The Arkansas Connection

The athletic departments at Texas A&M and Arkansas have found their paths crossing a surprising number of times in recent weeks, and for the Aggies each meeting has led to magical moments.

First, the Aggies and Razorbacks squared off in Toledo, Ohio, for the NCAA Men's Golf Championship in late May. The two teams played a classic match-play contest before the the Aggies clinched the national crown on the final hole of the final pairing.

Then, in mid-June, the Arkansas campus hosted the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The Aggies found more success there, with both the men's and women's teams winning national championships. For both teams, the title came down to the final event in which the Aggies competed, with the women locking up the crown in the triple jump and the men narrowly edging out the competition in the 4x400 relay.

The stakes will be similarly high when the two schools meet again in October. The Southwest Classic will pit the Aggies against the Razorbacks in football at the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium in Arlington. The game, scheduled for Oct. 3, will be the first meeting between the two schools on the gridiron since 1991.

Will A&M come out on top again?

That remains to be seen, but based on this spring's contests involving the two schools, fans might want to stick around until the final whistle sounds.