TEMPLE, Texas — Nobody knows the official win-loss records over the years, but one thing that is a definite is that every Thanksgiving morning for the Garcias means it's football time.
This Thanksgiving the family and friends played in the 17th annual 'Rosa Bowl' named after a lost family member years ago. It was once called the Turkey Bowl.
The game itself, did not disappoint.
It started off slow with both teams not able to put points up on each of their first two drives.
But then it got spicy when Isaac Matamoros hit Arion Garcia for the game's first score. That's when the points started to come in bunches.
On the very next drive George Garcia got in his trick play bag.
He dialed up a toss to the center and lateral back to him and he scampered into the endzone. Even at 65, the guy can move! That score would tie it up at 7.
Matamoros would keep the scoring going with a dime from a few yards out to Gabriel Garza.
But George Garcia would answer. He launched a 40-yard bomb that was caught for a TD to nod the scoring up at 14.
The score was an even 21-21 at halftime.
After the short break both teams started out a bit slow again but it was George Garcia picking apart the defense and his team being able to make plays on the defensive side of the ball to extend their lead. A Chris Garcia interception and some forced fumbles made all the difference.
The score was 28-21 when Matamoros hit Ben Garcia over the middle in the endzone to tie it up at 28 all in the final moments of the game.
But George Garcia led a scoring drive to make it 35-28 with about 5 minutes to play.
On the second to last drive of the game Jeremy Garcia made a huge play. He had two touchdowns on the day and none were bigger than his pick 6 to seal the game in the final moments.
The Garcias would go on to defeat the Garcias 42-28 in a thriller in Temple in the rain.
"I'm not happy with the seven interceptions that I threw today," George Garcia said after the game. "40 plus years we've been doing this started at my grandmother's house with his boys club started out here grandmother passed away we went from the turkey boat to the Rosa Bowl, we invite family and friends we have a great time every year, whether the weather's rain, snow, too hot, we play."
One of the stars of the game, Jeremy Garcia said he remembers playing in this game when he was little and appreciating how the tradition is truly one of a kind. He looks at his son now wearing a Ben Roethlisberger jersey on the field just like he once did.
"I remember I used to wear this jersey whenever I was a kid so it means a lot to come out here," Garcia said. "It's more than just a football game, you know, family gets out here and it's just good to regroup with a lot these guys."