With the exception of the 2012 and 2013 matchups, Texas A&M and Arkansas have battled at AT&T Stadium in Arlington every year since 2009. The Razorbacks took the first three games at Jerry World before A&M joined the SEC in 2012 and the two became conference foes. Since then, the Aggies have won every game between the two, making for six straight wins.
Despite A&M’s consistent success against Arkansas, the Hogs haven’t made it easy for the Aggies. Three out of the past four games have gone into overtime, with the Aggies pulling ahead each time.
On Saturday, the Aggies and Razorbacks will meet again at AT&T Stadium.
Both schools agree to the neutral site matchup every year since the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is a recruiting hotbed. A&M has six current commits from the area and Arkansas has two. Both teams hope the game in Arlington will help them snag some of the area’s high-profile recruits.
The game gives prospective players a chance to see two SEC West teams play in their own backyard, and both head coaches — Jimbo Fisher for A&M and Chad Morris for Arkansas — know this can be an advantage.
“Any time you can expose yourself to other parts of Texas and the great city of Dallas is great,” Fisher said. “That’s a huge area for us to recruit and a great venue to go play in. … It’s beneficial for fans that can go up there and see, and for fans that can come down from even farther north.”
A&M has 22 players on its roster from the DFW area while Arkansas brings six, meaning 28 players will be returning home for this game. One of these players is Arkansas quarterback John Stephen Jones, the grandson of Dallas Cowboys owner and Arkansas alum Jerry Jones, who plans to attend the game.
A&M freshman defensive tackle Bobby Brown III will be returning to his hometown of Arlington. Brown has played in all four games this year and has recorded four tackles.
Morris said he looks forward to going to DFW to give the Arkansas program exposure and reconnect with alumni in the area.
“This game gives us a chance to go back to Texas,” Morris said. “It’s a huge recruiting area for us with a lot of relationships. I’m really excited to go to [AT&T Stadium]. I’ve seen many games there and I think it’s the best stadium in the country. I’m excited about being a part of it and I’m excited about being a part of this rivalry.”
The two teams have agreed to play at AT&T Stadium until 2024, meaning fans of both teams will have to adjust to the game being played in Arlington for at least the next six seasons.
“It’s always a fun atmosphere to play in,” A&M sophomore quarterback Kellen Mond said. “It’s a neutral site, so it’s definitely going to be a fun game to play in and we’re always looking forward to the next opponent.”