Texas A&M is still seeking its first football win over Texas this century.
Such is the nature of a series that was streaky long before it gained a corporate sponsor and became the State Farm Lone Star Showdown.
The Aggies needed eight games and a new century to score their first win – and first points – against Texas. The year was 1902. In the previous games, which included one tie, A&M had been outscored 157-0.
Texas A&M at Texas
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Though Texas leads the series 73-34-5, the pendulum has swung the other way, too.
The Longhorns' current streak was preceded by a stretch of Aggies control. From 1984 to '94, Texas A&M won 10 of 11 games.
If the series can be compared to a see-saw, it goes for long stretches tilted toward one side.
One theory holds that Texas and A&M compete for the same recruits and that only one program can be dominant at one time. Somebody has to be the loser, in a top prospect's living room and on the field.
Texas coach Mack Brown noted that the Longhorns' rivalry with Oklahoma has followed a similar path.
"A lot of people talk about the emotional edge of a team that's winning and how all their fans keep them going and the momentum helps them keep winning," Brown said. "It puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the teams that have lost. We felt that with the Oklahoma rivalry until we turned that back around two years ago."
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A look at Texas' current winning streak, which began in coach Mack Brown's third season in Austin:
Texas 43, Texas A&M 17: Chris Simms put together one of the greatest quarters by a quarterback in the series. With Texas leading 10-7 at halftime, Simms guided the Longhorns to a 27-point third quarter. He completed all eight of his passes in the quarter for 234 yards and three TDs.
Texas 21, Texas A&M 7: Freshman Cedric Benson, held to less than a yard a carry through three quarters, broke a 7-7 tie with a pair of fourth- quarter touchdown runs. In a defensive struggle, the teams combined for 21 punts.
Texas 50, Texas A&M 20: The Aggies, who committed six turnovers, had no answer for UT receiver Roy Williams. He caught six passes for 149 yards, including scores of 75 and 38 yards. Chris Simms became the first Texas QB since Bobby Layne to win three straight vs. A&M.
Texas 46, Texas A&M 15: UT's Cedric Benson put up rushing numbers greater than even Ricky Williams' or Earl Campbell's against the Aggies. He finished with 283 yards on 35 carries. Texas threw just two second-half passes.
Texas 26, Texas A&M 13: Strange plays were the story line. A&M had a 98-yard fumble return, Texas' Michael Griffin blocked a punt for a touchdown, and the Horns even recorded a rare extra-point safety.
Texas 40, Texas A&M 29: En route to the national title, Texas outlasted the Aggies. Redshirt freshman quarterback Stephen McGee, starting for injured Reggie McNeal, led an A&M offense that outrushed Texas, 277-174. A&M derailed Vince Young's Heisman campaign, holding him to 181 yards of total offense on national television.
No Texas coach owned A&M as much as Darrell Royal. He won his first 10 games against the Aggies, lost in 1967, then won another seven consecutive games. Here's a closer look at the streak:
Most dominant period: In a seven-game span from 1968-74, Texas outscored the Aggies 282-73.
Shutouts: Two (27-0 in 1958 and 25-0 in 1961).Largest margin of victory: 52-14 in 1970.
The turnaround: A&M won its last two meetings with Royal-coached teams, 20-10 in 1975 and 27-3 in 1976.
Jackie Sherrill and R.C. Slocum provided a remarkable span of Texas A&M success. From 1984 to 1994, the two coaches combined for 10 wins in 11 meetings against the Longhorns.
Sherrill started the stretch with wins in his final five meetings against Texas. The most memorable might have been a 42-10 win in 1985. That victory still ranks as the most lopsided win for the Aggies in the series.
More important, the victory secured the Southwest Conference title for the Aggies, who went to the Cotton Bowl for the first time since 1967.
"Our games are won up front," Sherrill said, "and our big boys mowed them down."
Slocum picked up where Sherrill left off. He won his first meeting with Texas in 1989, then dropped a one-point decision in 1990.
Four consecutive wins over the Longhorns followed, by an average margin of 17.8 points.
Sherrill finished his A&M tenure 5-2 against Texas. Slocum, who left after the 2002 season, was 7-7 against the Longhorns.
How Texas and A&M have fared in the series during their Associated Press national title seasons:
1939: Texas A&M wins, 20-0
1963: Texas wins, 15-13
1969: Texas wins, 49-12
2005: Texas wins, 40-29
In seasons that A&M or Texas produced a Heisman Trophy winner, UT has won all three meetings between the schools:
Texas wins, 9-7: Crow ran for 61 yards and a TD in the Aggies' loss to Texas. He completed a pass, and he intercepted another while playing defense.
Texas wins, 57-28: Campbell took over the national rushing lead after gaining 222 yards and four touchdowns in the Longhorns' win over the Aggies.
Texas wins, 26-24: Williams could not be stopped by the A&M defense, rushing for 259 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown, in the Longhorns' win.
Some of the significant upsets in the series, based on AP national rankings. Twice, Texas stunned A&M teams coached by Bear Bryant in the 1950s:
1941: No. 10 Texas 23, No. 2 Texas A&M 0
1951: Texas A&M 22, No. 16 Texas 21
1955: Texas 21, No. 8 Texas A&M 6
1957: Texas 9, No. 4 Texas A&M 7
1979: Texas A&M 13, No. 6 Texas 7
1984: Texas A&M 37, No. 13 Texas 12
1998: Texas 26, No. 6 Texas A&M 24
1999: No. 24 Texas A&M 20, No. 7 Texas 16
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