Game On: Arkansas, Texas A&M sign 10-year deal
That Arkansas-Texas A&M series at the Dallas Cowboys’ new $1.1 billion stadium that has been rumored for the last couple of months is officially on … for the next 10 years.
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Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino and Aggies coach Mike Sherman were on hand earlier this morning in Arlington, Texas for the announcement. Here’s more:
The two schools not only have agreed to play this 10-year series at the new Cowboys stadium, but also have an option for five more four-year terms at the end of 2018. The first game between the Aggies and Razorbacks will be played Oct. 3, 2009, and the two schools plan on splitting the stadium’s 80,000 seating capacity evenly when it comes to ticket distribution. If interest warrants, the capacity for this game can be expanded to 100,000.
Wow. This could literally be a 30-year series if interest is big enough in the Big D.
The Razorbacks will be designated as the home team on odd years during the series. In other words, that first game in 2009 will see the Hogs wearing cardinal red.
Here’s what Arkansas athletics director Jeff Long had to say, according to the UA Sports Information Department:
“This is truly a momentous day for the Arkansas football program,” Long said. “The chance to renew a football rivalry with Texas A&M at what will be the finest sporting facility in the world is a tremendous opportunity for the Razorbacks. The series will also allow our university to gain more valuable exposure in the southwest and will boost recruitment of students and student-athletes. We are grateful to our alumnus, Jerry Jones, and the Dallas Cowboys for hosting what will become an even greater football rivalry.”
Rumor had it the Hogs and Aggies would be paid $5 million a piece for each game in the series. That has not been confirmed, however.
This should put some pressure on the Oklahoma-Texas “Red River Shootout” at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. That game — scheduled to continue at the Cotton Bowl until 2015 — is usually played on the first or second weekend of October as the Texas State Fair winds down. One would think both UA-A&M and OU-UT would not be held on the same weekend.
That shall be interesting to watch.
Arkansas and Texas A&M have not met since the Razorbacks’ last year in the Southwest Conference. The Aggies won that game in 1991, 13-3.
7 Responses to “Game On: Arkansas, Texas A&M sign 10-year deal”
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Wow! I feel like I just got my football heritage back. I’ve enjoyed having the Hogs in college football’s premier conference, but I have sorely missed the old rivalries with the Texas schools, especially Texas and Texas A&M. I feel like we have the best of both worlds now.
Nice! This should definitely be a major boost to recruiting, both in Texas ans elsewhere also. Who wouldn’t want to play in a game like this. It will surely increase our strength of schedule also. I see nothing but positives in this, even though we may lose a few of the games. GO HOGS!
Okay sign me up. When do tickets go on sale?
I say who cares if the UA/A&M and UT/OU games are the same weekend. That new Texas Stadium puts the ole Cotton Bowl to shame. Which place would you rather go see a game?
If the Horns weren’t so “holier than thou” about scheduling a rivalry, they would get on the bandwagon and schedule a long-term deal w/the Hogs. And, why shouldn’t we get the cream puffs off the schedule once and for all? Respectability is what its all about anymore. Take the UL-Monroe’s, North Texas, UT-Chatt. and kiss them goodbye, permanently.
Petrino and a schedule the likes of Notre Dame. What kid wouldn’t want to come to Fayetteville and play ball?
Like it or not, the cupcakes serve a purpose too. They provide your team an opportunity to rest some of your key players (if you get a big lead), work on your playbook/execution, and yes, pad your win column. You can’t expect to play 12 tough games and avoid injuries, mistakes, blown calls, etc. every week.
I think a perfect schedule would be:
Week 1: Cupcake
Week 2: BCS OOC
Week 3: Cupcake
Week 4-5: SEC
Week 6: Bye
Week 7-8: SEC
Week 9: Mid-Major OOC
Week 10-13: SEC
I love the schedule next year with Texas as the marquee match-up, Tulsa as a respectable OOC game, and 2 directional schools for glorified scrimmages. I just wish we weren’t in a “rebuilding” year so we could take advantage of it.
By the way, Notre Dame plays the academies, which equate to their cupcakes (although they can be tough games occassionally).
I think ASU would be a great cupcake. Why send the money out of state and we also build a good rivalry. (note, I said good, not great) I’m not an ASU fan I just don’t get not having some kind of in-state rivalry and we would kick that tail most of the time. Good for ASU, and gets that “holier than thou” image removed from the Uof A for snubbing our little in-state brothers for so long. Hold the game in LR, alternate home and away so we occasionally get a road game at our home away from home. Little Rock parties for every game, imagine if our two LR games were ASU every year and LSU every other. Play one of the Louisiana directional schools the other year. I don’t see what we gain from playing other states pee wee teams when we have at least one option in state. Politics.
I disagree on the ASU game, td. The UA is a very unique school, like Nebraska and perhaps only a handful of others in the country. The statewide following and incredible fan base the Razorbacks enjoy are very special.
Playing an in-state school like ASU would have few, if any, mutual benefits for the University of Arkansas.
As to UT, hey… lets treat the Horns like a normal opponent Razorback fans. In my opinion, we have lost more than a few of the these contests because of the pre game HYPE and importance the fans [and players] place on the game.
The UA has equal facilities and is in a considerably better conference. In reality, every SEC game is more important. Screw UT… and that message comes to you from deep in the heart of Texas.
GO HOGS!