This game marked the 112th meeting between Texas and the Texas A&M Aggies and the game is part of a multi-sport rivalry called the Lone Star Showdown. It is the longest-running rivalry for both the Longhorns and the Aggies and the football series is the third most-played rivalry in college football. Texas came into the 2005 contest with a 72–34–5 record. During the week before the game, the Longhorns conducted their traditional Hex Rally. As a result of a tragic accident in 1999, the Aggies did not host a school-sponsored version of their traditional Bonfire but an unofficial version called "Student Bonfire" was held November 19, 2005 despite a county-wide ban on bonfires. The game's attendance was 86,616, which was 4,016 more than the official stadium capacity for Kyle Field.