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Alabama might have fallen to No. 2 in ESPN colleague Mark Schlabach's Way-Too-Early Preseason Top 25, but I'd like to think that most of the college football world still considers the Crimson Tide to be the favorites to win the national championship again.

Alabama lost nine draft picks, including three first-rounders, but Nick Saban has a host of talent returning on both sides of the ball, and the Tide's schedule isn't too daunting after the first two games.

But there are teams that will test the Tide's road to a national championship trifecta in 2013. Colleague Travis Haney picked five teams from around the country that could challenge Alabama's title hopes this fall. Ohio State topped his list, while Texas A&M made it from the SEC.

No surprise there with the Aggies. Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel returns with a bundle of riches to accompany him in the Aggies' backfield.

Johnny Football might not have Luke Joeckel protecting him, but Jake Matthews provides quite the safety net with his move to left tackle, and there is still talent and experience up front. Mike Evans leads a young but talented group of pass-catchers.

The defense is a concern, with five members of last season's front seven gone, but the Aggies will still be equipped to win most shootouts.

A&M benefits from getting Alabama at home early in the season, but has to play Arkansas, Ole Miss, LSU and Missouri on the road. Even beating Alabama early doesn't guarantee the Aggies will make it to Atlanta over the Tide.

Schedule: The Aggies will open spring practice Saturday and conclude on April 13 with their annual Maroon & White Game at 4:30 p.m. ET at Kyle Field. Practices will be closed to the public, but the Friday Night Lights event on April 5 will be open and free of charge. It will include a scrimmage at Kyle Field.

What’s new: Clarence McKinney takes over as the Aggies’ primary playcaller on offense. McKinney called the plays in the 41-13 win over Oklahoma in the AT&T Cotton Bowl after Kliff Kingsbury left to take the Texas Tech head-coaching job. Sumlin then promoted McKinney to offensive coordinator. McKinney will also still coach the running backs. Jake Spavital joins the staff as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach after spending the past two seasons on the West Virginia staff under Dana Holgorsen. Jeff Banks replaces Brian Polian as special-teams coordinator and tight ends coach after spending the past nine seasons on the UTEP staff.

On the mend: Sophomore defensive end Julien Obioha missed the Cotton Bowl with an injury, so his status this spring is up in the air. Sophomore linebacker Michael Richardson is recovering from a spine surgery.

On the move: Junior Cedric Ogbuehi is moving from right guard to right tackle and will take over for senior Jake Matthews, who will be sliding over from right tackle and stepping in at left tackle for Outland Trophy winner Luke Joeckel.

Prime positioning: Junior Deshazor Everett could play cornerback or safety. He started all 13 games last season, but shuffled between cornerback and safety. Junior Howard Matthews returns at safety after having a breakout 2012 season.

Question marks: The status of returning starter Kirby Ennis at defensive tackle is up in the air after his arrest and subsequent suspension from the team. He was arrested on a gun charge last month. Two other senior tackles -- Spencer Nealy and Jonathan Mathis -- are also gone. The Aggies will need some younger players to develop in the middle of that defensive line, and replacing Damontre Moore at end will also be a challenge. Sophomore Alonzo Williams could factor in at both end and tackle after playing some last season as a true freshman. He started for the injured Obioha in the Cotton Bowl.

New faces: Eight players from the 2013 class are already enrolled and will go through spring practice. Four linebackers are part of that group, and the Aggies lost two senior starters -- Jonathan Stewart and Sean Porter. Tommy Sanders, one of the top-ranked junior college linebackers in the country, could be an immediate contributor as an outside linebacker. Freshman Reggie Chevis of Houston will get a long look at middle linebacker. Freshman Alex Sezer of Orange, Texas, could make a run at one of the starting cornerback jobs. Junior college newcomer Cameron Clear, who started his career at Tennessee, will be somebody to watch at both tight end and H-back.

Breaking out: There’s another Matthews on the horizon. Mike Matthews, the younger brother of Jake Matthews, is the front-runner to replace Patrick Lewis at center. The younger Matthews played some last season as a true freshman. Also, junior receiver Malcome Kennedy had a strong close to last season and will be looking to build off that momentum. The Aggies are losing three senior starters at receiver, including Ryan Swope.

Don’t forget about: Junior running back Brandon Williams is ready to go after sitting out last season. A transfer from Oklahoma, Williams could also be a factor on kickoff returns. He’s one of the most explosive players on the roster and has big play written all over him.

Backed up: The Aggies shouldn’t have any shortage of options at running back, even with Christine Michael departing. In addition to Williams, Oregon transfer Tra Carson will be eligible in 2013. At 240 pounds, he projects as the short-yardage guy. Sophomore Trey Williams rates up there with Brandon Williams as a solid breakout candidate and averaged 5.8 yards per carry last season on limited touches. Senior Ben Malena returns as the feature back. He was one of the more underrated running backs in the SEC last season with 808 rushing yards and eight touchdowns and is also a solid pass protector.

All eyes on: What does Johnny Manziel do for an encore, and how does he mesh with his new offensive coordinator? He set an SEC record with 5,116 yards of total offense last season and won the Heisman Trophy. Redshirt freshmen simply aren’t supposed to put up those kinds of numbers, but Manziel just got better and better as the season progressed. Now, the question becomes: How does he handle that success, and what kind of blow will it be for him to lose Kingsbury as his coordinator and quarterbacks coach? It certainly didn’t seem to faze him in the bowl game. The bigger question may be Manziel’s backup. Jameill Showers transferred to UTEP. Redshirt freshman Matt Davis will battle junior Matt Joeckel for that job.

Here are a few storylines to watch this spring in the Western Division. Edward took a look at the Eastern Division on Monday.

ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE

Start date: March 16

Spring game: April 20

What to watch:

1. Battling complacency: Alabama is gearing up for yet another title defense. Will complacency finally rear its ugly head? Not if Nick Saban has anything to do with it. The head coach will no doubt remind players of the targets on their backs and what little they've accomplished as presently constituted.
2. Opening up the passing game: The return of AJ McCarron, coupled with a talented, deep crop of receivers, could mean a more wide-open passing game in Tuscaloosa. If true freshman tight end O.J. Howard develops as some expect, the offense could become even more dynamic.
3. Offensive line makeover: Barrett Jones, Chance Warmack and D.J. Fluker are gone. And with them the best offensive line in college football has vanished. Veterans Cyrus Kouandjio and Anthony Steen return, but few experienced players are waiting in the wings for Alabama.
   -- Alex Scarborough, TideNation

ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS

Start date: March 10

Spring game: April 20

What to watch:

1. Bielema’s stamp: They won’t remember 2012 very fondly in Arkansas. It started with Bobby Petrino’s embarrassing ouster last spring and ended with a forgettable 4-8 season. The Hogs are starting all over with Bret Bielema, who led Wisconsin to three straight Rose Bowl appearances. This spring will be Bielema’s first real chance to put his stamp on the program and introduce the Hogs to his brand of power football.
2. Offensive overhaul: Bielema was known at Wisconsin for running the football behind big, physical offensive lines. His offensive coordinator, Jim Chaney, has more of a passing pedigree. It will be interesting to see how it all comes together offensively for the Hogs, who are losing their top passer, top two rushers and top three receivers from last season. Brandon Allen and Brandon Mitchell will vie for the starting quarterback job.
3. Defense takes the lead: The Hogs won under Petrino thanks to their high-scoring offense, and at times, in spite of their defense. But in 2013, the defense may have to carry a lot more of the load. First-year coordinator Chris Ash inherits a veteran front, some young talent at linebacker and a secondary that also should be much improved. It’s a unit that will need to mesh quickly, and that starts this spring.

AUBURN TIGERS

Start date: March 27

Spring game: April 20

What to watch:

1. Malzahn’s back: Gus Malzahn returns to the Plains as head coach, which means this spring will be critical in re-installing his hurry-up, no-huddle offense. The first task will be finding a quarterback. Kiehl Frazier struggled last season, but was handpicked by Malzahn when Malzahn was at Auburn the first time. The Tigers need to rediscover their passing game after finishing with eight touchdown passes and 15 interceptions a year ago.
2. Power running game: Tre Mason was a pleasant surprise last season for the Tigers and rushed for 1,002 yards. With heralded junior college newcomer Cameron Artis-Payne on campus and set to go through spring practice, Auburn would like to establish him as that power back with size and speed to serve as a complement to Mason.
3. Getting defensive: Veteran defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson looks to revive an Auburn defense that has fallen on hard times each of the past two seasons and will put in his 4-2-5 scheme this spring. The key will be finding players who fit. The Tigers will have 18 defensive linemen on the roster in the fall and aren't lacking for talent. Kris Frost could be a fit for that hybrid linebacker/safety spot in Johnson’s defense.

LSU TIGERS

Start date: March 14

Spring game: April 20

What to watch:

1. Cam's influence: When you think of LSU, you think of defense, special teams, defense, a quirky coach and defense. Never offense. Cam Cameron, most recently of the Baltimore Ravens, has been brought in as the new offensive coordinator to try to jump-start an offense that sometimes sputters, especially in big games. We won't really have any answers until this fall, but will we see signs of offensive progress in the spring?
2. Rebuilding the front: LSU lost all four starters from its vaunted defensive line, plus middle linebacker Kevin Minter. Can defensive coordinator John Chavis find playmakers up front ... or a new leader at middle linebacker?
3. Anchoring the line: Some were surprised to see left tackle Chris Faulk leave for the NFL after missing all but one game with a knee injury. It happened, and LSU has a question mark in what was otherwise a solid returning offensive line and offense in general. Who will fill the void? It could be left guard La'el Collins. If so, who plays left guard? The offensive line will be an interesting puzzle for Cameron.
   -- Gary Laney, GeauxTigerNation

MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS

Start date: March 21

Spring game: April 20

What to watch:

1. Catching on: Quarterback Tyler Russell made tremendous strides last season and set school records with 2,897 passing yards and 24 touchdowns, but all of his top receiving targets are gone. This is a big spring for sophomore Joe Morrow, who was impressive last spring, but didn’t do much during the season. Junior Robert Johnson and junior college newcomer Jeremey Chappelle will also figure prominently in the rotation.
2. More pressure: Mississippi State didn’t get much pressure on the quarterback last season and also finished 11^th in the SEC against the run. Tackle Josh Boyd is gone, which means the door is wide open for sophomores Quay Evans and Nick James to make moves after playing as true freshmen a year ago. The Bulldogs also need more production from senior end Denico Autry.
3. Secondary makeover: The Bulldogs are losing three starters in their secondary, including Jim Thorpe Award winner Johnthan Banks at cornerback. There will be some serious competition for spots this spring. Somebody to watch is junior college newcomer Justin Cox, who may be an immediate starter at cornerback. He’s one of the fastest players on the team.

OLE MISS REBELS

Start date: March 17

Spring game: April 13

What to watch:

1. Brunetti's chance: Starting quarterback Bo Wallace will miss the spring while recovering from clavicle surgery. That means Barry Brunetti will get most of the first-team reps. He needs to become a better quarterback and give the coaches confidence that he can be the guy if something should happen to Wallace. Right now, he’s more of a runner playing quarterback. He’s a good enough athlete that he could play elsewhere on offense in the fall.
2. Lining up: The Rebels’ defensive line has big-time potential, especially with the arrival of coveted defensive end signee Robert Nkemdiche this summer. But this spring, sophomore end Channing Ward and sophomore tackle Issac Gross will be under the spotlight. Gross is trying to beef up, and the Rebels would like to see him around 285 pounds after he played at 265 last season. Also, junior college newcomer Lavon Hooks will get a chance to show what he can do at tackle.
3. Shackelford's return: D.T. Shackelford hasn’t played in two seasons after undergoing multiple surgeries on his right knee, but he’s raring to go this spring and should be 100 percent healthy. Not only does Shackelford give the Rebels another experienced linebacker, but he’s one of the strongest leaders on the team. Just having him back on the practice field should do wonders for the Ole Miss defense.

TEXAS A&M AGGIES

Start date: March 2

Spring game: April 13

What to watch:

1. Who's Manziel throwing to?: Three of the four starters at receiver from the Aggies' 2012 team were seniors, so they're gone now, including Ryan Swope. Mike Evans, who had a sensational redshirt freshman season, is back, but who is going to surround him as targets for Johnny Football?
2. Thunder and lightning: Two running backs -- Brandon Williams (transfer from Oklahoma) and Tra Carson (transfer from Oregon) will join starter Ben Malena and young Trey Williams in the backfield after sitting out last season per transfer rules. Carson brings heft (230-240 pounds), while Williams, who is nicknamed "Slim," could be a game-breaker.
3. New coaches: Running backs coach Clarence McKinney has been promoted to offensive coordinator and will call the plays, succeeding Kliff Kingsbury in that role. The Aggies also welcome a new quarterbacks coach (Jake Spavital from West Virginia), linebackers coach (Mark Hagen from Indiana) and special-teams coordinator (Jeff Banks from UTEP).
   -- Sam Khan Jr., GigEmNation

We continue our offseason spotlight series by taking a look at the Texas A&M Aggies.

Spotlight: Offensive lineman Cedric Ogbuehi, 6-foot-5, 295 pounds, rising redshirt junior

2012 summary: After being hampered by an ankle injury during the first part of his redshirt freshman season, Ogbuehi had an extremely strong 2012. He started all 13 games for the Aggies at right guard. Texas A&M proved to have one of the best offensive lines in the country, as the Aggies led the SEC in total offense (558.5 yards per game), rushing offense (242.1) and passing (316.5).

The skinny: Ogbuehi had a tremendous year in 2012, but he'll take on even more responsibility this year. With All-America left tackle and future top-10 NFL draft pick Luke Joeckel jumping to the NFL early, Ogbuehi is moving from guard to tackle. Jake Matthews is shifting from right tackle to left tackle to fill the void left by Joeckel, which means Ogbuehi will move over to right tackle. Losing Joeckel certainly stings, but having a reliable body like Ogbuehi step up to assist on the outside will really help this offense as it looks to pick up where it left off following a great 2012 season. Quarterback Johnny Manziel has to feel pretty relieved about it as well. He might be the slipperiest and most exciting quarterback to watch in all of college football, but even he knows he couldn't have won the Heisman Trophy last season without the play of his offensive line. Matthews should be fine with his move to left tackle, and once Ogbuehi adds some weight, he shouldn't have too much of an issue transitioning to his new spot. He's a very physical player, which will help on the outside, and Ogbuehi will have a lot of time before the season arrives to get more comfortable on the outside. He'll have more on his plate this spring, so it's important that he adapt because the offense is losing some key members from the 2012 team. Replacing playmakers is one thing but it gets much easier when you have a reliable line working for you.

Past spotlights:

• Vanderbilt

There was no shortage of outstanding offensive linemen in the SEC this past season, and this next guy was one of the top tackles in the country.

No. 16: Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M, Jr.

2012 summary: Matthews was a first-team All-America selection by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and a second-team All-America selection by the Walter Camp Foundation and SI.com. He was a consensus first-team All-SEC selection. The Aggies led the SEC and were 11th nationally in rushing offense with an average of 242.1 yards per game.

Most recent ranking: Not ranked in the 2012 preseason countdown.

Making the case for Matthews: Even though Outland Trophy winner Luke Joeckel garnered most of the postseason love in terms of awards, Matthews was equally dominant from his right tackle spot and a big reason the Aggies were so explosive offensively. They became the first team in SEC history to rack up 7,000 yards of total offense and gained 400 or more yards in their final 11 games of the 2012 season. The 6-foot-5, 305-pound Matthews has started in 33 straight games and played some of his best football this past season against the stiffest competition. His leadership in the locker room was invaluable, and the best news for the Aggies is that he'll be back for his senior season after considering a jump to the NFL. Several analysts had Matthews projected as a first-round pick. He'll slide over to left tackle as a senior and protect the blind side of Heisman Trophy quarterback Johnny Manziel. The son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews, the younger Matthews obviously has the right bloodlines, but he also has the right stuff physically, mentally and from a competitive spirit standpoint to be a stalwart on any offensive line.

The Rundown

• No. 17: Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri, Jr.
• No. 18: Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida, Jr.
• No. 19: Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU, RJr.
• No. 20: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama, Fr.
• No. 21: Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee, Jr.
• No. 22: Mike Gillislee, RB, Florida, Sr.
• No. 23: Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt, Jr.
• No. 24: Matt Elam, S, Florida, Jr.
• No. 25: Johnthan Banks, CB, Mississippi State, Sr.

It's time to grade Texas A&M's first season in the SEC:

OFFENSE: Remember how the Aggies' offense was supposed to struggle without Ryan Tannehill running things and a redshirt freshman replacing him at quarterback? Yeah, that really worked out. Thanks to the minds of Kevin Sumlin, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and a Heisman Trophy winner in Johnny Manziel, the Aggies ran over most of their new opponents in 2012 with the SEC's top offense. Texas A&M averaged a league-high 558.5 yards per game (third nationally). The Aggies also led the SEC in rushing (242.1), passing (316.5) and scoring offense (44.5). A&M registered more than 400 yards in 12 games and more than 600 yards in seven games. Johnny Football became the first freshman to ever win the Heisman and broke the SEC record for total offense with 5,116 yards (3,706 passing and 1,410 rushing). He also totaled 47 touchdowns and led the SEC in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns (21). Manziel had a special year, but he also got help from a dynamic receiving duo in freshman Mike Evans and senior Ryan Swope, who combined to catch 154 passes for 2,018 yards and 13 touchdowns. Uzoma Nwachukwu only caught 26 passes, but he added seven more receiving touchdowns. When Manziel wasn't darting past or slipping by defenders, A&M's running game mostly went through running back Ben Malena, who finished the year with 808 yards and eight touchdowns. Christine Michael added 12 more rushing touchdowns. A&M was also equipped with one of the top offensive lines in the country led by Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews. Grade: A+

DEFENSE: The Aggies ranked seventh or lower in the SEC in the four major defensive categories, including ranking 12th in pass defense (250.7 yards per game). Teams scored 36 touchdowns on the Aggies and averaged 21.8 points per game. The Aggies surrendered 20-plus points in seven games, including allowing 57 points in a back-and-forth win over Louisiana Tech. A&M might have had some issues when it came to slowing down the yardage and points, but in its two losses, the Aggies allowed just 20 and 24 points. The Aggies gave up 390.2 yards per game and grabbed just 16 takeaways. Defensive end Damontre Moore became a real star. He was one of the top defenders in the country, tying for eighth nationally with 12.5 sacks and seventh with 21 tackles for loss. He also led the Aggies with 85 total tackles and nine quarterback hurries. The defense, which was relatively young in the back end, might have had a little more bend than the coaches would like, but it rarely broke down and held an Oklahoma offense to just 13 points in the AT&T Cotton Bowl. Grade: B-

OVERALL: The Aggies were supposed to struggle in their first year in the SEC, but flourished instead. Johnny Football was a major reason why, but Sumlin instilled an extremely tough personality during spring ball that carried over to the season. Alabama might have been crowned college football's national champion, but after a 41-13 beat down of Oklahoma, the Aggies made a solid case for being the nation's top team -- and A&M was the only team to top the Crimson Tide with a 29-24 win in Tuscaloosa. The defense needed to be bailed out by the offense at times, but even with no bye week during the regular season, the Aggies never seemed to slow down. If not for the opener against Louisiana Tech being postponed, the season might have been even better with a game under the Aggies' belt before taking on Florida. A&M wasn't as sharp against LSU, but was in serious contention for a BCS bowl game late in the year. Grade: A

Past grades:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Auburn
• Florida
• Georgia
• Kentucky
• LSU
• Mississippi State
• Missouri
• Ole Miss
• South Carolina
• Tennessee

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Oklahoma's defense had heard the legends about Johnny Football. They'd seen the highlight reels and trophy acceptance speeches.

Until Friday, though, they had never stepped on the same field with the first freshman to win a Heisman Trophy. After Texas A&M's 20-year-old superstar rolled over the Sooners for 516 total yards (229 rushing, 287 throwing) and four touchdowns in a 41-13 Cotton Bowl victory, Oklahoma couldn't help but be glad his college years will be spent on fields across the SEC and not the Big 12 -- where the Aggies would have been if not for some conference upheaval over the past two years.

"Johnny Manziel is everything he was billed to be," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. "He makes everybody miss him. He was what you've seen on tape the whole year."

Sooners defensive coordinator Mike Stoops called Manziel the best player he'd ever played, which carries a special significance considering Stoops' defense gave up 344 rushing yards and 572 all-purpose yards to a shifty, speedy receiver named Tavon Austin from West Virginia barely six weeks ago, the second-most all-purpose yards in a game in FBS history.

"He's not a Heisman winner for no reason," said Oklahoma safety Javon Harris, who scooped up an interception off Manziel when receiver Malcome Kennedy bobbled what likely should have been Manziel's fifth touchdown of the night. "You saw what he did to the SEC all year. We knew exactly what we were going to get into."

Stoops' defense refused to blitz Manziel for most of the night, but the Aggies' strong offensive line -- led by bookends and future NFL first-round picks Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews -- hardly allowed Oklahoma's defensive linemen to make Manziel notice they were even trying to chase him down. For much of the game, Oklahoma's secondary would cover the Aggies' receivers, but Manziel would find a crease and turn a broken play into a big gain.

"It's hard if you've got an angle on him," Bob Stoops said. "He stops, goes the other way. If you don't he outruns you."

Despite spending the past month making a post-Heisman nationwide media circuit and losing his offensive coordinator, Kliff Kingsbury, Manziel strung together one of the best highlight reels in bowl history, which was set to a soundtrack of "Johnny B. Goode" from Chuck Berry on the big screen at Cowboys Stadium as the final minutes of the game ticked away and Texas A&M fans serenaded the exiting Oklahomans with an "S-E-C" chant.

More like Johnny B. Great.

"There wasn't anything holding us back. No rust. There was no nothing," Manziel said.

He energized the crowd as few have ever had the ability to do, the volume level in Cowboys Stadium rising quickly any time he fled the pocket. Oklahoma's defense could do little to stop him or to quiet the Aggies-friendly crowd of 87,025, the biggest Cotton Bowl crowd ever at the venue.

A media flock hounding him while he did required postgame TV and radio interviews couldn't catch him either after he sprinted from midfield to the corner of the stadium to finish the last few bars of the "Aggie War Hymn" with his teammates in front of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band.

"This is kind of a game that turned the page again," Manziel said. "People asked me earlier in the year about what game made it all click. There was the Arkansas game, and this game tonight made me flash back to that."

That's a scary thought for the rest of the SEC, which could spend the next three years chasing a quarterback nobody can seem to catch, inside or outside the pocket. He helped Texas A&M become the first offense in SEC history to amass 7,000 total yards, and there's no reason he won't do it again. With Manziel taking snaps and breaking tackles, there will be plenty of national title talk in Aggieland over the next few months, with a blowout victory over the Sooners serving as springboard. Texas A&M proved it was better than national title game favorite Alabama on a November afternoon in Tuscaloosa. Can it be better than everyone in the nation for three months next fall?

"For everybody next year, this is the first game of the new year," A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said. "It sets the bar."

Manziel will be around to help us all find out if the Aggies will clear it.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Another Cotton Bowl, another bad loss for the Big 12. Excluding current SEC member Missouri's win back in 2008, the Big 12 has lost the Cotton Bowl to an SEC opponent in eight consecutive seasons. Johnny Football put on a show after a month away and showed zero signs of rust and a zillion signs of being an endless source of frustration for Oklahoma's defense.

The Big 12 finished 4-5 in its nine bowl games, and the SEC improved to 4-3 in its bowl games. Let's take a look at some instant analysis for Texas A&M's 41-13 blowout win over the Sooners.

It was over when: Facing a fourth-and-5 late in the third quarter, Manziel hit Ryan Swope over the middle on a short slant. Swope shed a tackler and raced 33 yards to put the Aggies up, 34-13. That capped a run of three Oklahoma three-and-outs to begin the second half and spelled doom for the Sooners.

Game ball goes to: Johnny Manziel. I mean, who else? He broke the Cotton Bowl record for total yards with 516 and accounted for four touchdowns. It could have even been five, too, if not for Malcome Kennedy's bobbling a pass in the end zone that was eventually intercepted by Oklahoma's Javon Harris.

Stat of the game: Oklahoma averaged 4.8 yards per play. Texas A&M averaged 9.6 yards per play. It was really that simple in this one. Johnny Football made the Aggies dangerous on what seemed like every snap. Oklahoma's offense played well in the first half, but it rarely looked easy, and Texas A&M prevented the Sooners from breaking big plays. It also clamped down in the red zone.

Unsung hero of the game: Texas A&M's offensive line. Get a good, long look at Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews serving as bookends on this line. They might be gone soon, cashing big-time checks as NFL first-round picks. Mike Sherman had well-chronicled struggles, but the offensive line guru left some big beef for Manziel and the Aggies offense to operate behind. It showed tonight. Oklahoma rarely blitzed, for fear of Manziel running loose in the second level, but he had all day to throw and little pressure on most snaps.

What Texas A&M learned: Heisman jinx, December distractions, coaching changes, whatever. It all seemed pretty irrelevant in this game. Johnny Football looked like his usual self, if not better. He broke loose for 47 rushing yards on Texas A&M's opening drive and didn't slow down from there. Kliff Kingsbury checked out as Texas A&M's offensive coordinator, but Clarence McKinney had a solid performance in his debut as play-caller. Manziel insisted he wasn't distracted and that the whirlwind of awards and television appearances after winning the Heisman hadn't changed him. His performance validated those claims.

What Oklahoma learned: Just like Kansas State and Notre Dame, the Sooners were incapable of beating the elite teams in college football this year. A 10-3 season isn't bad, but it's not good enough at Oklahoma. The Sooners might not have even been happy going 1-2 in those losses, but 0-3 will leave a very bitter taste in their mouths thinking back on a season that was very average by the Sooners' sky-high standards. Any notion that it had a formula for stopping or even slowing down the Johnny Football train went out the window. He had his way with the Sooner defense, which tackled poorly, too.

Kickoff is only a few hours away, and I'll be there in person shortly, but here's who I'm taking in the Big 12's season finale in Cowboys Stadium.

My pick: Texas A&M 41, Oklahoma 37

I really just don't buy that Oklahoma's defense can slow Johnny Manziel enough to win this. I do think there are a ton of outside factors that might influence how well he plays or doesn't play. He's a young guy, and who knows how he truly handled the time away on the awards circuit? The coaches have had only good things to say, but will he look rusty, and will Mike Stoops have a solid plan to slow him down and keep him contained?

Additionally, how will the loss of Kliff Kingsbury affect him? I do think this game comes down to exactly how "Johnny Football" plays, but I like his chances to overcome that stuff and play well. Oklahoma's defense plays well, too. The Sooners lock down on Sean Porter and Damontre Moore and keep them out of Landry Jones' face, and Jones plays well in his final start, just not quite well enough to win.

Texas A&M's backs, Ben Malena and Christine Michael, are criminally underrated and overshadowed by Manziel, and they'll be the X factors in this one and help the Aggies control the game down the stretch. This offensive line is battle-tested in an SEC full of defensive lines much tougher than the Sooners'. Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews will prove why they're both projected to be NFL draft first-rounders and will ultimately win this game for the Aggies with a bruising running game in the final quarter.

If Mark Richt and his Georgia Bulldogs are in the Twilight Zone, consider Missouri and Texas A&M the stars of "Trading Places."

In a year that was supposed to be a fine welcome for the Tigers and a rude awakening for the Aggies, both programs have switched roles as they prepare for Saturday's matchup against each other.

Missouri (5-6, 2-5 SEC) was supposed to be all smiles heading into College Station. They were supposed to have the high-flying offense and the deadly dual-threat quarterback. Missouri, which had more experience and more confidence coming into the SEC was supposed to challenge for the SEC Eastern Division.

But these new kids on the block aren't putting out many hits in their first year in the SEC.

Instead, No. 9 Texas A&M (9-2, 5-2) is a national darling and is equipped with a Heisman frontrunner in quarterback Johnny Manziel. Even with a brand new coaching staff, brand new offense, brand new defense and a brand new quarterback, the Aggies are in line for a BCS bowl. They even took down No. 1 Alabama ... in Tuscaloosa.

Roles really have reversed here. Missouri's James Franklin, who broke out onto the college football scene last year with his 2,865 passing yards and 981 rushing yards, was supposed to be the SEC's top dual-threat QB. But he's been held together by bandages this season and won't come close to his 2011 numbers, as he's averaging 1.4 yards per carry this season.

Johnny Football, who has become the first freshman and fifth NCAA FBS player to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a season, now owns Franklin's old title, as he looks to extend his eight-game streak of having 300 or more total yards of offense.

The offenses flipped as well. Missouri returned so much experience and speed. The offensive line had good experience and the wide receivers were supposed to make Dave Yost's spread offense a challenge for SEC defenses.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, injuries piled up on the offensive line. All five preseason starters have gone down -- some for the season. Add inconsistency at wide receiver, and Mizzou's offense has gone in reverse, averaging just 316 yards in SEC games (12th in the conference).

We thought we'd see a breakout year from the likes of Marcus Lucas or L'Damian Washington at wide receiver. And former No. 1 recruit Dorial Green-Beckham's impact in the passing game was supposed to come much earlier and more often.

Coach Gary Pinkel said he expected the SEC to be tough, but he never thought Mizzou would limp through the season like this. You have to wonder if the physicality of this league really has affected the Tigers.

Remember how the Aggies lost their starting quarterback and were completely changing the offense? Well, A&M leads the SEC in total offense (543.7 yards per game) rushing (234.9) and scoring (43.5). A&M is also second in passing (308.8). Kevin Sumlin has done a phenomenal job in his first year and many hats have to go off to offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury for the job he's done with Manziel and that offense.

Having receivers like Ryan Swope, who could have left for the NFL this spring, and Mike Evans combine for 124 catches, 1,681 yards and 10 touchdowns helps, but it's also nice to have a stout offensive line with two future first-rounder at the tackle spots in Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews.

Both defenses have played well, but the Aggies were expected to struggle mightily with a brand new secondary. Instead, the Aggies have done enough to be about even with Tigers in pass defense.

Overall, these two teams just aren't what we expected. A&M has swag, Missouri has bruises.

Sumlin kept his guys working out for two extra weeks before spring practice and it has obviously helped with endurance and health. This team hasn't slowed down, even though it hasn't had a bye week, and that extra work is a major reason why.

Texas A&M is clearly on the rise, and this season should only help recruiting, where the Aggies will really be able to hit Texas -- and the southeast -- even harder with their success and popularity.

Sumlin has already been cleaning up with his 12th-ranked recruiting class that has four ESPN 150 members and seven ESPN 300 members. Missouri has 17 commits with one ESPN 300 member.

It's too early to tell what impact this season will have in the long run in recruiting, but it's clear that 2012 has really helped A&M, and the Aggies are leaving Mizzou behind. They've done it on the football field and if they do it in recruiting, these roles won't change.

With the season winding down, we figured we'd start looking to the future. Like, beyond bowl games future.

We are looking into our crystal ball to check out some of the SEC best who could declare for April's NFL draft early. We've talked to people around the league, those in the know at ESPN when it comes to the NFL draft, and came up with the Texas A&M underclassmen we feel are the best bets to come out and go the highest in next spring's draft.

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Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. updated his Big Board this week and featured 12 SEC players in his top 25. Ten were juniors.

We're going in alphabetical order, so here are Texas A&M underclassmen we feel have the highest draft stock:

Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M: It's hard to find a better left tackle out there. Joeckel entered the season as a surefire first-round pick and has only helped his draft stock with an excellent junior season. He hasn't been rattled by the speed of opposing SEC ends, and has provided very good protection in the pass game. It sounds like he could be the first tackle off the board if he declares early.

Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M: The Aggies are really getting greedy with their tackles. Matthews has been excellent all season, and could play either right or left tackle in the NFL. He's very powerful and moves well up front. He could be a late first-round pick if he decides to come out.

Damontre Moore, DE, Texas A&M: Talk about really breaking out onto the national stage. He was excellent as an outside linebacker last season, but has been an absolute monster at defensive end in his first (and probably only) year in the SEC. He really adjusted to the new 4-3 scheme, and might have played himself into a top-10 pick. He has a team-high 74 tackles, leads the nation with 20 tackles for loss and is tied for first with 12.5 sacks.

Johnny Manziel's numbers this season cause you to sit back and kind of go, “Wow!”

He’s been that explosive, and so has the entire Texas A&M offense, which is fifth nationally in total offense.

But to have the kind of success Texas A&M has had in its first season in the SEC doesn’t happen if you’re not good up front offensively.

The Aggies aren’t just good. They’re outstanding, and they’re led by the best offensive tackle tandem in college football in juniors Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews.

“They’re very, very good, and probably as a pair, as good as anybody we’ve played this year,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said.

It’s one of the matchups that makes Saturday’s Alabama-Texas A&M game so intriguing.

Joeckel and Matthews have the strength, size, quickness and talent to buy Manziel the kind of time that very few offensive lines have been able to buy for their quarterbacks against Alabama’s defense.

“The thing about Alabama is their depth,” said Matthews, the Aggies’ right tackle and son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews. “They just roll guys in. It’s not like the first group is the only good group. They’ve got guys coming in just as good as the guys that were on the field before.

“We feel like our tempo should help us out, trying to keep those other groups off the field and wearing them down.”

Everybody wondered back in the summer how equipped Texas A&M would be to come into the SEC and hold its own this first season. The Aggies were moving from a pro-style offense under the old regime to Kevin Sumlin’s up-tempo, spread attack, and they were also transitioning on defense from a 3-4 to a 4-3.

What was probably overlooked, though, by a lot of people was how rock-solid the Aggies were in their offensive line.

It’s not just Joeckel and Matthews, either. Senior center Patrick Lewis has been a force in the middle of that line after moving over from guard prior to the 2011 season.

“Everything starts with our center, Patrick Lewis,” Joeckel said. “He makes every call, every check. He’s the heart of our offense. He does a great job of getting us ID’d on who we need to be on. It helps having two good tackles, but it all starts with Patrick.”

Still, there’s no substitute in this league for having a pair of bookend tackles that can neutralize game-changing defensive ends and outside linebackers.

Even before the LSU game, Joeckel was considered one of the best left tackles in the country. But he didn’t give up a sack against Sam Montgomery, and his stock is soaring every time he takes the field.

The 6-foot-6, 310-pound Joeckel is plenty big enough, but he also has great balance and footwork. ESPN’s Mel Kiper said this week that Joeckel’s in the mix to be one of the first three players selected in April's NFL draft.

In his latest Big Board of the top 25 prospects for the 2013 draft, Kiper has Joeckel No. 5 and Matthews No. 21.

Obviously, both Joeckel and Matthews would have to give up their senior seasons to turn pro. But if they do, there’s a very good chance that both would be drafted in the first round.

Only once in the last 30 years have two offensive linemen from the same SEC team both been selected in the first round of the same draft. In 1991, tackles Charles McRae and Antone Davis of Tennessee went No. 7 and No. 8, respectively.

The thing that’s so impressive about Joeckel and Matthews is how versatile they’ve been. They haven’t missed a beat despite going from a pro-style offense to a spread offense this season.

“It was a lot harder than a lot of us thought it would be with the up-tempo offense and running up to the ball and getting on the ball right away,” Joeckel said. “It was different than last year, and the blocking schemes were different, a lot more pass protection and a lot more two-point stances.

“But when it comes down to it, it’s the same technique, the same blocking. You’ve still gotta be a tough guy, still gotta cover your man up. It comes down to the simple things.”

There’s nothing simple about blocking the pass-rushers in this league. You’re going against a future pro just about every week.

“You have to be on top of your game every Saturday,” Joeckel said.

The Aggies have watched enough film to know what’s coming this Saturday. The Crimson Tide will come after Manziel from every conceivable angle. They’ll disguise and jump out of one look and into another, and they’ll also probably take a page from the book Florida (in the second half) and LSU used against Manziel.

They’ll look to take away his running alleys and try to keep him in the pocket.

“The thing about Johnny is that if you give him a little extra space or give him an extra second, you know he’s going to make plays,” Joeckel said. “It’s our job to do that.”

As good as the Aggies have been this season on offense, they were held to fewer than 20 points in both of their losses. It just so happens that both of those losses came against the two best defenses they’ve faced -- Florida and LSU.

In both of those games, Texas A&M went belly-up offensively in the second half.

What’s more, Alabama hasn’t given up more than 17 points to an FBS team since the end of the 2010 season.

“The biggest thing coach Sumlin has been pushing is that if we can play a complete game, it’s going to be hard for anyone to beat us,” Matthews said. “The thing that slows us down is ourselves. If we’re getting penalties and having mental errors, that’s the biggest thing that slows our offense down.

“We have the ability and the talent to go out and beat any of these SEC teams, and we’re looking forward to proving that.”

It always comes back to the play in the trenches in the SEC. Just ask, well, anyone.

And as Texas A&M prepares for its first SEC game, it does so with a leg up on one side of the ball with a very talented/veteran offensive line. It's a line that features two potential first-round draft picks in tackles Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews. The Aggies' starting five up front has combined to start 92 games.

That's pretty good, and it's even better for the Aggies when you consider they are throwing out a first-year starting quarterback in redshirt freshman Johnny Manziel.

Texas A&M's line will get quite the test this weekend when No. 24 Florida and its very talented defensive line invade College Station. As Sam Kahn Jr. of ESPN.com's GigEmNation writes, the Aggies will need that veteran line to play one of its best games against the Gators' front in Saturday's season opener.

Coach Kevin Sumlin might be heading into his first season at Texas A&M with a young, inexperienced quarterback, but he's happy to have such sound offensive line to work with:

"Our offensive line, I think as anybody can see, is probably the strength of our football program. Whenever you have a young quarterback or you have a situation where a backup quarterback goes in, it's not necessarily about the quarterback as it is about the other 10 players that let him grow as a player.

"If you had your druthers and said you have an inexperienced line and an experienced quarterback, you'd lean toward having an experienced line and an inexperienced quarterback, particularly going into the league that we're going into. They give us a chance to be successful with their experience, their size and experience in big games."

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Jake Matthews is an older brother to his teammate, Mike Matthews, but to hear him speak of Mike, he almost sounds like a proud father.

They were teammates at Missouri City (Texas) Elkins High and now that Mike, a true freshman, is in Aggieland, they are again teammates for Texas A&M.

And big brother is loving it.

"With Mike, I couldn't be more proud of him, just having your little brother come in, living with him, going to class with him all the time, working out with him," Jake Matthews said. "It's pretty cool to have him around."

Both are sons of NFL Hall of Fame offensive lineman and Tennessee Titans assistant coach Bruce Matthews and are part of a line of football-playing Matthews boys. Their older brother, Kevin, played at Texas A&M and is on the Titans' roster now.

Jake came in just after Kevin's career concluded in College Station but Jake has since carved out a nice career of his own. He started seven games as a true freshman, had a solid sophomore year and is now part of what is perhaps the premier tandem of offensive tackles in college football this year along with teammate Luke Joeckel. At 6-foot-5 and 305 pounds, Jake will almost certainly be an attractive NFL draft prospect whenever he decides to pursue the next level.

In the meantime, he's making sure that Mike, a reserve center, is adjusting to life in college football.

"That's my little brother," Jake said. "I've got to protect him, make sure he learns it and knows what's going on. I just want him to do well and I'm looking forward to him getting a lot better and just learning."

During fall camp, the coaches were pleased by Mike's progress, though it was briefly interrupted by a minor ankle injury suffered in a recent scrimmage. Coach Kevin Sumlin said he'd like to have Mike travel with the team this fall, even though he would be a backup center to starter Patrick Lewis, so that he can get a taste of everything before taking over as the starter for the next three seasons.

"My feeling is, a year from now with Pat being gone ... that if [Mike] can handle it, I'd rather him travel and be the backup center and play in games and have three years to start as a center rather than have a brand new center next year who has never been in a game and do that," Sumlin said. "There's some people who would say that's crazy, but I think if you start in the SEC for three years at his position, that's pretty d--- good. He's got ability, he's got to learn the offense, he's got to be in those types of things, he's not ready yet, but I think over the course of the year, he'll give us some flexibility to really develop that second line for guys in case of injury or in case of substitution."

Offensive line coach B.J. Anderson said Mike has picked things up quickly.

"He's done a really nice job," Anderson said. "His football IQ is higher than most freshmen that come in here. He's picked this offense up."

Of course, the pair of Matthews boys keep their dad posted on a daily basis and Jake said they benefit from it.

"Every day I call my dad after every practice," Jake said. "He loves hearing what's going on. He wants to know how we're doing. He wants to know what we did good and what we messed up on. He loves hearing it all so Mike and I usually give him a call right when we get home. It's pretty beneficial.

"I told a lot of people, it's like having a second coach. I have coach Anderson here and then I go home and any little thing that I may have forgotten to ask him or things that I didn't know that he might be able to help me with, I can call him up 'Hey, what do you think about this?' It's a big advantage to have."

Our "One good reason" series continues with the newbies at Texas A&M.

Good reasons:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Auburn
• Florida
• Georgia
• Kentucky
• LSU
• Mississippi State
• Missouri
• Ole Miss
• South Carolina
• Tennessee

Let's see what the Aggies might do in their first season in the SEC:

Texas A&M will break through and win at least eight games: Key playmakers are still around on offense and defense.

There are holes on both sides of the ball that must be filled by the Aggies, but there is still some quality talent that will take the field this fall. Offensively, Texas A&M returns what could be one of the top lines in the SEC. It's headlined by left tackle Luke Joeckel and right tackle Jake Matthews, who could be early NFL draft picks next year, and should help provide good time for whichever young quarterback takes snaps this fall. There are also solid players in the middle, starting with veteran center Patrick Lewis. Behind that line you have potential 1,000-yard rusher Christine Michael, who appears to be 100 percent after tearing his ACL last season, and there's still the possibility that Oklahoma transfer Brandon Williams could be cleared to play this fall. Wide receiver isn't too bad, either, as seniors Ryan Swope and Uzoma Nwachukwu return. The two combined for 139 catches, 1,846 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. There are also a few potential breakout candidates at receiver.

On defense, the front seven has some strong components with outside linebacker Sean Porter and converted defensive end Damontre Moore returning. Both combined for 18 sacks and 34.5 tackles for loss last year. Add senior Steven Jackson to outside linebacker, and the Aggies could yet again have another ferocious pass rush like the one that generated a nation-best 51 sacks last season. Having leading tackler Jonathan Stewart back at middle linebacker is a plus as well.

The Aggies are facing new challenges in the SEC, but with the key talent returning, they won't be pushovers for their new competition. If these players stay healthy, Texas A&M could pull a couple of surprises.

Why it won't: Too many changes.

While the Aggies do have some talented playmakers coming back, a lot will be different in College Station this fall. For starters, a brand new coaching staff is in place and so is a new offense and defense. The Aggies are moving to a 4-3 defensive scheme and Kevin Sumlin is hoping to incorporate as much of his up-tempo spread offense as possible. He'll do so with a gang of young quarterbacks, who have combined for five career pass attempts -- all from sophomore Jameill Showers, who has the edge at starter. Defensively, the Aggies return studs in the front seven but have a completely new secondary, which could feature three sophomore starters. There were bright spots from Texas A&M's young secondary, especially from Deshazor Everett and Floyd Raven, this spring, but they are still young and they'll have to grow up in the SEC.

Besides the personnel changes, Texas A&M is also entering college football's toughest conference. Division games will now include Alabama, LSU and Arkansas. Linemen are a little faster and a little bigger around these parts. Running backs pound a little harder and skill players have a little more kick in their steps. It's going to take some time for the Aggies to adjust and this year could be full of growing pains.