The year was 1894, when a young A&M, then known as Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College, yearned for an athletic outlet beyond track and baseball. Enter F. Dudley Perkins, a professor turned coach, who brought the first official football team to life. It was a humble beginning, a ragtag group of 11 men facing off against rivals like Baylor and Trinity University. Their initial record – 1 win, 1 loss – might not have set the world on fire, but it sparked a flame that would blaze for over a century.

Early years were marked by both grit and growth. Teams led by coaches like Charles Moran and Dana X. Bible carved their names in A&M lore, capturing conference titles and etching a reputation for tough, Texas-style football. The 1919 team, undefeated and untied, even earned a retroactive national championship title from the Billingsley Report.