COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KRHD) — Texas A&M students faced dangerous overcrowding while purchasing tickets for an upcoming rivalry game against the University of Texas, raising concerns about the safety of the event.

• Overcrowding and lack of enforcement of rules at ticketing created unsafe conditions; students described the crowd as so dense that they could not move or breathe.
• Students witnessed alarming events, including one person fainting, while others felt trapped and were unable to leave the chaotic scene.
• The experience left students concerned about crowd control and security for the highly anticipated game day.

Broadcast Script:

What was supposed to be an exciting tradition turned into a chaotic and dangerous experience for Texas A&M students as they gathered to buy tickets for next weekend’s highly anticipated Texas A&M vs. University of Texas game.

Emily Siegel, one of the students in the crowd, described the scene as very moving.

“The crowd was so dense that I was chest-deep with the people in front of me, and the same with the people behind me,” Siegel said.

“There was no room to breathe and be in that space just because it was so concentrated.”

The game, scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 30, will be the first meeting between the Aggies and Longhorns since 2011 and will reignite a fierce rivalry.

But the excitement surrounding the event led to overcrowding, which some students found alarming.

“I’ve never been in a crowded environment like that before, so it was definitely a little scary,” Aubrey Hollas said.

Students stood shoulder to shoulder for hours to endure the sweltering conditions.

“I was up pretty much the entire time, from 5:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.,” Hollas said.

Conditions worsened as the day progressed.

“Right before the group draw, I saw a girl faint,” Siegel said.

“He was unconscious and leaning against a utility pole while EMS tried to reach him.”

Overcrowding and a lack of enforced rules left students feeling unsafe and trapped.

“I couldn’t go out even if I wanted to; people were so upset and angry that when you tried to move somewhere they wouldn’t let you pass because they thought you were trying to cut down,” Siegel said.

“It was just a big mess.”

Aubrey shared her concerns for her mother’s safety during this situation. Her mother contacted the police and gave Aubrey’s number, but when they called, the noise of the crowd made it impossible to communicate effectively.

“The crowd was so loud and people were yelling that when I answered my phone and tried to talk to the police I couldn’t hear them,” he said.

“I told them: ‘Hey, it’s really crowded in here. I’m okay, but I’m afraid there may be other people who won’t be okay, and if they’re not okay, there’s no way we can help them.’”

The chaotic ticket giveaway left students worried about what match day might bring.

“I can’t imagine what the game will be like if the ticketing situation is this bad,” Emily said.

“It wasn’t worth any of this.”

As excitement builds for the big game, crowd control and safety concerns remain at the forefront for these two Aggies.

The 12th Man Foundation has not released a statement regarding the security concerns.