Teams bid farewell to rivalry

AUSTIN - A century of Texas history is about to come to an end.

"It's going to be a game we all remember for the rest of our lives," Texas senior tight end Blaine Irby said. "It's going to be the last time Texas is going to be playing at Kyle Field and it's going to be the last time in this great rivalry."

Both the Longhorns and the Aggies know their last scheduled game together carries significant meaning.

"The historical implications are huge, and we realize that and we're very excited to play in this game," A&M senior quarterback Ryan Tannehill said.

Irby said though he grew up watching Arizona and Arizona State on the West coast, he has memories of the Lone Star Showdown as well.

 "I remember watching this game still, and there's a lot of tradition and it's just crazy how this is going to be the last one and so it's kind of a special, special meaning for all of us," he said.

In Texas head coach Mack Brown's 13 years of history against the Aggies, two games in particular stay with him.

"The best one is Ricky Williams out here the first year," he said. "He probably won the Heisman that day. What a memory. And the next year I've got vivid memories of the bonfire, and how I felt. And that week, and how awful that week was."

Now the responsibility of creating what could be the final memories of the rivalry falls onto each team.

"It doesn't matter if you're ranked," A&M junior wide receiver Ryan Swope said. "It doesn't matter who's the better team. Both teams are going to come out swinging. It's always going to be a battle."

It's also the last game against A&M regardless for Texas senior safety Blake Gideon, who said he wouldn't have it any other way.

"This game will be remembered. The scoreboard will be remembered. Just because it is the last one in a long series, so we want to make sure that we do everything we can this week to send those guys off right."

Closing a chapter, if not the whole book, on a storied rivalry.