New tradition ‘Ruck Across the Brazos’ marks return of UT, Texas A&M rivalry game

On By Littum

AUSTIN (KXAN) — After a 13-year hiatus, the University of Texas Longhorns will travel to College Station to play the Texas A&M Aggies in the renewed Lone Star Showdown rivalry.

“Ruck Across the Brazos” kicked off Friday in Austin as a new intercollegiate tradition. Groups of cadets and student veterans will walk and drive a football game to College Station along with traditional military ruck packs, according to UT.

The new tradition started at 8:30 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Plaza outside Darell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium. The tour ends in College Station at Kyle Field, where Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko will receive the ball around 1 p.m. 5:30 p.m

  • The inaugural “Ruck Across the Brazos” kicked off in Austin on Friday, November 29, before the groups will carry the game of football to College Station. (KXAN Photo/Jala Washington)
  • The inaugural “Ruck Across the Brazos” kicked off in Austin on Friday, November 29, before the groups will carry the game of football to College Station. (KXAN Photo/Jala Washington)
  • The inaugural “Ruck Across the Brazos” kicked off in Austin on Friday, November 29, before the groups will carry the game of football to College Station. (KXAN Photo/Jala Washington)
  • The inaugural “Ruck Across the Brazos” kicked off in Austin on Friday, November 29, before the groups will carry the game of football to College Station. (KXAN Photo/Jala Washington)
  • The inaugural “Ruck Across the Brazos” kicked off in Austin on Friday, November 29, before the groups will carry the game of football to College Station. (KXAN Photo/Jala Washington)
  • The inaugural “Ruck Across the Brazos” kicked off in Austin on Friday, November 29, before the groups will carry the game of football to College Station. (KXAN Photo/Jala Washington)
  • The inaugural “Ruck Across the Brazos” kicked off in Austin on Friday, November 29, before the groups will carry the game of football to College Station. (KXAN Photo/Jala Washington)

One-star generals from the Air Force Recruiting Service will cheer on the groups as they start and finish the journey. Brigadier General Christopher Amrhein, a 1995 Longhorn, and Brigadier General Craig McPike, a 1992 Aggie, will be with cadets at the start of each leg.

Jacob Tegtmeier, a cadet first sergeant for the Longhorn Battalion, said he hopes the tradition continues for decades to come with camaraderie among veterans and cadets from both schools.

“It honors not only this rivalry game, but also the military history of both our schools,” he said.

The The Longhorns play the Aggies in College Station at 18.30 Saturday on ABC.