Johnny ManzielMissouri did not have the impact it desired as a Southeastern Conference football newcomer.
Texas A&M, on the other hand, blew past every preseason projection by winning 10 games under first-year coach Kevin Sumlin and redshirt freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel, a leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy. The Aggies were a mediocre 7-6 in their Big 12 swan song but flourished this season despite being forced to play 12 consecutive Saturdays once their opener against Louisiana Tech was rescheduled due to Hurricane Isaac.
“I don’t think I ever really envisioned how big this season would be for us,” Manziel said this week. “I don’t really think anybody envisioned that we would win 10 games at the beginning of this season.”
A good season for the Aggies became great on Nov. 10, when they traveled to Bryant-Denny Stadium and stunned top-ranked Alabama 29-24. Manziel befuddled the vaunted Crimson Tide defense, completing 24 of 31 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns and rushing 18 times for 92 yards.
That victory has catapulted Texas A&M to its first top-10 ranking at the end of a regular season since 1998.