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As something of an early rival, the game with Washington & Lee was highly anticipated. Both teams entered the game with a pretty strong showing; though the Farmers had won only 3 of their 5 games, their two losses were relatively close losses to teams with strong and respected football programs. The Generals of Virginia entered the game undefeated, with 4 wins and a tie to their name, having blitzed local foes Roanoke, Hampden-Sydney, and the Medical College of Virginia by huge scores, Wake Forest in an 18-5 decision, and tied Virginia Tech 5-5 in Roanoke. For their success, some considered this year's team "the best in the history of that instition." Both teams entered the day confident for a victory (News and Observer, November 11th, 1911, p. 3; Richmond Times-Dispatch, November 11th, 1911, p. 5).

The game, which kicked off at 3:42 PM, was played in twelve minute quarters. About 1,400 persons watched the game, which was played on a nice day with fair fall weather -- it was said to be "The prettiest football weather of the season" (News and Observer, November 12th, 1911, Section Three, p. 1; Charlotte Observer, November 12th, 1911, p. 13). Washington & Lee played a substitute-heavy game, befuddling observers with numerous substitutions, using all 23 of their players in Raleigh that day. "No doubt," wrote the News and Observer, "the rapidity with which substitutes were put in made it hard for the Virginians to show the best sort of team work."

The Blue and White's possession was short-lived: following a "disastrous attempt at a right end run," the W&L punted out of bounds. As per the rules of the era, this ball was live, but was recovered by A&M at their own 34-yard line. Then, they started plugging away "in true A. & M. style," first with an 18 yard run around right end by Cool. The positive gains briefly stopped, because on the next play, Stafford was tackled for a loss of several yards. The Techs punted the ball 35 yards; the Lexingtonian ball carrier who returned the ball was stopped in his tracks.

The Generals' next possession was just as fruitless: after two runs and an attempt at a forward pass, they punted; Hartsell fair-caught the ball at his own 38-yard line. Back in possession of the ball, things started out dicily, with the Farmers losing fifteen yards for holding. After nearly failing to convert a first down, things began to fall into favor for the Aggies, with a 10-yard line plunge by Hartsell saving the drive. A run by Anthony for over 10 yards was followed by a run for 6 by Cool. The Farmers Techs marched down the field in similar fashion, all the way down to the visitors' 25-yard line. Stafford completed a pass to Seifert, who ran across the goal line for a touchdown as the first 12-minute quarter expired. Because Seifert crossed the goal line in the northeast corner of the field, the Red and White attempted a punt out play; Hartsell punted the ball back into play, allowing Hurtt a much-improved angle for the goal kick, which he made. The Farmers took a 6-to-nothing lead into the second quarter.

Washington & Lee elected to kick off after being scored upon; Dunn caught the ball for Raleigh at the 26-yard line and advanced the ball 9 yards. Hartsell advanced the ball twice for A&M, first for 10 yards, and then for 7-1/2. A second down run for the remaining half yard brought up third down, which the Farmers failed to convert -- the Generals held "like a brick wall." Washington & Lee didn't fare much better, punting themselves. After several minutes of uninteresting play, the ball slowly inched closer back towards the Blue and White goal line. After another Generals punt, A&M started making steady gains. A long forward pass to an unspecified player brought the ball to the Generals' 15-yard line. After two forward pass attempts failed, Washington & Lee was penalized 5 yards for being off sides. Robertson toted the ball the final 10 yards, crossing the plane smack dab in the middle of the goal line, affording Hurtt an easy extra point kick. Though N&O claimed the goal came on the ground (by way of a left end run), the Richmond Times-Dispatch and Red and White concurred it was on a forward pass. Regardless, the Farmers led 12-to-nothing partway through the second quarter.

The remainder of the half was not long. Cool kicked off to Washington & Lee; Bone received the kick and advanced the ball about 15 yards. After a run for just one yard, a line plunge by Burke netted the Virginians 15 yards. On the next play, the Generals fumbled the ball. Spencer recovered the pigskin for the Red and White, and after two more plays, the half ended with the ball around midfield, in Washington & Lee's hands after a turnover on downs. Halftime featured a "grand march" by A&M students, cheerleaders, and fans, as well as mascot Tige, who marched and performed a serpentine dance (essentially an early version of the conga line) around the field, while the band performed music for the occasion.

Generals coach John W. H. Pollard must have made quite the halftime speech, because the Blue and White came back on the field in the third quarter with a fire under them, and held the Farmers, who had advanced basically at will thusfar, without a score. Washington & Lee kicked off to Anthony, who received the ball at the 20-yard line and advanced it 7 yards. The Virginians forced a punt early on, but quickly fumbled once the ball came into their own possession. At one point in the quarter, a powerful line plunge by Washington & Lee brought the ball to the Aggies' 25 to-36-yard line; the Generals probably attempted but missed a field goal, though the main narrative (by News and Observer) claimed it was a punt instead.

Regardless, NC A&M got possession of the ball around their own 19. Shortly thereafter, the Farmers punted, but got the ball back after another Generals fumble. After another run for no gain and an incomplete pass, the Farmers punted again, but punted over the goal line, resulting in a touchback and giving the Lexingtonians the ball at their own 25-yard line. Not long later, Malcolm, who had moved to right halfback, made a strong run which looked as if it would break out for a long gain, but he was stopped just beforehand. The quarter ended with the ball in Virginian hands around midfield.

The fourth quarter was not described in any real depth by any extant paper. About halfway through the reportedly listless quarter, Spencer had two consecutive runs for 20 and 10 yards, while Floyd performed "the catapulting trick" for a gain of 15-to-18 yards. In total, the Aggiest advanced the ball 60 yards, to roughly the Washington & Lee 30-yard line. After being assessed a 15-yard holding penalty, Hartsell (most sources) or Hurtt (Charlotte Observer) attempted and made a drop-kick field goal from the 24-yard line; the distance was so considerable that most spectators believed he was punting rather than attempting the goal. The last score of the game was made by Washington & Lee's Miller with 2-to-3 minutes remaining; his boot was good from 26 yards. Though the Generals struggled mightily for another chance, their results proved fruitless, and the game closed with a 15-3 score in favor of the Farmers.

The game was seen as a positive result for the Farmers given the close game the Lexington aggregation had held A&M rival Virginia Tech to. Described as "the most stubbornly contested game seen on the local field in some time," local papers praised the grit and determination of the Generals, who fought throughout the game despite getting outclassed early on. The forward pass was one of the key features of the game, Stafford and Seifert having worked the play "to perfection[,] almost." The tackling of Floyd and Phillips, and running of Hartsell and Spencer (who filled in for Cool once the former was injured) was also lauded, though the Farmers were widely praised for their teamwork as a whole. Because of the changing line-up, praise for the Virginians was a little more sparce, though Miller, Raftery, Malcolm, Beuhring, Slater, and Miles were all generally congratulated for their work (News and Observer, November 12th, 1911, p. 16; Charlotte Observer, November 12th, 1911, p. 13; Richmond Times-Dispatch, November 12th, 1911, Sporting Section, p. 1; Red and White, Vol. XIII No. 3 (November 1911), pp. 218-220).

The General's previous game, against the Medical College of Virginia, proved to be their final win of the season. Washington & Lee traveled first to Norfolk, where they met North Carolina on a neutral field in a losing effort (four to nothing in favor of the Tar Heels), and then to New Orleans, where they tied the Olive and Blue with 5 apiece on Thanksgiving Day.