Lone Star Showdown Explained

Wide:yes
Texas–Texas A&M
Team1:Texas Longhorns
Team1logo:Texas_Longhorn_logo.svg
Team2:Texas A&M Aggies
Team2logo:Texas A&M University logo.svg

The Lone Star Showdown is the traditional rivalry for all varsity men's and women's athletics competitions between the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University. The name comes from Lone Star State, which is the nickname of the state of Texas.[1] The "Lone Star Showdown" moniker was trademarked in 1996.[2]

The schools are rivals in most major sports, and both universities boast large living alumni bases (over 665,000), along with a significant following from supporters throughout the state and nation.

Being the two oldest public universities in the State of Texas, the rivalry has a history dating back over a century, with the first competition taking place in football in 1894. Throughout the decades, the schools joined and switched conferences together, maintaining the rivalry through the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association (TIAA), Southwest Conference (SWC), and Big 12 Conference.

The football portion of the Lone Star Showdown ended in 2011 when Texas A&M moved to the Southeastern Conference (SEC).[3] Texas and Texas A&M still competed regularly in other sports in non-conference play.

The State Farm Lone Star Showdown started in 2004 and was created to bring more attention to the rivalry in non-major sports. The Lone Star Showdown trophy was awarded to the winning school each year based on head-to-head matchup in each sport. The final episode of the annual competition occurred during the 2011–12 academic year.

In July 2021, Texas announced that it (along with rival Oklahoma) would join the SEC no later than the 2025-26 academic year.[4] In February 2023, the Big 12 announced that Texas and Oklahoma had negotiated a combined $100 million early termination fee in order to leave for the SEC a year early.[5] The Longhorns football team will continue competing in the Big 12 through the 2023 season before moving to the SEC in 2024, when the football edition of the Lone Star Showdown will ostensibly resume.

Game results

Baseball

Wide:yes
Texas–Texas A&M
Team1:Texas A&M Aggies
Team1logo:Texas A&M University logo.svg
Team2:Texas Longhorns
Team2logo:Texas_Longhorn_logo.svg
Sport:Baseball
Firstmeeting:April 24, 1903
Texas 6, Texas A&M 2
Mostrecent:June 1, 2024
Texas A&M 4, Texas 2
Total:381
Series:Texas leads, 245–131–5
Largestvictory:Texas A&M, 25–6 (April 30, 1995)
Longeststreak:Texas, 15
(May 11, 1944 - April 21, 1949)
Currentstreak:Texas A&M, 2

[6]

Men's basketball

Wide:yes
Texas–Texas A&M
Team1:Texas A&M Aggies
Team1logo:Texas A&M University logo.svg
Team2:Texas Longhorns
Team2logo:Texas_Longhorn_logo.svg
Sport:Men's Basketball
Firstmeeting:February 23, 1917
Texas 38, Texas A&M 16
Mostrecent:December 8, 2019
Texas 60, Texas A&M 50
Total:224
Series:Texas leads, 138–86
Largestvictory:Texas, 81–36 (February 23, 1944)
Longeststreak:Texas, 16
(February 12, 1994 - January 30, 2001)
Currentstreak:Texas, 1

[7]

Women's basketball

Wide:yes
Texas–Texas A&M
Team1:Texas A&M Aggies
Team1logo:Texas A&M University logo.svg
Team2:Texas Longhorns
Team2logo:Texas_Longhorn_logo.svg
Sport:Women's basketball
Firstmeeting:March 23, 1975
Texas 63, Texas A&M 62
Mostrecent:December 5, 2021
Texas 76, Texas A&M 60
Total:86
Series:Texas leads, 63–23
Largestvictory:Texas, 96–50 (February 10, 1987)
Longeststreak:Texas, 27
(February 13, 1978 - February 2, 1991)
Currentstreak:Texas, 5

Softball

Wide:yes
Texas–Texas A&M
Team1:Texas A&M Aggies
Team1logo:Texas A&M University logo.svg
Team2:Texas Longhorns
Team2logo:Texas_Longhorn_logo.svg
Sport:Softball
Firstmeeting:April 12, 1997
Texas A&M 2, Texas 0
Mostrecent:May 26, 2024
Texas 6, Texas A&M 5
Total:49
Series:Texas, 26–23
Largestvictory:Texas A&M, 11–1 (April 28, 2004)
Longeststreak:Texas, 6
(April 10, 1998 - March 29, 2000)
Currentstreak:Texas, 2

[8]

Women's volleyball

Wide:yes
Texas–Texas A&M
Team1:Texas A&M Aggies
Team1logo:Texas A&M University logo.svg
Team2:Texas Longhorns
Team2logo:Texas_Longhorn_logo.svg
Sport:Volleyball
Firstmeeting:November 8, 1974
Texas 2, Texas A&M 0
Mostrecent:November 30, 2023
Texas 3, Texas A&M 1
Total:100
Series:Texas leads, 75–25
Longeststreak:Texas, 20
(November 20, 1982 - October 9, 1991)
Currentstreak:Texas, 9

[9]

Women's soccer

Wide:yes
Texas–Texas A&M
Team1:Texas A&M Aggies
Team1logo:Texas A&M University logo.svg
Team2:Texas Longhorns
Team2logo:Texas_Longhorn_logo.svg
Sport:Soccer
Firstmeeting:September 25, 1994
Texas A&M 2, Texas A&M 1 2OT
Mostrecent:November 15, 2019
Texas A&M 4, Texas 1
Total:26
Series:Texas A&M leads, 19–5–2
Largestvictory:Texas A&M, 6–0 (October 11, 1995)
& (November 2, 2001)
Longeststreak:Texas A&M, 12
(September 25, 1994 - November 1, 2002)
Currentstreak:Texas A&M, 2

[10]

State Farm Lone Star Showdown

State Farm Lone Star Showdown
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Texas (6) Texas A&M (2)
2004–05
2005–06
2006–07
2009–10
2010–11
2011–12
2007–08
2008–09

The State Farm Lone Star Showdown started in 2004 and was created to bring more attention to the rivalry in non-major sports. The Lone Star Showdown trophy was awarded to the winning school each year based on head-to-head matchup in each sport. The final episode of the annual competition occurred during the 2011–12 academic year.

Point system

Points were awarded for all sports in which both schools maintained an intercollegiate team. Each sport was worth one point, which was awarded to the winner of the head-to-head matchup between the two teams. Each team received ½ point for a head-to-head matchup that ended in a tie. In baseball, the team that won the regular season three-game series was awarded one point (and in the rare event of a split caused by each team winning one of the first two games, and the third game being called on account of weather with the game tied or not played, each team would receive ½ point). In sports where the teams met twice during the season — softball, volleyball, and men's and women’s basketball — each contest was worth ½ point.

If the universities did not compete in head-to-head regular season competition, the team that placed higher at the Big 12 Conference Championship would earn the point, and a tie in Big 12 Conference Championship competition would result in the point being split between the two schools. In the sport of track and field, multi-school meets were not counted as head-to-head competition.

There were a total of 19 possible points in each of the annual competitions, with 10 points needed to win. When the competition ended in a 9½ to 9½ tie, the rules provided that the winner of the previous year would retain the title for the following year.[11]

Series history and standings

Previous year's winner retains title in the event of a tie, as per the tie-breaker rule.

Overall results (2004–2012)

State Farm Scholar-Athlete

Beginning with the 2006–07 school year, State Farm began honoring a member of the home team at each Showdown event as a State Farm Scholar-Athlete for their achievements both in competition and in the classroom.

2009–10 Honorees:

2008–09 Honorees:

2007–08 Honorees:

2006–07 Honorees:

2020 Revival

In August 2020, it was announced[12] [13] that the rivalry would be revived in the name of supporting Feeding America. The event was set to take place on September 4 and coincide with the Annual College Colors Day. For each purchase of officially licensed Texas A&M or Texas merchandise, Wells Fargo would donate 100 meals to Feeding America member food banks.

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: State Nicknames . 50States.com . Marchex Inc . 2007-09-09.
  2. Web site: Lone Star Showdown (Texas Longhorns vs. Texas A&M Aggies) . 2006-10-21 . The Big Apple . blog entry quoting trademark application . Barry . Popik . Barry Popik . 2007-04-18 .
  3. News: Farmers Fight! . texasmonthly.com . Emmis Publishing . 2012-02-23.
  4. News: Texas Longhorns, Oklahoma Sooners unanimously accept invitation to SEC . Heather . Dinich . Mark . Schlabach . ESPN.com . July 30, 2021 . October 1, 2023.
  5. News: Heather. Dinich. Oklahoma, Texas agree to exit Big 12 Conference after 2023-24 season. ESPN. February 9, 2023. February 9, 2023.
  6. Web site: Texas Baseball 2018 Fact Book. 29–31. Texas Sports. December 9, 2019.
  7. Web site: 2019-20 Texas Longhorns Men's Basketball Fact Book. 73. Texas Sports. December 9, 2019.
  8. Web site: Texas Softball 2024 Fact Book. 103. Texas Sports. May 27, 2024.
  9. Web site: Texas Volleyball 2019 Fact Book. 40–50. Texas Sports. December 10, 2019.
  10. Web site: 2019 Texas Soccer Fact Book. 55–56. Texas Sports. December 10, 2019.
  11. Web site: Lonestarshowdown.net . 2009-05-21 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080229222107/http://lonestarshowdown.net/index.php?s= . 2008-02-29 .
  12. Web site: Texas and Texas A&M revive Lone Star Showdown Rivalry for 2020 College Colors Day competition. Texas Athletics. February 7, 2021.
  13. Web site: Texas A&M, University Of Texas Reviving Lone Star Showdown Rivalry In The Form Of Helping Others. 11 August 2020 . Texas A&M University Division of Marketing & Communications. February 7, 2021.