ESPN College Football

I'm on the way to Omaha today for some more ESPN baseball duty, so the blog might be a little light early next week, but keep an eye on the ESPN College Sports page to keep track of me.

• Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins says each team in the Big 12 signed a 10-year agreement to remain in the league, reports Brett McMurphy of AOL Fanhouse. That would contradict what Texas said earlier this week, but the Big 12 isn't commenting.
• Have to laugh at this one: Kansas' fight song might need some tweaking after Nebraska leaves the league, writes Chad Lawhorn of the Lawrence Journal-World.
• Cue the played-out jokes, folks: Bill Snyder likes the new Big 12, but not the tougher, round-robin schedule, reports Kellis Robinett in the Kansas City Star.
• The Denver Broncos have signed former Baylor center J.D. Walton.
• The Carolina Panthers signed Texas A&M safety Jordan Pugh.

Here, we'll take a look at a couple of key players going, staying and coming for each team in the Big 12.

Going:

Lee Grimes, Kevin Matthews and Michael Shumard, OL

Texas A&M isn't lacking for talent at the skill positions. They have the best combination of backs, receivers and quarterback in the conference. But if one thing derails the Aggies' offense, it will be the departure of Grimes, Matthews and Shumard, three linemen who helped Christine Michael, Cyrus Gray and Jerrod Johnson, among a few others, rush for 2,394 yards in 2009, second-most in the conference, behind Oklahoma State. If Johnson doesn't have consistent time against in the pocket to throw -- or gets hurt -- against the conference's best teams late in the season, the Aggies can forget any dreams they have of stealing the South for the first time since 1998.

Jordan Pugh, S

Pugh was Texas A&M's second-leading tackler last season, with 84 tackles. Though Texas A&M's defense brings back nine starters, Pugh isn't among them. A three-year starter in the secondary (both corner and safety), he earned All-Big 12 honors for his senior performance. He picked off a team-high three passes and made 2.5 tackles for loss.

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Staying:

Jerrod Johnson, QB

Johnson is no stranger to the Big 12 Blog, but the conference's best quarterback has his eyes set on a South title -- and more -- after a 6-7 season in 2009. Johnson has plenty of receivers to help him improve on his Big 12-best 30 touchdown passes. His impressive speed helped him rush for 506 yards and eight touchdowns, too, but his arm and size (6-foot-5, 243 pounds) are what's attracted the attention of NFL scouts.

Trent Hunter, S

It's hard to talk about the Aggie defense without mentioning Von Miller, but Hunter could blossom into a household name alongside Miller in 2010 after leading the team in tackles as a sophomore last season. He was named to The Sporting News' Freshman All-America team, and earned a second-team All-Big 12 nod last season, setting the stage for a big 2010 season for an Aggie defense hoping to improve under new coordinator Tim DeRuyter.

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Coming:

Luke Joeckel, OT

Mike Sherman's highest-rated recruit from 2010 couldn't have been much more impressive. Joeckel enrolled early at Texas A&M and by the end of spring, had earned the status of starting left tackle heading into fall camp. The 6-foot-6, 280-pound Arlington native looks ready to kick off a possibly special career in College Station this fall, helping plug the holes left behind by the guys listed in the "Going" section.

Toney Hurd Jr., CB

One of three Aggie recruits who earned a spot on the ESPNU 150, Hurd could help improve a pass defense that ranked last in the Big 12 and 105th nationally last season. Hurd hails from Missouri City, Texas, stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 179 pounds. He ranked as the No. 11 cornerback in the nation and the No. 125 overall prospect.


More Revolving Door:

• Baylor
• Colorado
• Iowa State
• Kansas
• Kansas State
• Missouri
• Nebraska
• Oklahoma
• Oklahoma State
• Texas
  

2009 overall record: 6-7

2009 conference record: 3-5

Returning starters: Offense (8), Defense (9), P/K (2)

Top returners: QB Jerrod Johnson, LB Von Miller, WR Jeff Fuller, RB Christine Michael, RB Cyrus Gray, DT Lucas Patterson, DB Trent Hunter, WR Uzoma Nwachukwu

Key losses: S Jordan Pugh, OL Michael Shumard, OL Kevin Matthews, OL Lee Grimes

2009 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Christine Michael* (844 yards)

Passing: Jerrod Johnson* (3,579 yards)

Receiving: Uzoma Nwachukwu* (708 yards)

Tackles: Trent Hunter* (95)

Sacks: Von Miller* (16.5)

Interceptions: Jordan Pugh (3)

Three spring answers

1. Found a place for Von Miller. Von Miller will play the “Joker” position, a hybrid defensive end/linebacker spot in new defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter’s 3-4 alignment. It seems like a natural fit for the 6-foot-3, 240-pounder who led the nation in sacks last season.

2. Embracing DeRuyter’s schemes. After fielding the worst defense in the Big 12 last season and ranking 104^th nationally in scoring defense, the Aggie D was ready for a change. It cam in the form of DeRuyter, who coached Air Force’s defense last season into the national top 10. Texas A&M’s defenders were clearly receptive to DeRuyter’s new approach and are ready to erase a forgettable year.

3. Joeckel can’t hide. Texas A&M is replacing three offensive linemen from last year’s team, but its new left tackle might be true freshman Luke Joeckel. The Arlington, Texas product and No. 83 on the ESPNU 150 enrolled early as the nation’s No. 6 offensive tackle prospect. He drew rave reviews from coach Mike Sherman—reluctantly, Sherman admitted—and left the spring as the starter. If the Aggies make it back to Joeckel’s hometown for the Big 12 title game, he’ll be a reason why.

Three fall questions

1. Will the defense be good enough? The offense scored the third-most points in the Big 12 last season, but still won just six games. The easy culprit is the defense, which gave up over 40 points on five occasions in 2009, and 60-plus in a pair of other losses. The offense still returns eight starters, so they won’t need to be dominant, just better. We won’t know how much better until the fall.

2. Will the offense repeat its performance behind a new line? Oklahoma experienced it last season, and Texas A&M could be a candidate in 2010. The best way to derail a dominant offense is replacing starters on the offensive line. Oklahoma went from the best offense in the history of college football to fourth in the Big 12. If the turnover process doesn’t go better for the Aggies, they could see a similar drop.

3. Is this “The Year?” Texas A&M is the only team other than Texas or Oklahoma to represent the South in the Big 12 title game, but they haven’t done it since winning the Big 12 title in 1998. Is this the year the Aggies make it back? They’ll have their best team under Sherman, and unlike Oklahoma State a year ago, they won’t begin their campaign with Oklahoma and Texas entering the season as frontrunners for the national title. If they’re going to sneak up and snatch the South, this will be their best chance in awhile.

The Big 12 had 30 players drafted over the weekend, fifth most among the major six conferences.


Here's a look at who went where when:

First round (9):

1. Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma (St. Louis)

2. Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska (Detroit)

3. Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma (Tampa Bay)

4. Trent Williams, OL, Oklahoma (Washington)

6. Russell Okung, OL, Oklahoma State (Seattle)

14. Earl Thomas, DB, Texas (Seattle)

19. Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri (Atlanta)

21. Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma (Cincinnati)

24. Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State (Dallas)

Second round (2):

43. Sergio Kindle, DE, Texas (Baltimore)

44. Lamarr Houston, DT, Texas (Oakland)

Third round (3):

80. J.D. Walton, C, Baylor (Denver)

84. Jordan Shipley, WR, Texas (Cincinnati)

85. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas (Cleveland)

Fourth round (4):

110. Darrell Stuckey, FS, Kansas (San Diego)

115. Phillip Dillard, LB, Nebraska (New York Giants)

121. Keenan Clayton, LB, Oklahoma (Philadelphia)

131. Roddrick Muckelroy, LB, Texas (Cincinnati)

Fifth round (6):

135. Dominique Franks, CB, Oklahoma (Atlanta)

137. Perrish Cox, CB, Oklahoma State (Denver)

141. Joshua Moore, DB, Kansas State (Chicago)

160. Larry Asante, SS, Nebraska (Cleveland)

162. Brody Eldridge, TE, Oklahoma (Indianapolis)

165. Kerry Meier, WR, Kansas (Atlanta)

Sixth round (4):

191. Dezmon Briscoe, WR, Kansas (Cincinnati)

196. Jamar Wall, CB, Texas Tech (Dallas)

198. David Gettis, WR, Baylor (Carolina)

202. Jordan Pugh, DB, Texas A&M (Carolina)

Seventh round (2):

228. Reggie Stephens, OL, Iowa State (Cincinnati)

250. Zac Robinson, QB, Oklahoma State (New England)

When you arrange those by team, Oklahoma comes out on top, with seven selections.

1. Oklahoma (7)

2. Texas (6)

3. Oklahoma State (4)

T-4. Nebraska (3)

T-4. Kansas (3)

6. Baylor (2)

T-7. Iowa State (1)

T-7. Kansas State (1)

T-7. Missouri (1)

T-7. Texas Tech (1)

T-7. Texas A&M (1)

12. Colorado (0)

The Big 12’s bowl games will start on Monday when Texas A&M and Georgia square off in the Advocare V100 Independence Bowl.

But as we get ready for those eight games, it's clear that several key players need to step up with big games in order to help their team's winning hopes.

Here's my list of 12 players or groups who need to have big games to bolster their team's bowl hopes.

• Texas quarterback Colt McCoy: His Heisman hopes sank after his nine-sack, three-interception performance in the Big 12 title game. But he has bigger aspirations if he can finish his career by leading his team to the national championship against Alabama in the Citi BCS National Championship Game.
• Oklahoma tackle Trent Williams: He could become the fourth starter at center for Oklahoma this season if Brian Lepak doesn't respond to treatment before the Sooners' Brut Sun Bowl game against Stanford. Williams has become one of college football's best offensive linemen at tackle and looked good in practice earlier this season at center. He'll face a big test against massive 315-pound Stanford nose tackle Ekom Udofi if he plays at center in the bowl game.
• Oklahoma State running back Kendall Hunter: After struggling with a nagging foot injury most of the season, Hunter has been diagnosed at "close to 100 percent" by Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy. The Cowboys had a strong running game and led the conference in rushing but still missed a true breakaway threat without Hunter in the lineup. His return will provide an infusion of speed that could be important for their hopes against Mississippi in the AT&T Cotton Bowl.
• Texas guards Michael Huey and Charlie Tanner and center Chris Hall: After their struggles against Ndamukong Suh in the Big 12 championship game, this trio will really be under the gun against Alabama All-American tackle Terrence Cody and All-American middle linebacker Rolando McClain. They must play better than they did against Nebraska if they have any hopes of bringing the national title home to Austin.
• Oklahoma State quarterback Zac Robinson: After gamely trying to play against Oklahoma on a sprained ankle, Robinson says that he's healthy for Mississippi in the AT&T Cotton Bowl. Robinson's injury and a sputtering attack helped explain the Cowboys' difficulties in a 27-0 loss that ultimately cost them a shot at a BCS at-large berth. Robinson must run the offense better against a similarly strong Mississippi defensive front if the Cowboys are to pull off an upset victory.
• Texas Tech running back Baron Batch: Batch is one of the Red Raiders' most consistent receivers and top rushing threats. He'll be critically important in the Valero Alamo Bowl as he goes up against Michigan State All-Big Ten linebacker Greg Jones. Michigan State is being universally dismissed because of their suspension-wracked roster. All of that will make Jones and the defense eager to become involved early. Batch will be tested to keep Jones and the Spartans away from starting quarterback Taylor Potts.
• Missouri's defensive front: The grouping of defensive ends Aldon Smith and Brian Coulter, tackle Dominique Hamilton and nose tackle Jaron Baston played very well down the stretch as they allowed only 52.4 yards rushing per game during a strong 4-1 finish. But the Tigers' defensive front will be facing a huge challenge in stopping Navy's unique run-based offense in the Texas Bowl. The Midshipmen rank fourth nationally in rushing and are keyed by quarterback Ricky Dobbs, who averages 85.5 rushing yards per game and ranks second nationally with 24 rushing touchdowns. Keeping Navy in check will be a big challenge for the Tigers, particularly the defensive front.
• Iowa State cornerback Ter'ran Benton: The suspension of Kennard Banks will thrust Benton into the starting lineup for the Cyclones in the Insight Bowl against Minnesota. Benton is recovering after breaking his left leg Oct. 24 against Nebraska and missing the final four games of the season. Top Minnesota receiver Eric Decker is injured and will miss the bowl game, but Troy Stoudermire and Brandon Green will no doubt test Banks early and often in the Dec. 31 game.
• Iowa State running back Alexander Robinson: When Robinson is an effective ball-carrying threat, the Cyclones have a much better chance at winning. That's why it will be important to get him going early against a Minnesota defense that tends to wear down if it plays too much. Robinson's running will be an important part in trying to do just that.
• Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones: When he was on, Jones was one of the most effective passers in the Big 12, torching Tulsa for six touchdown passes, Texas A&M for five touchdown passes and Kansas State for four. But he also struggled with five interceptions against Nebraska. He'll need a big game against a similarly streaky Stanford team that ranked 95th in pass efficiency defense, 105th in pass defense and allowed 15 touchdowns in its last five games.
• Texas A&M safety Jordan Pugh: He'll be important in coordinating work in a secondary that features two sophomores and a freshman in the starting lineup. After A&M's struggles in a 49-39 loss to Texas in the regular-season finale, the group will be facing a similarly high-powered offensive threat from Georgia. Joe Cox and A.J. Green no doubt saw the Aggies' struggles against Texas and will be intent on duplicating them in the Independence Bowl. It will be important for Pugh to keep his young teammates focused -- particularly if they struggle early.
• Nebraska quarterback Zac Lee: His struggles running the Nebraska offense were apparent in the Cornhuskers' loss to Texas where they produced only five first downs and amassed only 105 yards in the game. The offense must perk up against Arizona in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl and Lee will be most under the gun to make it happen. He showed flashes of a passing touch earlier in the season, but the Cornhuskers relied on a run-heavy game down the stretch to win the North Division. A couple of well-timed passes from Lee early in the game against the Wildcats could open up the Nebraska offense for the rest of the game.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Texas A&M's season has been marked with wild swings of emotion from big victories and crushing defeats.

Its 49-39 loss to Texas might have been the Aggies' best performance of the season.

A&M challenged the No. 3 Longhorns unlike any team since Oklahoma and Texas Tech earlier this season. But even with the narrow defeat, the Aggies didn't leave Kyle Field feeling they had accomplished anything more than earlier in the season.

"We should have won," A&M senior safety Jordan Pugh said. "We had the chances and didn't take them."

It was the kind of game where Texas A&M quarterback Jerrod Johnson emerged in front of a national audience. His running and throwing kept the Aggies close as he flummoxed the Longhorns throughout the game with a season-best 439 yards of total offense.

"I can't say enough about Jerrod Johnson," A&M coach Mike Sherman said. "He's probably under the radar for what he has been able to do. He wasn't perfect, but I was extremely proud. I've never been around a player who has progressed like he has."

On two separate occasions, the Aggies pulled to within three points in the fourth quarter. Johnson's 20-yard strike to Jeff Fuller closed the gap to 42-39 with 7:10 left.

But with Kyle Field roaring as loud as it did during the game, Marquise Goodwin returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown that iced the victory.

"It's tough because we had them right where we wanted them," A&M defensive end/linebacker Von Miller said. "It's rough. We wanted to get this big one for the seniors, but we couldn't make it happen."

The 6-6 Aggies qualified for their first bowl game since 2007 last week with a victory over Baylor. But their season has been marked with remarkable inconsistency. They have won games by 35, 37, 22, 25 and 35 points. And they’ve lost games by margins of 28, 48 and 55 points.

But the end of the season has provided several positive points to build on heading into the bowl game.

They ripped through Texas' supposedly invincible defense for 190 rushing yards, 27 first downs and 532 net yards. Johnson had the kind of game that makes him a potential Heisman candidate for next season after he passed for 342 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 97 more.

"We feel we can matchup with anyone in the country," Johnson said. "We don't take this as a moral victory because we expected to win. One good thing is that this gave us some national exposure to show that Texas A&M is headed in the right direction."

That next chance will likely come in the Texas Bowl in a game against Navy that looks winnable. With 18 freshman playing major roles for the Aggies this season, the future looks bright in that game and beyond.

The South Division figures to be just as competitive as ever next season. But A&M's days as a divisional bottom feeder appear to be over.

"I saw some guys who did some good things," Sherman said. "We will certainly utilize the next couple of weeks to help this football team."

The two schools are separated by only 84 miles as the crow flies along Texas State Highway 6.

Baylor and Texas A&M have been longtime rivals, playing a 99-game series that predated their memberships in the Southwest Conference. Both joined the Big 12 together in the continuation of a bitter rivalry that has been played yearly since 1945.

It may not seem as heated now as in the past when Grant Teaff squared off with Jackie Sherrill or later, R.C. Slocum. Even the Guy Morriss-Dennis Franchione rivalry developed into a good one with some barbs thrown from both sides on both sides.

Saturday’s game will have some meaning unlike many recent Baylor-A&M games because both teams still have legitimate bowl hopes.

Baylor senior safety Jordan Lake grew up in a family where his father was a former Baylor student. Like all Baylor students, they reveled in the Bears’ 41-20 victory last season in Waco that ranked as their biggest triumph in the series since 1980. And they also delighted in the Bears' wild 35-34 overtime triumph in 2004 after A&M had thumped them in College Station by 63 points the year before.

“My dad always had a dislike for A&M,” Lake said. “From the beginning, I knew there was a rivalry tension there. And the way we’ve played the last couple of years has helped it rise to where it was back in the 1970s and 1980s.”

Mike Sherman and Art Briles appear to have a respectful relationship heading into Saturday’s game that will be played for some big stakes at Kyle Field.

Both teams have simmering postseason hopes heading into the game, although both have fallen dramatically in recent weeks.

Baylor (4-6) started the season strongly with an opening-game victory at Wake Forest. But the Bears lost their home opener to Connecticut and Robert Griffin went down with a season-ending knee injury the following week as the Bears have tailed off since then.

Their 47-14 loss to Texas last was their fifth in the last six games and actually seems closer than it really was. The Longhorns jumped to a 40-0 lead before Baylor scored two late touchdowns on the Texas backup defensive unit.

A&M (5-5) has faced similar recent struggles and bottomed out in their blowout 65-10 loss at Oklahoma.

The Aggies had enough problems against the Sooners in simply cleanly fielding punts or kicks. A&M fumbled or muffed five kicks to spark Oklahoma’s 42-10 halftime lead. That run of struggles enabled the Sooners to run off 51 straight points en route to the wide margin of victory.

It marked the second time this season that an opponent has hung at least 60 points on the Aggies and the third time that they have lost by at least four touchdowns.

Those blowout losses haven’t undermined the progress of a young team that features 27 freshmen and sophomores in its two-deep roster.

“We’re fine,” senior safety Jordan Pugh said. “We just look at it as something that we’ve got to fix. We looked forward and moved on."

A victory would push the Aggies into their first bowl game under Sherman. But A&M players have simpler thoughts about Saturday’s game.

“It’s just important for us to win, period,” Pugh said. “Getting a bowl game would be fun, but winning is our major focus now.”

To gain bowl eligibility, the Bears would have to win their first game at Kyle Field since 1984 and then defeat Texas Tech next week at the new Dallas Cowboys’ Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Playing meaningful games in late November is new for a Baylor program that hasn’t gone bowling since 1994. But the Bears are excited about the challenges that will be facing them -- even if they are perceived to be a long shot to accomplish those goals.

“A lot of people outside this locker room have written us off for awhile. When Griff went down, so did Baylor, they thought,” Baylor senior middle linebacker Joe Pawelek said. “We still have a shot to make this a special season. It starts with A&M this week. And we’re just looking to extend the season for one more week.”

The Aggies can make a bowl trip by winning one of their last two games. And obviously, the game against Baylor looks much more winnable than their remaining game against No. 3 Texas on Thanksgiving night.

“They all know that,” Sherman said about his team's bowl hopes. “I usually don’t make a big deal about the obvious. I think they know how important these games are.”

For Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman it was an easy choice, no matter how much he hates losing of any kind.

After watching his team blow a late lead in a 35-34 loss at Colorado last week, Sherman said that those close losses are a lot less palatable than watching his team be dominated by a superior opponent.

“It’s certainly disheartening,” Sherman said when asked about the tight loss. “I’m still struggling over that one. It was a heartbreaker. I’d rather get my butt kicked than to lose like that.”

The Aggies led for almost the entire game at Colorado, enabling the Buffaloes to escape with the wild comeback victory when they fought back from an 11-point halftime deficit and after trailing by 10 midway through the fourth quarter.

The loss came despite a weird set of statistics. The Aggies posted eight sacks, compared to one by Colorado. A&M was penalized three times, Colorado 10 times. But the plucky Buffaloes made plays they needed to win at the end of the game.

“We just need to learn how to finish,” Texas A&M free safety Jordan Pugh said. “We had the lead for the whole game until about the last five or eight minutes, whatever it was. The biggest thing is we just didn’t finish the game when we had our chances. And if we can do that, it will all take care of itself.”

Losing at Colorado didn’t seem to diminish the confidence of the 5-4 Aggies heading into their final three-game stretch of the regular season. They must win one of their final three games in order to earn bowl eligibility for the first time since 2007.

It will be tough stretch starting with A&M’s game Saturday night at Oklahoma. The Aggies have never beaten Bob Stoops at Owen Field in five previous games, losing the games by an average score of 35.4 points per game. The losses have included margins of 77 and 45 points.

The Sooners also will be bringing a nation-best 28-game home winning streak for the game. But these Aggies are capable of big road performances, as evidenced by their 52-30 victory at Texas Tech on Oct. 24 after a blowout road loss at Kansas State the week before.

“You have to draw from that,” Pugh said. “It’s been done before because we went to Lubbock and did it up there. It’s the same thing we’re doing now. And if we go up there and do what we need to do we’ll get that win.”

The fact the Sooners have struggled recently makes the Aggies wary about the challenge they will still be facing – even after the Sooners have been wracked by more injuries than any team in the conference.

“This will be our biggest challenge of the year,” A&M tackle Michael Shumard said. “But we knew that coming in. When we were working out this summer, our strength coaches didn’t say they were training us to beat New Mexico, but against Texas and Oklahoma. They wanted to get us ready to compete against those guys who will be in the league (the NFL) for about 30 years.”

The Aggies also will be challenging an injury-depleted Sooner offensive front with one of the nation’s most potent pass-rushers. Defensive end/linebacker Von Miller leads the nation with 15.5 sacks for the season. The Aggies are tied for third nationally and lead the Big 12 with 30 sacks.

Despite that success, Miller said that finishing the season strong is more important to him than any individual accomplishment.

“I’d trade every sack I’ve gotten this year to be undefeated right now,” Miller said. “I really just want to win and go to a bowl game. All of the other stuff is secondary to just winning and that’s how I’m approaching things for the rest of the year.”

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Texas A&M defensive back Jordan Pugh has just changed momentum with a big interception of Colorado quarterback Tyler Hansen just into Colorado territory.

The Aggies are nursing a 28-21 lead with about 13 minutes left in the game.

If they can get another score, it would appear to be a clinching blow.

The way that Colorado has moved the ball today, it might be tough for them to score twice during the rest of the game.

This game is huge for Aggie bowl hopes. They would earn bowl eligibility for the first time since 2007 with a victory today.

And a lost would officially eliminate Colorado's bowl hopes with their seventh loss of the season.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

The Texas Tech-Texas A&M rivalry is as fierce and passionate as any in college football.

There have been taunts on both sides that have made the competition some of the most bitter in the Big 12 over the years.

But the most recent game might go down in history among many in the rivalry -- at least for what it provided for the Aggies after the game.

	AP Photo/Mike Fuentes
	Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman smartly motivated his team to a win over Texas Tech.

A&M turned their season around with an improbable victory over Tech which has catapulted them into bowl contention heading into Saturday’s game against Colorado.

And it all might have turned around with a few twisted metal loops.

A&M coach Mike Sherman's Aggies were struggling after a disappointing 62-14 loss to Kansas State the previous week. After that game, few prognosticators gave the Aggies much of a chance playing in Lubbock, where they hadn’t won since 1993.

“Our team was really down after that game,” senior safety Jordan Pugh said. “We needed something to point us back.”

Youth has been blamed for that defeat -- the Aggies’ first true road trip of the season.

“We didn’t play well, that was very evident,” Sherman said. “We were kind of shell shocked by what happened to us early in the game and never really ever recovered. I don’t think we competed.”

Despite the loss, Sherman went back to work with the idea that problems were fixable in a quick manner.

And the fact that the Aggies would be playing Tech only helped their turnaround.

“I know people outside might have been panicking, but I don’t think that’s how you fix things," Sherman said. “You have to fix them by being honest and accountable, and they were.”

It also helped to have a little confidence. And Sherman manifested that by presenting his team with carabiner clips, a talisman usually reserved for his team’s post-game victory celebrations, five days before the Aggies met the Red Raiders in Lubbock on Oct. 24.

Sherman has selected the carabiner, a piece of equipment used by mountain climbers, as a metaphor for the Aggies’ journey back among national football powers. The charms typically are presented after team victories.

“We have these little carabiners we pass out when we win a game,” Sherman said. “I said, ‘I might as well give it to you now. We’re going to go play and we’re going to win this football game.’ And they did.”

The Aggies then lived up to that belief with an impressive 52-30 triumph over Tech, piling up 321 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns as they scored the most points in the 68-game series history with the Red Raiders.

It was only a week removed from an atrocious performance at Kansas State, where the Aggies produced minus-13 yards rushing and allowed six sacks in the thumping at Manhattan.

"I knew we had to get up off the mat or stay down,” A&M defensive end/linebacker Von Miller said. “We fought back and got up after that game.”

That victory has helped turn A&M's season around. The Aggies followed that triumph with an impressive 35-10 mashing of Iowa State last week that left them only one victory from bowl eligibility heading into Saturday’s game at Colorado.

“We’ve always expected we would play well. It just shown up a little lately,” A&M offensive tackle Michael Shumard said. “The hard work has finally paid off.”

It also gave the Aggies a couple of chances to take some not-so-subtle swipes at Tech coach Mike Leach, who has needled the Aggies over the years. Most recently, after the Dallas Cowboys had invested a fourth-round draft pick on A&M quarterback Stephen McGee in the 2009 NFL draft, Leach suggested the pro team showed more faith in him that his college did. That sparked a public exchange of comments between Leach and Sherman.

The Aggies were the instigators at their Monday news conference. Sherman had a not-so-subtle dig at Leach when he was asked about playing at altitude this week at Colorado, suggesting it wasn't that much different from playing earlier this season in Lubbock.

“Lubbock’s got a pretty good altitude up there,” Sherman said. “There’s a lot of hot air up there, too. We had to deal with it.”

Shumard joined the chorus when he talked about the integrity that Sherman showed when he took a knee rather than try to score another touchdown late in the game against ISU last week.

“That shows class,” Shumard said. “I would hate to be a player for a team that would try and score with … 20 seconds left in the game. That would call time out to try and score.”

Aggies everywhere remember when Graham Harrell scored on a 1-yard plunge with 20 seconds left in the Red Raiders’ 43-25 victory over the Aggies in 2008.

They finally got some revenge on Monday, by skewering Leach with stories of how a few twisted pieces of metal helped turn around their season at his expense.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Texas A&M's offense appears back as the Aggies scored on all three possessions to cruise to an early 21-3 lead over Iowa State.

But the biggest story of the game has been A&M's defense, which turned away two scoring drives after an interception by Jordan Pugh and a fourth-down stop at the A&M 22 by Pugh and Kyle Manghan.

A&M quarterback Jerrod Johnson has done the rest, throwing for two touchdowns and running for another to account for most of the Aggies' offense.

The Cyclones are playing for the second straight game without starting quarterback Austen Arnaud. Redshirt freshman starter Jerome Tiller hasn't had the knack for clicking on big plays against the Aggies like he did last week against Nebraska.

Alexander Robinson is back and has rushed for 72 yards in the first half for the Cyclones. But he hasn't been enough as the Aggies' early points blitz.

A victory will get the Aggies into solid position for a bowl berth, which wasn't a certainty during the three-game losing streak earlier this season. And it continues their recent run that started last week against Kansas State.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

One of the early mysteries in college football finally will be solved Saturday.

Texas A&M is one of the nation’s biggest unknowns. The Aggies are undefeated, which seemed improbable before the season. But even more unlikely, they are a team at the top of several notable NCAA statistical lists after a surprising 3-0 start.

	Patrick Green/Icon SMI
	Von Miller leads the country in sacks and tackles for loss.

Heading into their game Saturday against Arkansas (ESPN2, 7:30 p.m. ET) , A&M leads the nation in total offense and sacks -- two surprising categories considering the team’s struggles in those areas last season. The Aggies rank no lower than seventh nationally in rushing, passing, total offense and scoring and are the nation’s only team to rank in the top 10 in each of those four team categories.

Obviously, the team’s weak schedule of nonconference opponents have played a big part in its early success. But the early spurt has transpired in a relative media vacuum without much public knowledge except for those fans who attended the three games at Kyle Field.

The Aggies have beaten New Mexico, Utah State and UAB -- teams with a combined 2-9 record that will never be considered as juggernauts. That’s made judging this Aggies team a little problematic so far, considering the crumbs still around their mouths after devouring those three scheduling cream puffs.

“You know, I kind of focus on the things we didn't do more so than what we did do," A&M head coach Mike Sherman said last week when asked about his team’s fast statistical start. "I'm very realistic when it comes to statistics. I don't spend a whole lot of time looking at them.”

But no matter if the Aggies were playing the 1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers or Slippery Rock, their early success shouldn’t be discounted.

“I think we’re a good team,” A&M senior free safety Jordan Pugh said. “This will be our biggest challenge so far and how we handle the challenge, we’ll find out on Saturday.”

The early statistical binge hasn’t been surprising to quarterback Jerrod Johnson, who ranks third nationally in total offense and 11th in passing efficiency. He’s coming off a game where he accounted for a school-record six touchdowns -- three rushing and three passing -- to spark the Aggies’ 56-19 victory over UAB.

Johnson showed mercurial talents last season but struggled late in the season with turnovers. Despite those late struggles, Johnson’s confidence in the offense never flagged.

“I think I progressed pretty well from last year,” said Johnson, who has thrown nine touchdown passes with no interceptions this season. “We struggled to find our identity at times. But now, it’s not a first-year offense or team working together. We’re all on the same page this year and you can see the results.”

The Aggies converted 14 of 17 third-down plays last week against UAB, including 12 straight at one stretch.

“That’s something we are very proud of,” Johnson said. “We put a lot of work into staying on the field. The coaches really emphasize winning third-down plays. And that’s what I’ve tried to do so far this year.”

The Aggies also made a schematic change to their defense, incorporating the “jack” position, occupied by speedy pass-rushing specialist Von Miller. The result has been that Miller leads the nation in sacks and tackles for loss.

“Last year when we looked at our personnel, we thought Von had an OK year, not a great year,” Sherman said. “I didn’t feel like we highlighted him enough to showcase his talents. We felt like there were a lot of things we could do with him as a linebacker and a blitzer. The ‘Jack’ position gives us some flexibility to highlight some things, which it has.”

The chance to play old Southwest Conference rival Arkansas at the shiny new stadium in Arlington is big for the A&M program. They will face a tough challenge from the 1-2 Razorbacks, who feature a potent offense keyed by 6-foot-7, 238-pound quarterback Ryan Mallett.

The Razorbacks will test the Aggies unlike any other opponent so far this season. But Miller is excited about what a big performance on Saturday could do for A&M’s national profile.

“We knew it would be like this,” Miller said. “All the guys have a chip on our shoulder and still a lot of stuff to prove. It’s kind of good they look at us underdogs. Now, we have to go out and show people something.”

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

The Big 12 has set the order of media days that will occur July 27 to July 29 at the Westin Hotel in Irving, Texas. It serves as an unofficial kickoff to media hype for the upcoming season. The head coach and three or four players from each team will attend.

I believe that all coaches will attend this season. We've only had a couple of coaches miss the proceedings over the years. I think that Tom Osborne skipped things the first year or so. And we had that bizarre tape of Gary Barnett a few years back where he answered questions from esteemed Colorado sports information director David Plati in an interview filmed back in Boulder. It wasn't quite the same as if he had graced us with his presence.

Each day is split with four teams and there should be good storylines on each day. Here's how they break out.

July 27

Nebraska
Oklahoma State
Iowa State
Texas A&M

July 28

Missouri
Baylor
Kansas
Oklahoma

July 29

Kansas State
Texas Tech
Colorado
Texas

Unlike many conferences, the Big 12 did not release the attendees who will be coming to the festivities. Those names usually aren't released until the week before the meetings.

And I know that coaches don't ask the media who should be coming, but this would be my choice for each school if they inquired about my picks.

Nebraska: QB Zac Lee, I-back Roy Helu Jr., DT Ndamukong Suh, K Alex Henery.

Oklahoma State: QB Zac Robinson, RB Kendall Hunter, WR Dez Bryant, T Russell Okung, LB Andre Sexton.

Iowa State: QB Austen Arnaud, RB Alexander Robinson, WR Darius Darks, CB Leonard Johnson.

Texas A&M: QB Jerrod Johnson, WR Jeff Fuller, S Jordan Pugh, LB Von Miller.

Missouri: QB Blaine Gabbert, TB Derrick Washington, G Kurtis Gregory, NT Jaron Baston, LB Sean Weatherspoon.

Baylor: QB Robert Griffin, C J.D. Walton, LB Joe Pawelek, S Jordan Lake.

Kansas: QB Todd Reesing, WR Kerry Meier, WR Dezmon Briscoe, LB Angus Quigley, S Darrell Stuckey.

Oklahoma: QB Sam Bradford, LB Travis Lewis, TE Jermaine Gresham, DT Gerald McCoy.

Kansas State: QB Carson Coffman, WR Brandon Banks, DE Brandon Harold, CB Joshua Moore.

Texas Tech: QB Taylor Potts, RB Baron Batch, G Brandon Carter, DT Colby Whitlock.

Colorado: QB Cody Hawkins, RB Darrell Scott, LB Shaun Mohler, CB Cha'pelle Brown.

Texas: QB Colt McCoy, WR Jordan Shipley, DE-LB Sergio Kindle, S Earl Thomas.

Notice a recurring trend in my choices? If I were the Big 12 commissioner, there would be a rule that each team had to bring their starting quarterback among their attendees. No excuses.

Do I think that rule will ever be proposed?

Not on your life.

But here's a guess on the most likely and least likely to attend, for obvious reasons.

I bet there's probably a good possibility that Bradford and McCoy will be attending. Most Heisman Trophy candidates attend these affairs.

But I'm just as sure that Briscoe and Potts won't be there, either.

These are my choices. Hopefully they all will attend, or most of them, anyway.

Anybody else have other players they would like to attend, and why?

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Sometimes the spring provides a chance for personnel holes to be filled. Sometimes it doesn't.

Here are some of the notable positions around the Big 12 that picked up some assistance during the spring.

Baylor: The quick development of defensive tackle Phil Taylor, a heralded transfer from Penn State, should turn a traditional position of weakness for the Bears into a strength. Joining him at the position will be Jason Lamb, who showed some promise after moving over from defensive end before spring practice.

Colorado: The emergence of hulking 260-pound middle linebacker Marcus Burton and B.J. Beatty at outside linebacker have helped transform the Buffaloes' defense. Burton led the team in tackles and was a prime playmaker in the spring game with eight tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery. He had eight tackles in 10 games last season.

Iowa State: Redshirt freshman quarterback Jerome Tiller outplayed starter Austen Arnaud in the spring game, passing for 210 yards and getting free for a 65-yard touchdown run. I'm not sure that Tiller will be starting come September, but he'll make Arnaud work harder to earn his job.

Kansas: The Jayhawks had questions in the defensive line before the spring, even with the return of all-Big 12 honorable mention selections Caleb Blakesley and Jake Laptad and late season starting defensive tackles Richard Johnson and Jamal Greene. The development of tackle Darius Parish and end Max Onyegbule should add to the depth. And that doesn't even account for the arrival of heralded junior college transfer Quintin Woods, who originally signed with Michigan out of high school before heading to Bakersfield (Cal.) Community College to get his grades in order.

Kansas State: The emergence of linebackers like Alex Hrebec, Ulla Pomele and John Houlik has helped turn the position into the strength of the defense, even as the Wildcats are transforming to a 4-2-5 alignment. Hrebec, a former walk-on, contributed 19 tackles in the spring game and Houlik is a huge hitter despite his 5-foot-11, 219-pound size.

Missouri: Redshirt freshman Aldon Smith has only added to the Tigers' depth at defensive end, which already featured Brian Coulter and Jacquies Smith in front of him. Smith was voted as the team's most improved player in the spring. Throw in converted offensive tackle Brad Madison and redshirt freshman Marcus Marlbrough and you'll see why Gary Pinkel considers it his best collection of defensive ends at Missouri.

Nebraska: The Cornhuskers had serious questions at quarterback, particularly after the departure of projected starting challenger Patrick Witt before spring practice and Kody Spano's knee injury. But the strong spring by Zac Lee and the surprising development of converted linebacker LaTravis Washington eased some of offensive coordinator Shawn Watson's concerns. Their strong spring work also should mean that heralded freshman Cody Green likely won't be thrown into action perhaps as quickly as Watson might have feared before the spring.

Oklahoma: After losing starters Nic Harris and Lendy Holmes, safety was the only position without returning starters for the Sooners on defense. Quinton Carter nailed down one starting position and Sam Proctor and Joseph Ibiloye are poised to fight for the other job beside him. Emmanuel Jones and Desmond Jackson also had strong spring efforts to challenge for playing time.

Oklahoma State: Defensive tackle was enough of a question that new coordinator Bill Young moved Derek Burton inside from defensive end to help bolster depth at the position. Burton and Swanson Miller appear to have won starting jobs with redshirt freshman Nigel Nicholas and junior Chris Donaldson providing strong depth. Their strong play helped the Cowboys rack up seven sacks in the spring game - more than half of their 2008 season total of 13.

Texas: The Longhorns were concerned about defensive end after the departure of NFL draft picks Brian Orakpo and Henry Melton from last season. Those fears appear to be assuaged after the seamless transition of Sergio Kindle to the position from linebacker and the quick assimilation by freshman Alex Okafor. Toss in Sam Acho and Russell Carter and the return injured pass-rushing threat Eddie Jones and the Longhorns appear stacked at the position.

Texas A&M: Safety was a question mark before spring camp after the loss of Devin Gregg and Alton Dixon and the move of 2008 starting free safety Jordan Peterson to cornerback. But the strong return to safety by converted cornerback Jordan Pugh and the noticeable development by Trent Hunter helped solidify the position during the spring. And the Aggies' depth at the position was improved after the move of wide receiver Chris Caflisch to the position along with strong play from DeMaurier Thompson.

Texas Tech: The departure of two-time Biletnikoff Award winner Michael Crabtree and underrated Eric Morris was supposed to cripple the Red Raiders' receiving corps. Mike Leach appears to have found several serviceable replacements after Tramain Swindall, Lyle Leong, Detron Lewis and walk-on flanker Adam Torres all emerged during the spring. And that doesn't include Edward Britton, who was in Leach's doghouse much of the spring after falling behind in the classroom but still is perhaps their most athletic force on the field.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Texas A&M Aggies 2008 overall record: 4-8 2008 conference record: 2-6 Returning starters Offense: 8, defense: 7, kicker/punter: 0 Top returners QB Jerrod Johnson, RB Cyrus Gray, WR Jeff Fuller, WR-QB Ryan Tannehill, DE-LB Von Miller, S Jordan Pugh Key losses QB Stephen McGee, RB Cyrus Gray, WR Jeff Fuller, WR-QB Ryan Tannehill, DE-LB Von Miller, S Jordan Pugh 2008 statistical leaders (* returners) Rushing: Mike Goodson (406 yards) Passing: Jerrod Johnson* (2,435 yards) Receiving: Ryan Tannehill* (844 yards) Tackles: Alton Dixon, Matt Featherston* (94) Sacks: Von Miller* (3.5) Interceptions: Trent Hunter* (3) Spring answers 2009 Schedule Sept. 5 New Mexico Sept. 19 Utah State Sept. 26 UAB Oct. 3 Arkansas (at Arlington, Texas) Oct. 10 Oklahoma State Oct. 17 at Kansas State Oct. 24 at Texas Tech Oct. 31 Iowa State Nov. 7 at Colorado Nov. 14 at Oklahoma Nov. 21 Baylor Nov. 26 Texas 1. Jeff Fuller emerges: With Ryan Tannehill sitting out most practice drills this spring recovering from shoulder surgery, Fuller stepped up as the Aggies' top receiver and most productive offensive weapon. He toyed with A&M's injury-depleted secondary in the spring game, producing nine catches for 147 yards. It was a continuation of a big spring where he simply dominated practices. Now, will he be able to do that against other defenses? 2. "The Matrix" sticks out: DE-LB Von Miller picked up a nickname from A&M coaches because of his freakish speed and productivity as an undersized pass rusher. A&M defensive coordinator Joe Kines placed the 6-foot-3, 214-pound Miller in his new "jack" position, a hybrid linebacker/defensive end position where they believe his speed and athleticism will enable him to thrive. He picked up two sacks and numerous quarterback pressures in the spring game. But it remains to be seen if he can consistently produce during the season against bigger opponents on a regular basis. 3. Productive safeties: The Aggies desperately need strong play in the secondary after struggles last season. They got it during the spring from senior Jordan Pugh and sophomore Trent Hunter. Pugh, a converted cornerback, served as the secondary's spiritual leader throughout spring play. And Hunter has built on a strong freshman season to nail down the other starting job as the secondary's most consistent playmaker. Fall questions 1. Offensive line: The Aggies needed a lot of work this spring after allowing 39 sacks last season. But the offensive line was riddled with absences as projected starters Lee Grimes, Lucas Patterson and Kevin Matthews all missed spring practice recovering from injuries. A&M needs help in the trenches after producing a Big 12-low 88.5 rushing yards per game, culminated by an embarrassing minus-24 yards rushing against Texas. And depth could be a question with only nine scholarship players returning. 2. Backup quarterback: Coach Mike Sherman seems intent on giving starting WR Tannehill a shot at quarterback, although Tannehill's work at the position was limited as he recovered from a torn labrum. Tommy Dorman struggled behind starting QB Jerrod Johnson, making the position open heading into the fall. Dorman's development would enable Sherman to move Tannehill back to wide receiver and provide another receiving threat to go with Fuller. But look for Tannehill to start camp in August at quarterback. 3. Running back: The Aggies spent the spring trying to groom a replacement for Michael Goodson, who skipped his senior season to declare early for the NFL draft. Cyrus Gray and Jay Tolliver got most of the work during the spring. Tolliver had a team-high 67 yards in the spring game and Gray produced a touchdown. But don't be surprised if heralded incoming freshman Christine Michael gets immediate work at the position from his first day in summer camp as Sherman looks for an immediate upgrade in talent and athleticism.