2013 Cotton Bowl: 12th Man QB sees must-win finale

So much negative history abounds leading up to the 2013 Cotton Bowl matchup
between the Texas Aggies and the Oklahoma Sooners that it’s downright  frightening. Let’s look at a few of the facts around which I’ve found it  difficult to wrap my head.

 Fact: The Aggies have won only 1 of their last 8 Cotton Bowls.

 Fact: The Aggies have won only 1 of their last 10 season finales.

 Fact: The Aggies have won only 6 of their last 25 season finales.

 Fact: The Aggies have won  only 4 of their last 20 season finales played inside the state of  Texas.

Fact: The Aggies have won  only 2 of the last 13 and 1 of their last 9 vs. the Oklahoma  Sooners.

 Fact: The Aggies have yet to  win in Cowboys Stadium in 4 tries.

 Fact: The Aggies didn’t have  Number 2 quarterbacking or Kevin Sumlin head coaching in a single one of these  above-mentioned games. 

[Related >> Seven
other Heisman winners have played in the Cotton Bowl, how have they
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 Is that all you’ve got? Then it’s time to push back in Aggieland. The key to continued failure boils down to one game, and this is it. Status quo has never  built championships when you possess this kind of final-game legacy. Seniors  hate leaving on a bad note and it doesn’t help morale. Look at Alabama:  Tradition be damned, it’s time to redirect and refocus and bag this special  quarry before the sun goes down.

 You have to leave the field with your heads held high and huge smiles on your  faces. You need to look good on TV. You need to be brimming with confidence. All  the Mommies and Daddies in high school land and the junior colleges need to feel  the excitement with their stud kids watching along with them. You’ve got to come  off the field a winner. You’re in the SEC now and you’re playing the rubber game  for the conference, which is 3-3 in the bowls. Prove you’re better now than  Florida or LSU could ever envision being.

 This is your destiny.

 2012 has been the year for the Aggies to turn over a new leaf, start fresh  and eliminate old demons. They’ve even drawn up plans for renovation and  expansion of Kyle Field; The sky really is the limit!

 Obviously the Aggies are way below the .500 mark as they head into yet  another season finale and find themselves looking up from a deep well of muddy  orange clay and green slime. It’s been quite ugly digging themselves further and  further into the pit of no return. Needless to say, the Aggies have little  reason to believe the upcoming set of results will differ from the previous.

 But the one thing the Aggies would appear to have going for them is the  magical season they have now in progress. Momentum has swung their way after a  quarter of a century, and at this point at least, there seems to be no stopping  them.

   Oklahoma’s defense is certainly susceptible, as it’s given up over 30 points in its last three games. A&M’s offense is certainly an explosion waiting to  happen, methodical in its striking abilities, and continues to leap tall  buildings in a single bound. Superman himself leads the show, and reporters will  be allowed to probe and prod him immediately following the game, for the first  time in his career, in attempts to get inside his head.

 “What did you see out there, Johnny? What are you feeling? What was your  primary point of attack? Did you ever expect to score 70 points and throw for  700 yards against this outstanding Oklahoma team? Will your entire offensive  line return to protect you next year? How does it feel to hand Landry Jones his  first bowl loss in four tries? Do you think Damontre Moore will go in the first  round? When do you plan  to go pro, Johnny? You’re already a third of the way there to tie Corey Pullig’s  all-time leading win total as an Aggie QB … when do you expect to catch him? How  are you and your girlfriend going to celebrate this  record win tonight? Where will you go, by the way? Are y’all hooking up with  Romo and Jerry later on? Will you be hosting Saturday
Night Live anytime over the next few weeks? Do you remember Bill  Murray? Can you win the Heisman again? How much did you miss Coach, uh, what’s  his name, Johnny?”

[One star offensive lineman  has already committed to playing in College Station in his senior year]

 His legend grows, and as reporters continue to query the young man, his  formula for success is finally presented. Johnny reveals that by articulating  the letters and numbers of the formula, “3X2(9YZ)4A,” he is instilled with the  power of super speed; speeds so fast he is even capable of flying for short  distances (what once was referred to as a long jump, but now cubed).

 This is when he becomes Johnny “Quick” Manziel. This formula envelops Johnny  in an invisible aura that protects his body, helmet and uniform from friction.  It grants the anti-gravity powers that enable Johnny to actually fly. That’s  right, I didn’t stutter. To revert back to his normal state, Johnny whispers the counter-acting formula, “Z25Y(2AB)6.”

Although he says it’s still a work in progress, he hopes to have it perfected  prior to the 2013 season following a few more trips to California to meet with  his physics coach.

 Fact: Johnny Manziel needs  278 yards running and passing to overtake Baylor’s Nick Florence for No. 1 in  the Nation in Total Offense.

 Fact: A&M needs over 800  yards to pass Baylor in total offense, but should easily finish in the Top 5 and  be one of only four teams nationally to surpass 7,000 yards (currently sitting  pretty with 6,628).

Fact: During this bowl  season, the highest ranked offense has covered the spread in 68-percent of the games (17-8). Entering the Cotton Bowl matchup, Texas A&M’s offense ranks  third in yards per game while Oklahoma ranks 10th. The Aggies are favored by  three.

 Fact: Both teams are perfect  on the road this season and are riding five-game winning  streaks.

Fact: The Sooners boast the  Big 12’s top pass defense.

 Edge: I’d be  forgettin’ about the previous quarter century and the ‘Sooners Hex’ and go ahead  and have yourself a big ol’ night in Big A, or Big D, or wherever you might end up. When in doubt, call a cab, but beat the hell outta Oklahoma first, even if  it takes a game-winning field goal as time expires to do it.  We need this win,  Taylor Bertolet. You can do it! We’ve even had a place kicker named MVP before  in a bowl game; Tony Franklin in the ’77 Sun Bowl! No pressure!!

The next quarter century starts NOW,  Ags! Own it!

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