The Texas A&M Aggies and the Arizona State Sun Devils will open the 2015 college football season in the AdvoCare Texas Kickoff at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. The game will mark the first match-up in their school's histories. LSU and Wisconsin will play in the second installment of the kickoff-weekend game on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2014, continuing the tradition of championship caliber opponents facing off at Reliant Stadium.
This will be Texas A&M's third time appearing in an opening weekend event (1988 and 1998), while the contest will mark Arizona State's first time playing in such a game.
The Aggies are currently ranked No. 12 in the BCS Standings with an 8-2 record. The Aggies have totaled a record of 691-450-47 in their history, including three national championships and 20 combined Big 12/Southwestern Conference titles.
"Playing Arizona State is a wonderful opportunity to compete against one of the best teams in the Pac 12," said Eric Hyman, Texas A&M Athletics Director. "We are excited about the matchup in Houston and especially playing in Reliant Stadium with such a large number of our former students in the area."
The No. 17 ranked Sun Devils hold an identical 8-2 record. ASU has compiled a 569-362-24 record, including one Rose Bowl and five Fiesta Bowl victories.
"We are excited to participate in this unique college football event in the state of Texas against an SEC opponent in Texas A&M," said Steve Patterson, Arizona State Athletics Director. "Our fans and alumni experienced a fabulous time in Dallas with the Notre Dame game at AT&T Stadium earlier this year and we are excited to provide another similar opportunity for our fans, alumni and student-athletes. Todd Graham and his coaching staff recruit the state of Texas and this can only serve to enhance that effort."
"The AdvoCare Texas Kickoff continues to develop into one of the finest labor day weekend events in the country," said Pete Derzis, ESPN Sr. Vice President and General Manager of ESPN Regional Television. "These two outstanding programs will treat the college football fans in Houston to an exciting launch of the 2015 season."
"We are very excited to host two of America's elite collegiate football programs and look forward to experiencing the atmosphere their passionate fans will create at Reliant Stadium," said Jamey Rootes, Houston Texans President. "Our goal in establishing the AdvoCare Texas Kickoff was to position Houston and Reliant Stadium as a premier destination for college football. Having these two outstanding institutions in our 2015 game helps to enhance the credibility of that positioning significantly."
The game will mark the third year of a four-year agreement between Lone Star Sports & Entertainment and ESPN Regional Television (ERT), a subsidiary of ESPN, to bring a top college football game to Reliant Stadium during the Labor Day weekend to start the college football season. Oklahoma State defeated Mississippi State 21-3 in the inaugural AdvoCare Texas Kickoff on Aug. 31, 2013.
For more information on ticket packages for the AdvoCare Texas Kickoff, log on to www.advocaretexaskickoff.com. For information on luxury suites call 832-667-2160.
