Texas Football: With A&M Rivalry Over, 5 Teams the Longhorns Should Play

There is no replacing the tradition that will be lost with the discontinuance of the Texas vs. Texas A&M rivalry. For college football, the game is irreplaceable, but for the Longhorns, it is not. The Longhorns have to find a new game that will replace the pageantry of the rivalry.

There are a few teams that could bring some attention and others that would be in-state rivalries revisited. Whatever direction the Longhorns decide to go in, they will need to produce quality football on the field and provide reasoning for the change that makes sense for the college football world.

Looking ahead, here are five games that could fill the void left by the loss of the Longhorns vs. Aggies.

USC Trojans

Southern Cal is one of the most decorated and successful teams in college football history. They have faced the Longhorns five times in school history and have won four of the five. If nothing else, the Longhorns would like to improve that record.

Two traditional powerhouse teams squaring off is always a good way to shadow over what could have been with the Aggies rivalry. USC would be a contest that would bring national attention and provide for some great football.

With the addition of the Pac-12 teams and the conference scheduling, this game isn’t likely to occur on a regular basis, but for Texas, it would be a huge win for the non-conference schedule.

Arkansas Razorbacks

Texas and Arkansas were two of the founding members of the Southwest Conference in 1915. Arkansas played in the conference until 1991, leaving just five years before the conference disappeared.

The Razorbacks and Longhorns have met for some great matchups in the past and rekindling the contest would only help both teams and conferences going forward. This is a great out-of-state rivalry that could be formed and could add substance to the Longhorns' future non-conference schedule.

The Razorbacks and Longhorns have met 77 times, with Texas leading the series 56-21. It is time this show got back on the road for the sanity of the college football masses.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

No matter if you love or hate the Irish, finding them on your schedule is a blessing. Notre Dame is a team that brings a wealth of tradition and national exposure with every contest to the table.

This game would fuel college football’s need for big-time named rivalries. It isn’t always about the teams being successful in any given year, it is the name recognition that comes with a Texas and a Notre Dame.

Texas and Notre Dame are two of the winingest programs in college football history. Texas ranks No. 2 in all-time wins while Notre Dame is No. 3 on the list. Starting this tradition would be a great move for both institutions.

SMU Mustangs

SMU joined the Southwest conference in 1918, just three years after its inception. The Mustangs were powerful during a few decades with the conference, but when they suffered the death penalty in 1987, things changed terribly for the Mustangs.

SMU is slowly inching its way back into relevance at the leadership of June Jones. One game that could add a level of respect would be an annual contest with Texas.

They were consistent rivals during the SWC years. Texas needs to find another in-state rival, and SMU would be a great program to seek out. It would likely give Texas an upper hand with tradition and talent, but it would also provide the state with another in-state rivalry.

Houston Cougars

Again, a former SWC rival, the Cougars would be a great addition for the Longhorns. The Cougars would likely jump at the chance to join the Big 12, but until that happens, this would be a great non-conference opponent.

The Cougars were the last member to join the SWC when they came on board in 1971. Adding them to the schedule would provide yet another in-state rivalry option. With the huge market that Houston is, it would be even more local exposure for the Longhorns and allow for Texas to likely control another rivalry.

This game would bring a lot of attention locally but likely fall short nationally to start. Only being three hours away from each other would help the institutions and fans, however, making it a worthy consideration.