[chron]Survey shows more Texans are fans of Aggies than of Longhorns

Survey shows more Texans are fans of Aggies than of Longhorns

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...re-fans-of-Aggies-than-4982979.php?cmpid=hpfc

Here's some news that should rattle Longhorns everywhere: Texas A&M University in College Station now claims more fans among the state's residents than does the University of Texas at Austin.

In a telephone survey Nov. 1-4, 22 percent of the 500 respondents identified themselves as A&M fans, while UT mustered support from just 20 percent of those surveyed.

It's the first time that A&M has ranked ahead of UT in the survey conducted by Public Policy Polling in Raleigh, N.C., spokesman Tom Jensen said by email. The question has been asked just twice - in 2011 and this year - since the company began polling in Texas in 2008, he said.

As often seems to be the case, the clear winner of the collegiate fan-base question was "Another school/not a fan," which claimed 26 percent.

The also-rans included the University of Houston, 10 percent; Baylor University, Waco, 8 percent; Texas Tech University, Lubbock, 5 percent; Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, 4 percent; University of Texas at El Paso, 3 percent; Southern Methodist University, Dallas, 2 percent.

The survey also asked for opinions about the state's recent Heisman Trophy winners: Robert Griffin III, a former Baylor star who won the Heisman in 2011 and is now the Washington Redskins quarterback, and Johnny Manziel, last year's Heisman winner, who is now A&M's quarterback.

Regarding Griffin, 36 percent said they have a favorable opinion, while just 11 percent had an unfavorable opinion; 53 percent answered "not sure."

Opinion about Manziel was more evenly split, with 26 percent having a favorable opinion, 23 percent unfavorable and 50 percent unsure.

When asked to compare the two Heisman winners, 28 percent said they had a more favorable opinion of Griffin, 23 percent preferred Manziel and 49 percent were not sure.

"We don't usually poll about Heisman Trophy winners but with the last two being from Texas it seemed relevant here, especially with all the controversy about Manziel," Jensen wrote in an email. "The most interesting thing about that question may have been how many people didn't have an opinion."

In other sports-opinion news, the survey respondents showed a clear preference for the hapless Houston Astros baseball team - who lost 111 games this year, including their last 15 matches - over the U.S. Congress.

Only 10 percent of survey takers gave the nod to Congress when asked, "Who do you think has done a better job this year: Congress or the Houston Astros?"

The Astros won the hearts of 65 percent, stomping the "Not-sure's," which claimed just 24 percent.

The survey was conducted through automated telephone interviews, meaning the respondents did not speak with live interviewers.