A&M/UT Rivalry From An Aggie Perspective

There are alot of great college football rivalries throughout the country. I think one of the best is the A&M/UT rivalry. Maybe I'm biased because I'm a lifelong Aggie fan who used to live in College Station, or maybe regional rivalries just seem more interesting. But for everyone around the country who doesn't know the in's and out's of this great in-state match up, I'm going to explain to you why this is one of the best rivalries in college football.

Unlike Ohio State/Michigan or Florida/Florida, A&M/UT is about more than football. Let me explain the history and the culture of the two schools. UT was the first university to be established in Texas. State congress decided there was also to be a subsiderary of the university that would teach agriculture and mechanincs. Hence the name Texas A&M. To be honest, the fact that UT was created as the premier university and A&M was to be it's sister school has created somewhat of an inferiority complex among Aggies. Not to mention the recent win/loss history between the two schools. But this rivalry is much deeper than wins and losses. It's about culture.

Texas is a huge state with alot of different types of people. There are alot of different ways to grow up in Texas. And Texans are proud to a fault. We all feel the way we grew up is the best way. That's where the difference between Aggies and Longhorns comes in. That's where the hatred stems from. It's more than our team hates your team. It's bigger than our school is better than your school. It's our way of life is better than yours.

The A&M/UT rivalry is all of these things:

Conservative vs. Liberal
Beer vs. Martini
Work vs. Silver spoons
Tradition vs. Change
Boots vs. Popped collars
Good Ole Boys vs. Metrosexuals
Real vs. Fake
Classic Rock vs. Pop Music
T-Bone Steaks vs. Sushi

That list has some extreme stereotypes included. But there is also alot of truth there. Is every Aggie a country boy? Of course not. Is every Longhorn eccentric? No way. But that's what these two schools represent in this state. And that's why this rivalry represents good vs. evil, no matter which side you choose to look at it from.

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