Jimbo Fisher: LSU is Texas A&M rival on field, recruiting

The LSU vs Texas A&M rivalry has become an interesting matchup on the field and the recruiting trail. Despite 59 all-time meetings between the two, the rivalry sat dormant from 1996-2010 before the Aggies joined the SEC West. The on-again, off-again rivalry has started and stopped multiple times throughout the years, with LSU leading the series 34-22 over Texas A&M.

During his Monday press conference, Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher addressed the rivalry which exists with LSU and how he approaches it on and off the field.

“Well I can say – whether it’s a rivalry or whatever – they’re important games because they’re SEC West games,” said Fisher. All the West games – I call them ‘double whammies’ – they’re league games and they’re interdivisional games. They’re all rivalries to me. But you’re so close in proximity and we recruit Louisiana, they recruit Texas like everybody does. But they’re very close and they’ve always had great success here so I think that kind of makes it that way. And that’s another great team. They’re one of the teams we’re gonna have to contended with year in and year out because they’re always gonna have great players.”

Since 2011, LSU is 8-2 with the only Texas A&M wins coming in 2018 and 2020. Fisher’s arrival from Florida State marked a turn in the series, going 2-1 the Aggies way.

Jimbo Fisher on SEC expansion

When Texas A&M left the Big 12, they left behind some big-time rivals, mainly the Texas Longhorns. Since joining the SEC, LSU has replaced the void, playing on Thanksgiving weekend for the past eight seasons.

Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher was asked if he would want to play LSU on an annual basis once the SEC expands. He said it’s always a great game but will wait and see until the new format is set.

“I’ll answer that question when I see what they put out there,” Fisher said. “I like playing a lot of the guys we already have. The tendency is because that’s the habit of who you’re already playing and what you’re doing, things that are happening. You like the LSU game, you want to play Alabama — those are great games but you’ll have to wait and see what the inner dynamic structure is. This is always a great game because of how good they are and with how we’re developing. It’s always a great one to play, that’s for sure.”