2013 Cotton Bowl

When offered the chance to go to the 2013 Cotton Bowl between Texas A&M and Oklahoma, the decision was made in nano-seconds.  Better yet, the ticket was in the corporate suite (read: good seats, free food and beer).  I have always had a soft spot for the Aggies and was as surprised as anyone at how well 2012 turned out.  There was a lot of skepticism about moving to the SEC. Furthermore,  the Ag's had a new head coach and no firm starter at Quarterback, with Ryan Tannehill now in the NFL.  A signature win over Alabama on the road put A&M squarely on the map of contenders.

By now, the name of Johnny Manziel (a/k/a "Johnny Football") is on the lips of every college football fan in the country.  He ignited A&M from game one and propelled the Aggies from also-rans to potential National Champion contenders in 2013.  Tickets at Kyle Field will be at a premium.

Manziel was heavily recruited coming our of Kerrville H.S. His first choice would have been the Longhorns, but UT did not offer him a scholarship.  That being said, no-one in their right mind could have predicted this seemingly slight kid would go on to become the first freshman winner of the Heisman.  And let me tell you, seeing him in the flesh drop back, throw or scamper for first downs unscathed makes you appreciate his quickness and sharp football mind.  He ran riot with OU.

One memorable 40 yard run where he criss crossed the field made it seem like he was skiing downhill, slaloming left and right while the Sooner D was slogging uphill in snowshoes.  He really was that good.

With 87,000 in attendance, we were on the Aggie side of the field. The game was close at half -time, with the Ag's up 14-13.  But that was all she wrote for OU, they did not score in the second half while A&M found the end-zone four times, propelled by the magical Johnny Football.  The Oklahoma side emptied out early in Q4, with the chants of "Johnny, Johnny" and "SEC, SEC" ringing in their ears.  'Tis a good time to be a farmer.