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After several weeks of hard practice, the Farmers finally opened their 1910 football season on October 8th with a game against Georgetown. Many Red and White fans likely thought their first game of the season was to have been played against Wake Forest on September 24th, however, the Wake Forest was never fully arranged; W. M. Willis, who was elected to be the manager for 1910 season, failed to return to school, forcing replacement manager Wheeler Martin to act quickly. The Baptaists instead opened their season on the same day with a warm-up game against Warrenton High School--one of just two matches they won that season.

Following the cancelation of the Wake Forest game, Aggie fans expected to instead open their season against the powerful Georgetown team on October 1st. The fact the Blue and Gray were playing at all was a bit of a surprise, as the team had ended their season in 1909 early after the death of a UVA player in their game against Virginia with the promise that the team would suspend football operations indefinitely unless changes were made to make the sport safer.

Despite doubts about the likelihood of a Hilltopper season extending into late August, Georgetown began practicing on September 12th, expecting to meet Eastern College of Manassas, Virginia, at home and the Farmers a week later (The Washington Times, August 19th, 1910, p. 11). Coached by Nebraska halfback Fred K. Nielsen, the team had high hopes of a return to their usual strong form after a 3-2-1 showing in 1909. However, that start was stymied after Eastern College canceled their game owing to the fact that they did not start practice until just two days before the game (The (Washington, D.C.) Evening Star, September 21st, 1910, p. 13). A replacement game was organized in short time against Maryland Agricultural College, however that game was also canceled.

After losing what was planned to be two easy opening games, Nielsen requested that the Hilltoppers' trip to Raleigh be pushed back a week since, as Washington papers put it, "the Carolina Aggies have been practicing two weeks longer than the locals," giving A&M "a big advantage, as it would practically mean that Georgetown would be up against a team in nearly midseason form" (The (Washington, D.C.) Evening Star, September 25th, 1910, Part 5, p. 2).

The change in schedule went virtually unmentoined in Raleigh papers--as did a game against George Washington that was never even on the Hatchetites' schedule. Though originally scheduled for the same date as their against Georgetown, because there is no formal record of the game's cancelation and it was never on George Washington's schedule, it is not listed on the 1910 schedule page. While the shift was easy for A&M, considering both games were home games, it was not so easy for the Hilltoppers. The Blue and Gray moved their game against Washington College from October 8th to the 5th. Georgetown dominated the Chestertown, Maryland aggregation 27-0, scoring nearly all of their points in the first half (The (Baltimore) Sun, October 6th, 1910, p. 10). Just four days before that, the Georgetown team dominated Washington Navy Yard's Seamen Gunners 55-0.

As obvious from the actions of Coach Nielsen, this game was an unusual game: rarely did two teams this strong meet so early in the season. As ever game in a season was instrumental in determining a Southern champion, the result of this game was crucial to the team's outcome for the remainder of the season. Additionally, it gave Captain Hartsell more time to develop for A&M; at the opening of the season he was reported as being "not been in the [b]est of physical condition" (News and Observer, October 7th, 1910, p. 3).

The only thing that did not improve with the wait was the weather: the weather went from mild, dry temperatures on the week of October 1st to a downpour of rain. Nearly every summary of the game focused heavily on the rain on the day of the game: saturated by a deluge for 30 hours, the field was so wet that the mud was reported as being ankle deep in some spots (The Washington Post, October 9th, 1910, Sporting Section).

The match started at 4 PM, with A&M kicking off to Georgetown. From there, "a series of fumbles and bad plays" consumed the entire 10-minute first quarter; play ended with the ball roughly in the center of the field. Red and White noted that Georgetown had a slight advantage in the first quarter; The Washington Post was less diplomatic about it, writing that the Blue and Gray "swept their opponents off their feet." Georgetown managed to carry the ball down to A&M's 10-yard line using a series of fast running plays, both around the ends and through the line. Once there, however, A&M recovered a Hilltopper fumble and quickly punted the ball out of danger. Otherwise, no details of the first quarter were reported.

Reports differ greatly about the second quarter, with Red and White proclaiming the Farmers "had things entirely their own way" (and even nearly scored), but with The Washington Post writing it was roughly even in competition, though a punt from Wymard kept the visitor's goal out of danger. News and Observer and The Washington Herald, on the other hand, disagree with the Post's description of the first quarter by claiming that Georgetown's "only chance to score" was in the second quarter, claiming the Washingtonians lost the ball on a dropped snap from the Georgetown's center, Cunniff to their quarterback, Sitterling.

The first half ended with neither team having scored, and no forward passes attempted. The half was also played largely in the middle of the field, with Georgetown's fumble marking the sole chance for points throughout the duration of the first half, and most papers agreeing that the play was primarily cautious, trying to probe for the other's weaknesses. During the halftime break during which Georgetown's coach Nielsen "gave his men a good talking to in the dressing room."

The Farmers were likely similarly inspired during the intermission, as both teams came back determined to win. Most reports agree that the teams were evenly matched throughout the third quarter, both teams inspired having recuperated. The new levels of determination also came along with heightened tensions and more physical play, resulting in several "near-fights." News and Observer reported that the Georgetown men instigated these fights by using "unfair means," but that the officials always intervened quickly to restore order. At some point (probably around this time, though it was not specified), Georgetown's quarterback, Sitterling, was ejected for "dirty playing."

The Washington Post was the only paper to describe the third quarter in any detail, writing that the Aggies nearly scored in the third quarter, starting with a fresh set of downs on the Georgetown 10-yard line. The Red and White first tried a run through the line, "but big Wymard was immovable." After another two line plunges for no gain, the ball went over to the Blue and Gray. Wymard instantly punted the ball away, booting the ball 50 yards--an impressive feat with a dry ball, even more so in the rain. The quarter ended shortly thereafter, with the ball in A&M's possession around midfield.

The final quarter brought what News and Observer and The Washington Herald wrote was A&M's only scoring attempt, again in direct contrast to the Post. All papers agreed that A&M was in the lead for the final quarter, with Red and White noting that the Farmers kept the ball in Georgetown territory the entire time, consistently making long gains while Georgetown "contented herself with punting." Throughout the quarter, Von Eberstein, Stafford, Robertson, and Surratt gained consistently straight through the line; Charlotte Daily Observer reported that each of those players averaged 10 yards a run at one point in the quarter.

With two minutes left to play and 15 yards to reach Georgetown's goal line, Von Eberstein was subbed out, and Captain Hartsell, who was playing less due to a serious sickness he caught during the Fall, was put into the game. A series of "swift runs" brought the ball towards Georgetown's goal line. Charlotte Daily Observer notes that Hartsell carried the ball to to within a yard of Georgetown's goal line--some reports move the ball as close as a foot--singlehandedly, "knocking a 'Hill-topper' crazy" on his first run. The Post is again a contrarian here, writing that Hartsell advanced the ball there on a single 45-yard run. Unfortunately for the Aggies, time expired just before they could cross the line. "The score," wrote Red and White, "would have been different if A. & M. could have had ten seconds longer to play" (News and Observer, October 9th, 1910, p. 4; Red and White, Vol. XII No. 2 (October 1910), pp. 100-101; Charlotte Daily Observer, October 9th, 1910, p. 8; The Washington Post, October 9th, 1910, Sporting Section, p. 1; The Washington Herald, October 9th, 1910, Sporting Section, p. 2).

The game was, as mentioned in the beginning, a wet slog played in mud; as such, it was difficult to tell who any of the stars were, or how well new plays were executed. Despite the terrible weather, a crowd of nearly 1,000 rooters cheered on the Aggies to their first game of the 1910 season. The weather also made it difficult to tell how much new rule changes actually made the game safer; though Red and White noted that no one was hurt, it conceded that the softness of the field could have also helped prevent injuries.

Stars of the game for A&M were, by near-consensus, Von Eberstein (who was playing in the backfield for the very first time), Stafford (who was playing quarterback for the first time), Hartsell, and Seifert, while Floyd, Hartsell, Surratt, and Robertson also garnered praise from various sources. For Georgetown, opinions were split as to whom credit was owed; Red and White praised Fury, a halfback, while News and Observer and Charlotte Daily Observer praised Walsh, and The Washington Herald lauded Dunn and Fitzgerald.

In general, though Georgetown had the heavier team, A&M's backfield was stronger and faster than Georgetown's, though their lines were nearly equivalent in strength. Georgetown won the punting battle, though Stafford, who punted for the Red and White, was described to have a strong kick nonetheless. Georgetown's best strength was, according to Red and White, her interference. The Farmers felt they won the fist fights (which were frequent enough to stop play twice), noting "a Georgetown man came out with a very bad-looking mouth and nose."

Neither team tried many forward passes; while everyone agreed the Farmers tried two at some point in the second half, writers couldn't seem to agree on how many Georgetown tried. The Washington Herald and News and Observer wrote that Georgetown tried no forward passes, while Red and White and The Washington Post wrote that Sitterling attempted a pass at some point early in the game "When it was discovered that Georgetown's fast backs were unable to get started, owing to the slippery condition of the grounds," but that it also fell incomplete. Regardless, no passes were completed in what The Post called "one of the greatest games ever witnessed" in Raleigh.

Despite the general agreement of most papers with the Aggies' superiority throughout the second half of the game, reports emanated from Washington indicating that the game was different, stating that the Farmers had been the perpetrators of the rough playing, claiming that both Fury and a player named Bailey (possibly Bryant?) bore footprint-shaped bruises on their faces after being stomped upon at the end of a play. They also claimed that the disqualification of Sitterling was "an act of injustice" and that the Hilltoppers had made the Farmers "look like a bunch of schoolboys" during the first three quarters (The Washington Herald, October 10th, 1910, p. 6). Others, especially Washington & Lee students (perhaps soured over their massive 0-52 loss to the Hilltoppers) noted that Georgetown's style of play was more impacted by the rain, commenting that "If the two teams were to meet now under favorable conditions there could be hardly any doubt as to the result (Ring-Tum Phi, Vol. XIV No. 7 (November 8th, 1910), p. 1).

One claim the Blue and Gray made no formal attempt to refute was their raid on a lunch room at the Raleigh Union Depot. Just before 1 A.M., as the players were preparing to board the train to leave, the Georgetown men stopped at a lunch station to order coffee and some snacks. According to reports, the Washingtonians slid the glass on the display cases up when the store clerk, J. A. Koontz, had his back turned, and stole nearly every cake and pie on display. When Koontz demanded $2 for the food stolen food (about $54 in 2019), the players began "a small-sized riot," throwing cups and food at him. Reports indicate they also attempted to fight a night watchman who intervened.

Eventually, the players offered 70 cents to Koontz, claiming Koontz's fees were exorbitant. The police eventually intervened, but no arrests could be made as the clerk was unable to identify which of the players had caused the ruckus, and the train the players were taking had departed before they could be brought back out. Georgetown's manager, Leo Joliat (mis-identified as Jolly in most accounts of the event), admitted that the players had taken some things from the counter but that the 70 cents proffered by his players was sufficient; he declined to comment on their conduct (News and Observer, October 11th, 1910 p. 3). Eventually, the diner sent a bill to Georgetown for $5 (about $135 in 2019) which was paid by the president of the university (Daily Press (Newport News), October 14th, 1910, p. 3).

Georgetown went on to have an impressive season, claiming co-championship of the South Atlantic. On their way to claiming that title, the Blue and Gray decimated of Washington & Lee 52-0, beat North Carolina 12-0, took down Virginia 15-0, and the Virginia Military Institute 14-6. They even faced two powerful Northern teams, defeating Lehigh 6-3 on Thanksgiving, though co-National Champion Pittsburgh defeated them 0-17. Nonetheless, Georgetown amassed a highly respectable 6-1-1 record in 1910. The tie against Georgetown allowed A&M to be the second claimant to the South Atlantic championship.

Despite the tie, Captain Hartsell was pleased with the work of his team, and was confident the Aggies would have another successful season, especially if the students continued supporting the team as fastidiously as they had during the Georgetown game.