Texas A&M Football: Every Johnny Manziel game, ranked

Intermission

Johnny Manziel defeats every other college football player, wins 2012 Heisman Trophy

It wasn’t a game per se, but Johnny Manziel’s Heisman Trophy following the 2012 season confirmed something that Aggies knew all along: this Texas A&M was different. The Texas A&M of the Big 12 and before fancied themselves as a legitimate college football power. This Texas A&M had proven it. Although they hadn’t been validated with a conference championship, Manziel’s Heisman solidified the belief in the fanbase that the Aggies were here to stay.

Not only was Manziel’s Heisman an emotional victory for a starved fanbase, it was an unprecedented accomplishment in college football history. The NCAA approved freshman eligibility in 1972. Since that time there had been thousands of freshman eligible, at least in theory for the Heisman Trophy, none had taken home the award.

The mindset at the time was this: any player who was good enough to win the Heisman as a freshman would be good enough later in their career. Manziel shattered those preconceived notions — he played with the game with such intensity and effectiveness that he could not be dismissed. He earned that Trophy; the Aggies had earned a seat at the table.

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This segway marks a shift in the rankings. The first portion of these games included some good performances from Manziel, many of which were great by normal quarterback standards. These next 12 are great, great by Manziel standards.