That particular academic exercise has been removed from the School of Engineering at Texas A&M due to the events of 1994 where many were killed when the structure collapsed. Today - it is done off-campus with only private sponsorship - no A&M Uni involvement.
I used to be able to see the bonfire from my trailer 2 miles south of the event without straining my eyes at all. It was quite a show and engineering fete. Went to it a couple of times - ya couldn't git within a couple hundred feet of it - too dadgum hot.
And yes, Bevo was a routine kidnap victim at T-time - and the objective was ALWAYS to serve up at Bevo BBQ at the most famous BBQ joint in Bryan/College Station. It is an urban legend about whether they ever actually succeeded in the mission. *s*
The collapse of the SWC and TV rights sellout pretty much destroyed destroyed the Thanksgiving Day traditional battle twixt the two Schools.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good ...