Last season was the first in almost a century that Texas and Texas A&M didn't play, and speaking personally, Thanksgiving weekend just didn't seem the same without the two Lone Star rivals going head to head.
Texas A&M has been outspoken about a sort of anywhere, anytime, anyplace attitude toward resuming the rivalry, but Texas, who won the final game in 2011 on a last-second field goal, is taking a rather arrogant approach to when the next game will happen.
Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds, From the Daily Texan (my emphasis added):
“They left,” Dodds said. “They're the ones that decided not to play us. We get to decide when we play again. I think that's fair. If you did a survey of our fans about playing A&M, they don't want to. It's overwhelming. I know. I hear it. Our fans are important to us. I think there's got to be a period where things get different. I think there's too many hard feelings.”
Hey-oh! Dodds is in a power position here and doesn't sound like he has many plans to let anyone forget that. As for why this game isn't being played, it depends on who you listen to. There's merit to both sides, and it's a perfect situation in which either side feels completely comfortable blaming the other.
Texas warned A&M when it was considering a move to the SEC: "Leave and this rivalry is over."
Texas A&M has been consistent throughout the saga: "We'll play you anytime, you're the ones providing the rivalry's death blow and refusing to play."
The truth is where it usually is: Right in the middle. Texas A&M decided SEC membership was more important than its rivalry with Texas. Texas decided keeping its word (and its pride) was more important than showing that its warning to the Aggies was an empty threat.
The Longhorns have the bragging rights, and that certainly will extend the period in which these two teams won't play. Dodds says the two teams will play "sometime," but anyone who thinks that time will come under Dodds' watch is out of their mind.
