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Texas A&M Football: Top 10 Lonestar Showdown games

By Mary Catherine McCord

AUSTIN, TX - NOVEMBER 24: Quarterback Stephen McGee #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies runs for a touchdown against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium November 24, 2006 in Austin, Texas. The Aggies defeated the Longhorns 12-7. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TX - NOVEMBER 24: Quarterback Stephen McGee #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies runs for a touchdown against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium November 24, 2006 in Austin, Texas. The Aggies defeated the Longhorns 12-7. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) /

4. 1975 Football: No. 2 Texas A&M 20, No. 5 Texas 10

1975 was one of those rare instances in the Lonestar Showdown series where the teams were generally on equal footing. The Aggies were ranked number two in the nation coming into the game, and the Longhorns were fifth. Each team was undefeated at 9-0 heading into the game, with a real chance to play for a National Title. It would have been A&M’s first appearance in the national championship game since 1939.

The game, played in College Station and televised nationally on ABC, was crucial in determining the Southwest Conference champion. A&M, UT, and Arkansas were all in the mix that season.

The Aggies never trailed in the game, jumping out to a 10-7 halftime lead that they would stretch to 17-7 before letting the Longhorns score again. The win was the Aggies first against Texas since 1967, and put the team one victory away from winning the Southwest Conference and most likely playing for a national championship.

The team lost to Arkansas the following week, however, and ended up in a three-way tie for first in the SWC (very similar to the 2010 scenario with Texas A&M, Teaxas and Oklahoma). Arkansas, Texas A&M and Texas all finished the season with a 10-2 overall record and a 6-1 conference record, with each team’s loss to coming at the hands of one of the others. Arkansas won the tie breaker, but Texas A&M still finished the season sixth overall, even after a Liberty Bowl loss to unranked USC.