Texas A&M football owes an incalculable debt to Johnny Manziel. Here’s an ode to the legend and a ranking of every game the Aggies’ favorite No. 2 ever played.
It’s nearly impossible to put Johnny Manziel’s significance to Texas A&M football into words. The incredible touchdown-throwing, elusive-running, Heisman-winning quarterback supercharged the Aggies introduction to the SEC, rewriting history along the way.
Manziel’s theatrics intensified as the stage got bigger and the lights shone brighter. Even in defeat, which was rare, No. 2 still managed to provide several “Woah! Did you see that?” moments which made every one of his appearances on the field must-see-tv.
In 26 short games, Manziel broke just about every record there was to break and captured dozens of spots on SportsCenter’s Top 10. There wasn’t a week that went by that was void of some spectacular display of athleticism from Aggieland’s newfound hero. But not every game is created equal.
From the snoozer 11 a.m. CT games in front of a sweaty crowd at Kyle Field to the biggest upsets and greatest comebacks in front of a national audience, here’s the definitive ranking of every Manziel performance in maroon and white.
26. No. 7 Texas A&M defeats Rice, 52-31
Aug. 31, 2013
Even the lowest moment in the Manziel era came in victory. Texas A&M entered the 2013 season riding high off a top-5 finish, but they had to start the year with a new quarterback at the helm – at least for two quarters. Matt Joeckel started the season opener in lieu of Manziel, who was serving a brief suspension.
Manziel received his slap on the risk following an NCAA investigation during the offseason. Although there was admittedly no evidence that Manziel received any payments, they handed down the two quarter punishment because Manziel violated the ruling that states:
"Student-athletes cannot permit their names or likenesses to be used for commercial purposes, including to advertise, recommend or promote sales of commercial products, or accept payment for the use of their names or likenesses."
Texas A&M had a 28-21 lead when Manziel was permitted to return to the field. He attempted only eight passes for 94 yards but found the endzone three times as the Aggies ran away with a predictable and comfortable victory. The game was a blip on the radar, but neither Manziel or Aggies have forgotten Manziel’s unwanted absence from the field that afternoon.
25. No. 19 Texas A&M falls to No. 5 Missouri, 52-31
Nov. 30, 2013
Manziel’s final regular season game came on the road against the No. 5 Missouri Tigers. Mizzou had trampled through a weakened SEC East, but they hadn’t played any quarterback as dynamic as Manziel. Coming off a gut wrenching loss to LSU for the second year in a row, Texas A&M was looking to avoid losing back-to-back games for the first time under Manziel.
From start to finish it was clear the Aggies couldn’t find any sort of rhythm. Texas A&M and Missouri were a combined 14-of-33 on third down, relying on chunk plays to rack up yardage and set up scoring opportunities.
Both teams stayed neck and neck until Henry Josey broke off a 57-yard touchdown run with 3:35 remaining in the fourth quarter. The run electrified Foaurot Field and signaled the swift end of what had been an incredible run for the Aggies under Manziel.
The offense would follow up with a 3-and-out. Manziel’s final regular season play would be a 6-yard loss on a screen play to Mike Evans. A quiet end to what had become an illustrious Aggie career.
24. No. 9 Texas A&M falls to No. 18 LSU, 34-10
Nov. 23, 2013
In Aggieland things that happen twice become a tradition. While that axiom carries with it a swath of positive connotations, the repetitive failure of the Aggies at the hands of the LSU Tigers is not one of them. After falling to LSU in a close game in 2012 the maroon and white couldn’t keep pace with the Tiger offense in 2013.
More specifically, it was the Tigers’ rushing attack that ate up the clock and kept Manziel off the field. Terrence Magee‘s 1-yard touchdown in the first quarter put the Aggies chasing from the start, forcing a typically creative offense to resort to chucking the ball downfield.
Manziel wasn’t able to get anything going whatsoever. He completed a paltry 16-of-41 passes (39 percent) and was held to just 54 yards rushing on 12 carries. His 276 combined yards were the fewest he’d ever registered against an SEC opponent to that point — and he didn’t get much help. The rest of the team combined for 21 total yards on six carries split between Ben Malena and Trey Williams.
Entering the game at 8-2, there was still some optimism that Manziel’s theatrics could push the Aggies back into a premier bowl game. The LSU loss slammed the door, emphatically.
23. Texas A&M defeats South Carolina State, 70-14
Sep. 22, 2012
Johnny Manziel became such a prolific highlight machine that games like had against South Carolina State are lost in a sea of stats. The boxscore doesn’t do justice for how crisp No. 2 was against a lowly FCS team in just his third collegiate start.
In two quarters of action Manziel completed 15-of-20 passes for 174 yards and three touchdowns through the air. He added two more scores on the ground with eight carries for 78 yards.
Those numbers were nice, but it wasn’t enough to show the fan base how special this young quarterback would become. Anyone at the helm of Kevin Sumlin‘s modified air-raid offense could have marched up and down the field against the Bulldogs. Well, perhaps not anyone. Jameill Showers, who would later transfer to UTEP completed 2-of-10 passes for nine yards and an interception.
Manziel might have locked down the starting quarterback job that day, but the game itself wasn’t all that interesting.
22. Texas A&M defeats Sam Houston State, 65-28
Sep. 7, 2013
Perhaps the most overlooked game of Johnny Manziel’s collegiate career came in his first start of the 2013 season. Following the first half benching against Rice, Manziel played two and half quarters in preparation for the following week’s contest against the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide.
Manziel was his usual sparkling self, throwing for 426 yards and three touchdowns with seven rushes for 36 yards and another endzone trip. With the game in hand 51-28 after his fourth score, Kenny Hill was inserted and allowed to finish the game.
Another solid performance by Manziel was marred by a rather dismal defensive showing. Sam Houston State running back Timothy Flanders racked up 170 yards rushing and two touchdowns, thanks in part to a 68-yard scamper against a defense that clearly had lost a step during the offseason.
The departures of Damontre Moore, Jonathan Stewart and Sean Porter in the offseason were proving to be significant. Rather than enjoying Manziel, fans were bemoaning a defense that didn’t look to be SEC-ready. On the bright side, Manziel recorded the only tackle of his college career.
21. No. 20 Texas A&M falls to No. 6 LSU, 24-19
Oct. 20, 2012
One of the interesting quirks of the Aggies’ first SEC schedule was an October game with LSU rather than an annual late November tilt. After racking up five-straight SEC victories, including a thriller over Louisiana Tech, the nation was well aware of the dual-threat quarterback that donned maroon and white every Saturday. The LSU defense new about No. 2 — they just didn’t care.
A 12-0 lead wasn’t enough for Texas A&M, who scored just seven points after halftime. The 5-point defeat was marred by two missed field goals by kicker Taylor Bertolet.
For only the second time that season Manziel was held without a passing touchdown. Not only was he limited through the air, he was intercepted three times, a feat that would only happen twice in his entire collegiate career. His 27 rushing yards on 17 carries marked his worst yards per carry average (1.6) at Texas A&M.
This loss stung a little bit more when Texas A&M reeled of another set of five-straight wins, finishing second in the SEC. The loss to LSU was the Aggies’ only loss against an SEC West team that season, but it proved to be the costliest of the season, keeping the Aggies from an SEC Championship game appearance in their first season in the conference.
20. No. 9 Texas A&M defeats Sam Houston, 47-28
Nov. 17, 2012
Texas A&M fans were riding high after a thrilling victory over No.1 Alabama and the parties in College Station hadn’t died down when the team returned to Kyle Field to take on Sam Houston the next weekend. There might not be a single Aggie that remembers this game, save for one quirky moment.
On the Aggies first play of the second half Manziel uncorked an 89-yard touchdown pass to Uzoma Nwachukwu to put the Aggies up 40-0. Sensing a safe lead **UCLA, cough cough***, Kevin Sumlin trotted out Manziel for the extra point. The Heisman winner to-be could do a lot of things, but kicking turned out not to be one of them. Manziel shanked the attempt and ended his day with 367 total yards, five touchdowns and 0-for-1 on PATs.
At this point Texas A&M didn’t have much to play for, making this game rather meaningless. Fortunately, as he did more often than not, Manziel made the ordinary an event worth sticking around to see.
19. No. 9 Texas A&M defeats Missouri, 59-29
Nov. 24, 2012
By the time this game had kicked off the Alabama Crimson Tide had demolished the Auburn Tigers in the Iron Bowl 49-0. That emphatic victory slammed the door on the Aggies’ SEC West hopes, making their final regular season game of 2012 somewhat less meaningful.
Their opponent, Missouri, needed to upset the Aggies to become bowl eligible. In their first SEC game since upsetting No. 1 Alabama in Tuscaloosa, the Aggies squashed any hopes the Tigers’ had of postseason play. For the sixth time that season, Manziel contributed five or more touchdowns to the cause, throwing for 372 yards and three scores. He also notched two rushing touchdowns and 67 yards on the ground in the regular season finale.
The game was even more one-sided than it seemed. Had it not been for the desire to pad Manziel’s stats to bolster his Heisman case, Manziel probably should have been removed at halftime when the Aggies led 42-7 and No. 2 had already thrown for three scores.
Texas A&M played in a host of blowouts during Manziel’s time, but the ease with which the quarterback dismantled an SEC team was something to behold.
18. Texas A&M defeats SMU, 42-13
Sep. 21, 2013
Coming off the heartbreaking loss to Alabama the week before, the fanbase was noticeably less excited to see SMU come to town. After crushing the Mustangs the season before the results of the 2013 game were predictable. Manziel hardly seemed to exert any effort as he nudged his team towards an easy win.
It took a little more than a half for Manziel to eclipse four quarters of production from former Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert and the SMU Mustangs. Gilbert, who attempted 62 passes on the day only managed 310 yards through the air (5.0 yards per attempt) whereas Manziel tallied 244 yards on 21 attempts (11.6 ypa).
This game was little more than target practice for Manziel, who completed passes to nine different pass catchers. That was quite a feat considering the limited sample size of 14 completions which was tied for the second-fewest completions by Manziel in a victory, more than only the Rice game in 2013.
17. No. 10 Texas A&M defeats Arkansas, 45-33
Sep. 28, 2013
Texas A&M and Arkansas have produced some incredible moments over the Aggies’ short years in the SEC. The Aggies’ 2013 game with the Razorbacks was no exception.
Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen chipped away at a 14-point advantage for the Aggies, bringing the deficit within five points (38-33) entering the fourth quarter. Texas A&M responded with a 57-yard touchdown drive to take the lead, a drive in which Manziel did not attempt a pass or carry the football
At that point, Manziel had already connected with Mike Evans for two touchdowns. And while he didn’t deliver the finishing blow himself, Manziel showed a veteran’s poise. He picked up two key third down conversions on the Aggies’ final two drives that prevented any chance at a Razorback comeback, something that can’t be taken for granted given the intensity of this series.
Manziel finished with 320 total yards and those two touchdowns to Evans in what was otherwise a run-dominant game. For one of the few times in Manziel’s SEC games, he wasn’t asked to carry the entire offense on his own.
16. No. 7 Texas A&M falls to Auburn, 45-41
Oct. 19, 2013
Unfortunately for Aggies, the phrase “what if” is uttered almost as frequently as “remember when”. The 2013 game against Auburn represented yet another crux in what could have been an all-time great season. A year removed from a top-5 finish, the one-loss Aggies hosted No. 24 Auburn with an SEC West title still in play for both squads. Not only did Texas A&M blow a fourth quarter lead, the injury bug finally caught up to them.
On a night when the Aggie defense couldn’t muster any answers, Manziel played until his body literally couldn’t go any more. Manziel injured his throwing shoulder in the fourth quarter and was in noticeable pain on the sidelines before returning to the game.
Bumped and bruised, Manziel still managed the go-ahead touchdown run with 5:05 remaining in regulation. Despite his heroic efforts, the Auburn offense would march down the field and score the winning touchdown on a Tre Mason 5-yard run with 1:19 on the clock. Try as much as he might, the hobbled quarterback didn’t have enough juice to rally his team again.
Although the results were frustrating, Manziel was incredible once again. He threw for 454 yards, rushed for 48 yards, and scored a combined five touchdowns.
15. No. 14 Texas A&M defeats Vanderbilt, 56-24
Oct. 26, 2013
It’s remarkable that a “quiet day at the office” for Johnny Manziel so often resembled the stat line he produced in the Aggies’ lopsided win over Vanderbilt. On that toasty morning in College Station, he threw for 305 yards, four touchdowns and one interception, only registering 11 rushing yards on the day.
The somewhat “average” performance from Manziel, was slightly more impressive due to the lack of consistency around him. The team turned the ball over five times. One of those turnovers was on Manziel, but the rest of the team’s butterfingers kept him from getting into much of a rhythm throughout the game.
Manziel, who had also suffered a shoulder injury the week before against Auburn, still looked fresh. He uncorked a 43-yard touchdown pass to Mike Evans in the first quarter, his second of three first quarter scores. The injury would come back to nag him later on in the season, but even, playing hurt, Manziel produced another quality outing.
Vanderbilt isn’t Alabama (duh), but they finished 9-4 (4-4) in 2013, winning five straight after the Aggies handed them their fourth loss. Manziel and Co. crushed a lot of cupcakes, but the Vanderbilt win will go down as one of his more quietly impressive performances.
14. Texas A&M defeats SMU, 48-3
Sep. 15, 2012
Texas A&M and SMU ended the first quarter deadlocked at 0-0. Up to this point, Johnny Manziel had yet to throw a touchdown in his Texas A&M career. He wasn’t a legend yet, just a guy replacing Ryan Tannehill, the No. 8 overall NFL Draft pick earlier that spring. But from the second quarter of the SMU game on, Manziel became so much more.
After completing a 29-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Swope at the 8:38 mark of the second quarter, Manziel went on to account for a total of six touchdowns in the 24 minutes. He was throwing it all over the yard, and it was fun to watch.
The SMU defense finished the year 112th in the nation against the pass. No one was rushing to Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas to give Manziel the Heisman just yet, but it was this game that sparked the start of what would become a Heisman-worthy campaign
The Aggie offense gained 55 yards in the first quarter before finishing with 605 total yards. Manziel’s ended his first road start 20-36 passing for 294 yards and four touchdowns with 13 carries for 124 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
13. Texas A&M falls to No. 24 Florida, 20-17
Sep. 15, 2012
Texas A&M was scheduled to begin their 2012 season at Louisiana Tech but Hurricane Isaac had other plans. The storm postponed the Aggies’ first contest til mid-October and made their next game, a home contest against SEC power Florida, the first official game of the SEC era for Texas A&M.
The Aggies took a 17-10 lead into halftime courtesy of two long touchdown drives orchestrated by Manziel’s offense. He capped off the first one himself with an 11-yard touchdown scamper and Christine Michael finished the second scoring drive with a 1-yard touchdown plunge. From that point on it was all Florida.
The Gators trailed by as many as 10 points before scoring 13 unanswered points to spoil the Aggies’ SEC debut. Losing to a storied program like Florida (who finished the year as a Top-10 team), was understandable. Texas A&M was the new kid on the block and Florida had won back-to-back titles in the past decade. However, knowing how the Aggies finished the season this will always be remembered as a game that this team could have won.
The offense hadn’t quite opened up for Manziel, who completed 23-of-30 passes for 173 yards and carried the ball 17 times for 60 yards and a touchdown. Had it not been for six consecutive punts in the second half things might have turned out differently.
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.
12. No. 12 Texas A&M defeats UTEP, 57-7
Nov. 2, 2013
Johnny Manziel scored 93 touchdowns at Texas A&M and ended his career a few ticks shy of 10,000 total yards. Both feats were impressive, and while Manziel did pick up some of those games against lesser teams, it didn’t make the spectacle any less breathtaking.
Manziel completed 16 passes and carried the ball seven times against the Miners — he finished the evening with six touchdowns. That’s one score every four plays. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing, that’s a staggering clip. Had Manziel stayed in the game to the end there’s no telling how many times he could have found the endzone.
With the game long-since decided, Manziel broke out of the pocket and cut through the defense on his way to a 49-yard touchdown run. A quarterback racing down the length of the field and outmaneuvering a host of defenders with his speed is not normal. It wasn’t normal, except for Manziel.
In his second to last home game at Kyle Field, Manziel gave fans a few more memories to hold on to. Memories of him doing the impossible, and making it seem ordinary.
11. No. 11 Texas A&M defeats No. 15 Mississippi State, 38-13
Nov. 3, 2012
Texas A&M has one win over Mississippi State in Starkville in program history and it took a near-perfect performance from Manziel to earn it. Manziel wowed, picking apart the Bulldog defense on 30-for-36 passing (83.3 percent). It was his most efficient performance as an Aggie, even though it was one of two games in his career in which he did not throw a touchdown pass.
Manziel rectified that sore spot with a pair of touchdowns on the ground, including a 37-yard trot that put the Aggies up 21-0 early on in the second quarter. It was the typical Manziel scramble and score. He dropped back to pass on third-and-10, saw no one open, and took matters into his own hands by sprinting into the endzone untouched.
440 total yards from Manziel sparked five offensive touchdowns from the Aggies, and it could have been more. Manziel fumbled through the endzone late in the second half as he attempted to stretch for another rushing touchdown.
Even with the fumble, the Aggies churned out 6.2 yards per carry on 58 attempts scattered amidst Manziel, Ben Malena and Christine Michael. That trio combined for all five of the Aggies’ scores on the afternoon.
10. No. 16 Texas A&M defeats No. 17 Mississippi State, 51-41
Nov. 9, 2013
In what would turn out to be his final home contest in front of the 12th Man, Kyle Field broke out with a rousing chant of “One More Year” midway through the game. Fans wouldn’t get the chance to see Manziel don maroon and white again at home, but they couldn’t have asked for a much better send off.
The shootout victory over Mississippi State in 2013 wasn’t the most pristine game of Manziel career. Yet, on a day when he threw three interceptions, Manziel’s performance seemed to be just as breathtaking as usual. His three picks were three of only nine incompletions on the day, which seemed forgivable given his 30 completions and five touchdown passes — tying his career high which he set earlier that season at home against Alabama.
Manziel led seven scoring drives, none lasting more than six plays and all ending in touchdowns. His finesse and command of the offense were incredible, spreading the ball out to eight different pass catchers. Manziel’s biggest play of the day, a third-and-25 conversion, didn’t result in any points but highlighted his escapability and ability to create something out of nothing.
His last pass on Kyle Field was an 11-yard completion on third down to Evans, enabling the Aggies to run the clock and secure the victory. Manziel finished 30-of-39 passing for 446 yards through the air and another 47 yards on the ground.
9. No. 9 Texas A&M defeats Ole Miss, 41-38
Oct. 12, 2013
On an evening in which two teams combined for 79 points, fans were treated to one of the most entertaining fourth quarter experiences that Vaught-Hemingway Stadium has ever witnessed. 41 of the 79 points were scored in the final frame which ended with successive scores by the road team orchestrated by Johnny Manziel.
Manziel led an eight-play, 75-yard drive in which he was 3-of-4 passing for 53 yards and carried the ball twice for 19 yards and the game-tying touchdown. Following a quick three-and-out by the Rebels, Manziel took his team down the field again, setting up Josh Lambo‘s game-winning 33-yard field goal as time expired.
Manziel’s 470 total yards marked the most yards in a conference road game in his career. The two touchdowns, both of which came in the second half all came on methodical drives in which Manziel carved up the defense without issue.
The Aggies have had a tenuous history with the Mississippi schools ever since. Following the 2013 season, Texas A&M has failed to beat both Ole Miss and Mississippi State in the same season. Yet another accomplishment that Manziel turned into an afterthought.
8. No. 22 Texas A&M defeats Auburn, 63-21
Oct. 27, 2012
Once since joining the SEC has Texas A&M defeated both Alabama and Auburn in the same season. They did it in 2012, taking down both schools from the Yellowhammer state on their own turf with the victory over Auburn serving as a precursor for what was to come.
The win came on the heels of a close loss to No. 6 LSU and helped solidify the Aggies’ status as true contenders in the SEC West. It was games like this one, big wins over storied programs, which put the Aggies on the map in the SEC.
Defeating Auburn in 2012 gets lost in history because of that landmark upset over Alabama a few weeks later. However, the absolute undoing of one of the premier programs in college football cannot be overlooked. It’s true, Auburn had a dysfunctional season that year, finishing winless in SEC play. Still, they went toe-to-toe with LSU but were no match for Manziel and crew.
Manziel efficiently routed the Tigers, needing just 16 completions and nine carries to tally 350 total yards and five touchdowns. He picked up four of those five scores in the first half. The game was so one-sided that Jameill Showers had time to come in. He completed all eight of his passes for 59 yards and a score.
7. Texas A&M defeats Arkansas, 58-10
Sep. 29, 2012
The score was 44-10. Texas A&M was blowing the wheels off of Arkansas behind a record-breaking performance from Manziel. He took the snap on third-and-goal and turned it into one of the most spectacular touchdown runs of his legendary career.
He rolled right and then he hooked back around toward the left side of the line — but the line wasn’t there anymore. The slippery quarterback kept rolling, spinning back out between the hashes and through the pocket which had dissipated completely. Manziel, rather than bail out and throw the ball away, took off for the pylon. Not only did he complete a full loop in the offensive backfield, he waltzed into the endzone untouched.
Those 7-yards were a beacon, a premonition of how special this young “quarterback” was. Those 7-yards didn’t even add to the 453 passing yards Manziel accrued on that rainy afternoon, a school record at the time. Manziel would later break his own record two more times. He still remains the only quarterback in school history to throw for more than 450 yards twice.
The win was Texas A&M’s first SEC conference win. Along the way, Manziel, who also rushed for 104 yards, broke the school and SEC record for total offense – 557 combined yards.
6. Texas A&M defeats Ole Miss, 30-27
Oct. 6, 2012
A week removed from his first SEC victory, Manziel and crew picked up their first SEC road win. The two wins could not have been any more different, but the key factor in both was once again Manziel. He had his way with the Arkansas defense, but Ole Miss was able to keep him somewhat contained – at least contained enough to hand the Aggies a 10-point fourth quarter deficit.
Bo Wallace connected on a short 4-yard strike to Donte Moncrief at the beginning of the fourth quarter to give the Rebels a 27-17 lead, putting Manziel behind the eight ball. The freshman quarterback responded with an untimely interception.
But rather than throw in the towel, Manziel persevered. On his next two drives, the Aggies scored consecutive touchdowns, the first via Manziel’s legs and the second by way of Manzie’s arm. They were his only two touchdowns on the day.
On that day, Manziel not only proved he could put a bad day behind but that he could overcome even his own struggles and make big plays when they mattered. No. 2 was a gamer, and when the stakes were the highest he always came to play.
5. No. 6 Texas A&M falls to No. 1 Alabama, 49-42
Oct. 6, 2012
Manziel finished his Texas A&M career as one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in school history by almost every measure. His 20-6 record included a myriad of incredible performances, but sometimes even his magic wasn’t enough to will the Aggies to a victory. Most of the time it was, however, this game marks his “best” loss.
The Texas A&M offense jumped out to a 14-0 lead only to watch the Crimson Tide score 35 unanswered points. Despite being shutout in the second quarter and outscored 21-0, Manziel and the Aggies turned what could have been a blowout into a shootout.
Manziel hit Malcolm Kennedy on a 12-yard touchdown pass before connecting with Mike Evans on a 95-yard score, the second longest passing touchdown in school history. That cut the deficit to seven with eight minutes to play. All of a sudden, the Aggies had a ball game. And not only a ballgame, hope – a feeling not common for teams matched up against Nick Saban.
Ultimately the defense wasn’t able to get one more stop. The Aggies fell short, despite another touchdown by Manziel in the closing minutes. He ended the day with a school record 464 passing yards in addition to five touchdown passes, two interceptions and 98 yards on the ground.
4. No. 22 Texas A&M defeats No. 23 Louisiana Tech, 59-57
Oct. 13, 2012
Forever remembered as the “Hurricane Game”, it took a force of nature to lift Texas A&M over Louisiana Tech in 2012. The undefeated Bulldogs had already beaten a pair of Power 5 teams on entering their matchup with the Aggies in Shreveport, but they hadn’t seen anything like Johnny Manziel.
Manziel, who was just beginning to transform from the redshirt freshman quarterback into a superstar, had his coming out party when the Aggies needed it most. His 576 total yards were the most he would ever record in a single game at Texas A&M, as were the six touchdowns, which tied his personal best set against SMU earlier that season.
Even with Manziel’s heroics, a 39-16 halftime lead turned into a 2-point game by the time the fourth quarter came around. After hitting Thomas Johnson for a 17-yard score to cap off a 10-play, 82-yard drive, Manziel delivered what felt like the crushing blow on this 72-yard touchdown run on third-and-23 (above).
Later the defense would turn Louisiana Tech away at the goal line, stopping what would have been the game-tying 2-point conversion in the final minute of regulation. Tech would go on to win nine of their first 10 games that year, able to outscore nearly everyone, except Manziel.
3. No. 10 Texas A&M defeats No. 12 Oklahoma, 41-13
Jan. 4, 2013
The storybook ending to the 2012 season would have been a national championship. One loss too many in conference play put those dreams to bed but opened the door to a satisfying consolation prize: the absolute dismantling of a former Big 12 rival for the world to see.
The battle of Johnny Manziel versus Bob Stoops appeared somewhat even going into halftime; the Aggies led the Sooners 14-13 at the break. Then the second half started, and Texas A&M outscored Oklahoma 27-0 en route to a landslide victory. The 11th victory of the season marked the most for Texas A&M since 1998, the year of their last conference championship
Chants of “S-E-C!, S-E-C!” echoed back and forth between the maroon-clad faithful in Arlington that evening as they watched their wonderkid run literal circles around a hapless Big 12 defense. Manziel rushed for a career-best 229 yards, adding another 287 yards through the air. All told, he scored four touchdowns, highlighted by a nifty tightrope walk into the endzone to kick off the scoring in the first quarter.
The Aggies won a lot of one-sided games during Manziel’s two-year career, but no blowout was more satisfying than this one.
2. No. 20 Texas A&M defeats No. 22 Duke, 52-48
Dec. 31, 2013
On Dec. 31, 2013, Johnny Manziel put on a show that rivaled Dick Clark’s annual New Year’s Eve bonanza. Trailing 38-17 at halftime many had turned off their televisions and directed their attention to ringing in the New Year. Those that stayed caught the show of their lives.
Duke scored on every possession in the first half. Texas A&M answered with a score on all of their possessions in the second half, except for one. The Aggies took three consecutive kneels in victory formation, signaling the formal end of Manziel’s unbelievable collegiate career.
That night Manziel pulled off hoodini-esqu escapes on his way to a victory in the highest scoring Chic-fil-A Bowl of all time. His victory lap ended with a bang. Manziel completed 30-of-38 passes for 382 yards and four touchdowns. He added 11 carries for 73 yards and one more touchdown on the ground.
Finally, after waiting all season for the defense to rise up, Manziel was relieved from hero duties in his final appearance. Tony Hurd Jr. picked off Duke quarterback Anthony Boone and ran it back for six to give Texas A&M a 52-48 lead late in the fourth quarter. Nate Askew sealed the game with an interception on the Blue Devil’s next and final drive.
1. No. 15 Texas A&M defeats No. 1 Alabama, 29-24
Nov. 10, 2012
The new kids on the block officially arrived. The Aggies had suffered a few hiccups along the way, but when they rolled into Bryant-Denny Stadium on a fall night in 2012 they had worked out all the kinks.
Sitting at No. 15 in the polls, an upset against the Tide wouldn’t have been classified as improbable, not impossible, entering the game. How it happened was another story entirely.
Three straight first quarter touchdowns, including the most famous fumble-not-fumble in the history of college football, staked the underdog to an early 21-0 lead.
Alabama responded. Nick Saban’s undeterred machine clawed the deficit to three, trailing 17-20 entering the fourth quarter. Following a chip shot field goal by Taylor Bertolet, Manziel led what would become one of the most impressive two-play drives in Texas A&M history (2:31-2:49 below).
Then, after Manziel had carried the ball 18 times for 92 yards and completed 24-of-31 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns, it all came down to the defense. Trailing by five points, Alabama faced first-and-goal in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. The Aggie defense held through the first three plays, setting up a winner-take-all conversion on fourth-and-two from the 2-yard line. One more stand and the Aggies’ would have slayed Goliath in his house.
Then, Deshazor Everret stepped in front of AJ McCarron’s pass and the rest is history. Dave South’s call of the moment couldn’t have been any better.
"The Aggies just caught lightning in a bottle. Oh, man. The Ags have beaten Alabama. A&M did it. They just did it Lightning in a bottle in Tuscaloosa."
Texas A&M has played in several big games. Outside of the 1939 National Championship, none might have been more meaningful than this one. The upset of the undefeated and invincible Alabama Crimson Tide capped off Johnny Manziel’s Heisman Moment and paved the way for a Top 5 finish.
Three teams in Texas A&M history have finished inside the Top 5. The 1939 Championship team (No. 1), Bear Bryant’s 9-0-1 1956 team (No. 5) and Kevin Sumlin (and Johnny Manziel’s) 2012 team (No. 5). The Aggies don’t reach that milestone with Johnny Football.
Next: Latest preseason Top 25 projections entering 2018
Johnny Manziel has already turned into a legendary figure in Texas A&M folk history. But he was a real, and he really did all of the incredible stories that Ags swap at the bar when they want to relive the good ‘ol days. Thanks for everything Johnny. Gig’em.