Aggie Football

Fall Camp: The TMZ-ification of Johnny Manziel.

Watching the media frenzy in the preseason during the autograph-for-hire investigation was fascinating. On one level, Manziel brought it on himself with his poor judgement, especially in light of all his over-the-top behavior in the off season. Seeing ESPN and company focus like a laser beam on College Station was something else. With no other real stories to cover, it was wall-to-wall scandal coverage. In little more than a year, we had gone from an also-ran in the Big 12 to a Sportcenter must see. I didn’t like the former, but the latter had a noticeable ick factor. The season couldn’t start soon enough.

Rice: Johnny Football Returneth!

The end result of the aforementioned investigation was a half-game suspension of Manziel for the first half of the first game. This guaranteed the 3rd quarter against Rice would be special. Like with anything else in life, if you make people wait, the anticipation will make the release that much greater. I attended the game, and actually was lulled into a sense of the calm during the first half. After the Aggie Band finished playing, a buzz made its way through the stadium, and by the time Manziel took his first snap, Kyle Field was charged. Never before have I felt something like this that wasn’t accompanied by a thrilling comeback or big play. Just his arrival was enough on this day. All he did after that was pass for three touchdowns. No big deal.

Alabama: The game of the century of the year!

The hype for this one was intense, and I was lucky enough to get to go. The Aggies were ranked #6, so this wasn’t a traditional #1 vs. #2 match, but after the win in Tuscaloosa the year before, everyone wanted to see what the Tide would do this year against the Aggie offense. The game didn’t disappoint. If it’s possible, it actually lived up the hype. Once again Manziel and Co. got up early, but this time Alabama came back quickly and with a vengeance. It looked to be a blowout until Mike Evans caught a pass and raced 95 yards for a score. These are the moments we watch football for: Over 80,000 people jumping and shouting after a spectacular play. The Aggies fell short, but I wouldn’t have missed it.

SMU: Sometimes it’s about more than the game.

This one was special for me because my wife was able to go with me, and we got our favorite seats: north end zone arm chair. A corner seat in this section is a great place to watch a game. I got some good photos, such as a the Block T above and a nice shot of the new MSC at night. The game was an easy win, and a road trip to Aggieland was a nice escape from the daily grind.

Arkansas/Ole Miss: What Wrecking Crew?

These two wins were anything but enjoyable. This was when we realizde the defense was going to be bad all year, and that wins would have to come from the other side of the ball. Both easily could have been losses, but winning on the road is something to appreciate in the SEC regardless.

Auburn: Some things get better with age.

This game was where bad defensive play finally caught up with the Ags. It was at Kyle Field and went down to the wire, but it was a turning point in determining just how much could be accomplished. A conference championship went out the door. Of course, no one had any idea Auburn would end up in the national championship game, much less almost win it. It doesn’t change the loss, but it certainly flavors it. Hard to tell these things in the moment sometimes.

LSU/Mizzou: The season couldn’t end fast enough.

Here’s a simple truth: a win in either of these games, and Johnny Manziel almost certainly wins his second Heisman. That’s not hyperbole; he was one quality win away. Instead, he limped through these last two, and against LSU, looked bad doing it. The Tigers were the only team to truly whip the Ags all year. The Mizzou was competative, but those northern Tigers had too much going for them on their way to the SEC championship game. It wasn’t discussed at the time, but Manziel had lingering injuries, and with that defense, there was little room for error even with a healthy QB. These two loses took away the potential for a great season and left us with just good.

Duke: What a way to finish!

In the tastiest of all bowls, the Chick-Fil-A in Atlanta (sorry, Outback Steakhouse) the 2013 Aggies gave the postseason maybe its most exciting game. The first half was a gut punch. Duke came out firing and raced to a 38-17 halftime lead. At one point, a sideline camera caught Manziel mouthing, “What’s going on?” Good question. Luckily, this would-be blowout turned around in the second half, and behind Manziel’s tremendous night, the Aggies came from behind to win. The clinching plays were two interceptions by the Aggie defense, easily the most surprising thing on a surprising night. The game was played on New Year’s Eve, and I found myself standing in front of the TV gesticulating widely as the fourth quarter finished up with a bang right before the ball fell.