that this dline will have to generate. Ewers has shown his biggest flaws are when he is facing constant pressure. If this dline does not impose their will, Ewers will have a field day. The good thing is this defense has shown to be a dominant force. It will need to be on display Saturday. 

As for the offense, Marcel Reed will have to shine. Like I said earlier, he is making strides at the right time. He just has to limit the blunders. He will need to be incredibly effective on the ground and through the air. Collin Klien is going to have to throw every last ounce he has calling this game. It is a must that he dials up a creative gameplan. There is no more wait and see from this offense. The time to lay it all on the line is now. I think he will do just that, because he absolutely has to.

Did I mention this game is being played in Kyle Field? And has a kickoff time of 6:30 central? With what is likely to be a record breaking crowd? Oh yeah, that could help. That place is going to have an atmosphere unlike anyone has ever seen. More specifically, an atmosphere Texas has yet to see this year. It is going to be beyond electric. You know how difficult it is for a team to not have to play a night road game all year, and to be thrown into that with so much on the line? Pretty damn daunting. If Texas is the championship team they think they are, they will need to show it Saturday night. I just don’t know if they are ready for that task.

Closing Thoughts –

I hate this school with a burning passion. I hate even having to drive through that god awful city of Austin. I hate their fans more than anything in this world. I hate that more than half their fan base didn’t even go to school there. I hate when they speak ill of school traditions as they twiddle their thumbs in a Texas State classroom. I fucking hate them. I hope to god we beat the ever living hell out of them. This game means so much to me and many people I know. After 13 long years of what-ifs, it is finally time.

-AA/GC  

whispers Aggies 31 - Sips 30