The long-anticipated deal for Arkansas and Texas A & M annually to renew their football rivalry officially became signed, sealed and delivered at a press conference Monday in Arlington, Texas.

Jerry Jones, the Dallas Cowboys owner / University of Arkansas alum and former Razorback from Frank Broyles ’ 1964 national championship team, is bringing the Hogs and Aggies to the Dallas area starting in 2009. As a Razorback, Jones annually played against the Aggies in the old Southwest Conference rivalry always at the Aggies’ Kyle Field in College, Station, Texas or hosted by Arkansas at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville or War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

Jones, with Arkansas athletics director Jeff Long and coach Bobby Petrino and Texas A & M athletics director Bill Byrne and coach Mike Sherman and Stephen Jones, Jerry Jones ’ son who is the Cowboys’ executive vice president and also a former Razorback, were on hand Monday to announce that starting Oct. 3 2009, through 2018 the Razorbacks and Aggies annually will play at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.

The new stadium is set for completion before the 2009 season. Both schools have four-year options to continue the series in Arlington after 2018.

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Arkansas, in the SEC since 1992, and Texas A & M, of the Big 12 since the Southwest Conference folded, have not played since 1991, the Razorbacks’ final SWC season.

Both schools have a large following in the Dallas / Fort Worth area and anticipate, Arkansas ath- letics director Jeff Long said, “ between $ 4 million and $ 5 million to each school. ”

Starting with Arkansas in 2009, teams will be officially designated the home team in alternate years but the intention is creating a homegame atmosphere for both teams, like Texas and Oklahoma experience annually playing an October game at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas.

“ We want this to be home to A & M, ” Jerry Jones said. “ We want it to be home to Arkansas and be able to accomplish that in a big way with the enthusiasm of those plazas at the ends. ”

Sherman recalled the Arkansas-Texas A & M rivalry as a former Aggie assistant.

“ I remember those [Arkansas ] fans as very passionate, ” Sherman said. “ Very loyal, much like Aggie fans. This stadium will be filled with maroon and cardinal red, and it’ll be hard to distinguish Aggies from Razorbacks except for the 12 th man towel and the Hog hats. ”

Long called it “ a momentous day for the Arkansas football program. ”

“ The chance to renew a football rivalry with Texas A & M at what will be the finest sporting facility in the world is a tremendous opportunity for the Razorbacks, ” Long said. “ We are grateful to our alumnus, Jerry Jones, and the Dallas Cowboys for hosting what will become an even greater football rivalry. ”

First-year Arkansas coach Petrino, formerly the coach of the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL after being coach at the University of Louisville, had no previous Arkansas ties but obviously got a quick education on the Razorbacks ’ Southwest Conference past. With his first Razorback recruiting class, Petrino already has experienced the importance of recruiting in Texas in general and the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex in particular.

“ The University of Arkansas was a mainstay in Texas for many years as a member of the Southwest Conference and continues to have an avid fan base in Texas, ” Petrino said. “ This series will enable us to rekindle that support and allow us to tell prospective studentathletes that when they come to the University of Arkansas, they will have an opportunity to play each year in the best National Football League venue in the nation. ”

Arkansas and Texas A & M played 65 times. The Razorbacks lead the series, 38-24-3.