Texas Longhorns Lone Star Showdown Win Smashed Records

There really is nothing like college football rivalry matchups.

They bring out the most passionate versions of players and fans alike, and the ratings back it up.

Rivalry was captured at its finest last Friday at the Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in the form of an intrastate battle between the Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies.

Reach of Texas vs. Texas A&M matchup

Texas Longhorns defensive back Kobe Black and teammates react after making an interception during the second half against the Texas A&M Aggies | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

They say everything is bigger in Texas, and this year’s Lone Star Showdown captured the extent to which this statement rings true.

The Longhorns upset the undefeated Aggies in front of an electrified home crowd, but the fans in attendance weren’t the only ones tuned in on the day after Thanksgiving.

In fact, 13 million people actually watched this thriller of a matchup on TV last Friday, making it the most-watched weekday college football game on record. It was the most-viewed edition of the Lone Star Showdown in history, topping all other 119 times the teams have met for the matchup.

In the wider scope of college football, the game served as the third most-watched game of the season across all networks.

Why did so many people watch the game?

This matchup will probably always be a big deal, largely due to the energy provided by each fanbase and the history of the rivalry. It is, and always has been, a game about pride.

However, the stakes associated with this year’s matchup seemed particularly high.

Texas A&M entered the game with the opportunity to close out an undefeated season on the road against its biggest rivals. A momentous final victory like this one could’ve helped them avenge their home loss in 2024 and propel them into this season’s SEC Championship.

For Texas, this matchup provided them with an opportunity to end their regular season on a high note and make one last effort at proving why their lowest moments shouldn’t define their worthiness of making the College Football Playoff.

While a playoff berth seems like it might be out of the cards, the Longhorns’ victory did keep the Aggies out of the SEC Championship.

However, regardless of the outcome and its implications, the viewership numbers for this game alone prove how special the Lone Star Showdown is for college football.

13 million people chose to spend the evening after Thanksgiving watching these two teams battle it out under Friday night lights.