SPOTLIGHT: Almost Perfect Enough - The 1992 Texas Aggies - Texas A&M Athletics

He was going to miss the hunt. That was OK. He'd been in the thick of one for the last three months. Now, he was exhausted.

On the day after Thanksgiving of 1992, R.C. Slocum was set to go hunting with his father, brother and son in Brady, Texas. He just couldn't make it. He was tired. He decided to nap in the cabin, and let his three relatives head out.

One can only imagine what the A&M coach dreamt of in his slumber. If visions of the football season he just went through danced in his head, then, quite frankly, it may have been the most perfect dream he ever had.

PRESEASON

The 1992 Aggies had an abundance of talent, and would start the season ranked No. 7 nationally. But one serious question surrounded them. Versatile quarterback Bucky Richardson had just exited the program after the '91 Southwest Conference championship season. Slocum needed someone to manage the offense. Four vied for the job in August, but Jeff Granger and Corey Pullig emerged as the prime contenders. Granger had some game experience, but was also an All-American pitcher for the A&M baseball team. Pullig was a heralded true freshman from Deer Park, Texas.

RC SLOCUM: I'd have loved to kept Bucky the rest of my career. He was one of those guys you never had to worry about being ready to play. He was such a strong competitor and leader. But, you can't keep them forever.

You normally have some guys in the fold you want to bring along, but it's hard to know how they would do being in the spot where all the pressure was on them.

Jeff Granger had a whole lot of promise. Looking back now, we never really saw the full Jeff Granger. What he could have been. Throughout his career, he wasn't settled on whether he saw himself as a big-time quarterback or a major league pitcher. I think he liked football, but looking at it from a business standpoint, I think he thought his future was in baseball.

Early on, seeing Corey in the meetings and how competitive he was on the field, I knew then he was going to compete for the job. Jeff was going to have to step it up to keep the job.

COREY PULLIG: Aside from the great fan base and winning tradition, the ability to compete for a starting job my freshman year was probably the biggest reason I chose A&M. Jeff was the heir apparent after Bucky Richardson left, and Jeff was a very talented QB. I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but I was confident in my ability. I felt that, in time, I could get on the field. It didn't really matter if it was my freshman year, or after a year or two.

DERRICK FRAZIER (a senior cornerback in '92, he still holds the school record for career passes broken up): We were concerned. Of course we thought the defense would have to dominate early to get the young quarterback in a rhythm. We lost Bucky. We lost Pup (All-American defensive back Kevin Smith) and Q (All-American linebacker Quentin Coryatt). We still had some good pieces on defense, but we lost two of our big names, and our best contributor on offense. We were concerned, but thought if we played really good defense we'd be right there.

The Wrecking Crew may have lost Kevin Smith, but, little did they know at the time, they were gaining another All-American at corner. Aaron Glenn was arriving from Navarro Junior College.

FRAZIER: I remember when I first saw him. I said he can run, but he was short. He could fly, but he was 5' 10"…I'll give him 5' 10". But one thing people underestimated about Aaron was he could jump. He played at 6-foot or 6' 1". He didn't have any trouble getting in our defense and being a contributor immediately. But, I didn't know he would be that dominant that quick.

RC: We go out, and after about a day of two-a-days, Aaron is substituting with the second team. After that morning practice (on day two), Trent Walters was the secondary coach, and I said, "Trent, I'm going to tell you something. I've watched this thing now for three workouts. The best cornerback on the field out there is Aaron Glenn." He said, "But coach, he doesn't know anything". I said, "I know he doesn't know anything, and he's not going to learn very much alternating on the second team. I want you to put him up on the first team, and give him every rep." So, he did.

**Aaron Glenn remains one of the best defensive backs to ever play at A&M. After his collegiate career, he played 15 seasons in the NFL. He is now the secondary coach for the New Orleans Saints.**

GLENN: I think I was on the fourth team. I was like 'wow', but I get it. The first couple of days I just said I'm 'ballhawking'. As a corner, that's one of the most important traits you can have is someone who can get the ball back. They told me, "AG, can you go get some reps with the first group". I'm looking around the huddle, I'm with Patrick Bates and Sam (Adams) and Derrick Frazier. I'm like "This is cool".

During this era A&M was known for it's defense and ground game. The Aggies had the luxury of an offensive backfield that consisted of Greg Hill and the late Rodney Thomas. Hill was coming off a freshman season that saw him rush for 1,216 yards, as he burst on to the scene nationally.

RC: Greg loved to play. He had track speed. I don't know if Greg was ever hurt. The first game he played, against LSU his redshirt freshman year, I think he had 225 or 235 yards (it was actually 212, which was the most in Division I history in a running back's freshman debut at the time).

GLENN: He struck me as a different type of runner. He had power, but his shiftiness was something that stood out. Greg was someone that peaked my interest quickly. I used to kid around. I'd say it could be 3rd-and-10, and our pass play was iso.

Greg Hill topped the 100-yard mark in eight games in 1992. He ran for 1,339 yards that season. All-SWC in each year at A&M, Hill was selected in the 1^st round of the '94 NFL Draft. He played six professional seasons.

HILL: My focus going into '92 was honing my skill set, and being more of a leader. I had a horrible Cotton Bowl vs. Florida State (a 10-2 loss to end 1991). I needed to tighten up the small details. After losing to Florida State, was probably when I matured the most, and started to do the little things. If I was asked to go to the weight room 4 or 5 times a week, I went more. I became more of a vocal leader with Bucky not being there. I wanted to help us recruit. I went to the coaches and said if you're bringing in a big time guy, let me be his host. Let me explain how good we're going to be. Let me tell A&M's story.

Wednesday, August 26
Anaheim Stadium

The opener had plenty of intrigue. The Aggies would take on Stanford in the Pigskin Classic at Anaheim Stadium. Bill Walsh, who coached the Cardinal in 1977 and '78, was returning to the collegiate game. He was best known for winning three Super Bowl titles with the San Francisco 49ers, and his prolific offenses. The Wrecking Crew defense would get an early test.

RC: My whole goal, and everything we did at that time, was to elevate us to an (elite) group of teams. To expose ourselves, I thought, we'll play anybody. All the times I had a chance to, I volunteered to play one of the preseason games. They called me about the Pigskin Classic, and said we were going to play Stanford and Bill Walsh was going to be the coach. I said, "We'll do that, sure, put us in".

I took a poll of the team to see how many had ever been to Disneyland. None of those players, not a single one, had ever been. I told 'em that after we have our Thursday morning workout, I'm going to take y'all to Disneyland. I was a country kid that grew up in some poverty, and never got exposed. Here I am, I've got all these young guys playing for A&M, and we brought them here to give them an education. As part of that education, I wanted to expose them to this wonderful, entertainment venue called Disneyland. One of the most pleasing things, this summer on Facebook, I saw a picture of all those guys who'd gotten together out there. Here we are now, however many years later, these kids all remember that experience.

FRAZIER: I watched (Walsh) with the 49ers when I was a young kid. At that age, you're kind of immune to that. You know what you're doing, but you don't really know. You don't really think about it. We were playing against Bill Walsh, but we were playing against the people on the field.

SAM ADAMS (an All-SWC defensive end in '92, Adams went on to play 14 NFL seasons): The first play of the game we sacked the quarterback (it was actually Adams himself who did it). We knew we were going to have a great night. They were loaded with talent. We looked forward to the challenge.

The Wrecking Crew was punishing Walsh's offense. But, Stanford was doing the same to the Aggies. An all-out defensive struggle ensued.

GREG SCHORP (the tight end led A&M in receptions in 1992): Both defenses were ahead of the offenses at that point.

We look at their personnel, and make gameplan decisions. John Lynch was on that team, who's now an NFL Hall of Fame safety. Up until that season he had been a quarterback. So, here's a guy we identified as a quarterback who's now playing strong safety. We thought we could take advantage of that, and make him have to come up and really support the run. Early on in the game, it was becoming apparent to everyone that this guy is laying the lumber. He's bringin' it.

HILL: I found out how good John Lynch was from the word go. I kept saying in the huddle, "I know its someone's job to get the safety." They kept telling me the last one is yours Greg. He was laying the wood to me. I was doing everything I could. They kept telling me you're one move away, can you not beat him? I said, "This guy keeps coming down the pipe, and it's getting on my nerves."

GLENN: That was the first time I ever saw (someone) being able to hit Greg Hill like that. It ended up being John Lynch. I'm like, who is this guy?
It was a dogfight. Both defenses were coming downhill. Derrick and I had interceptions that game. Once I got an interception, the camera comes over, me and Frazier are talking into the camera. Coach Slocum lit into us. The world saw you. You don't have to tell them. Stay in the game.

FRAZIER: We brought a lot of pressure on (heralded Stanford quarterback Steve Stenstrom). We figured it was their first game out of the box, so we tried to confuse them with different schemes and coverages. We played, believe it or not, a lot more zone in that game than we played the three years previous. Now, by a lot, I mean 15 percent. We mixed it up more than normal. We put a lot of pressure on, and we held up on the edge. We played great defensively to keep us in the game.

In it, but down. Granger drew the start, but Pullig, and even redshirt freshman Matt Miller, played at quarterback with the offense unable to get free. After three quarters, A&M had only 87 total yards and eight first downs. Stanford led, 7-0, entering the final frame. The defense had done its part. The offense needed to do theirs in the waning minutes. Granger got the nod at QB in the fourth – and got the offense in gear. With their best drive of the night, the Aggies neared the Red Zone with a little more than 12 minutes remaining.

SCHORP: I remember the call in the huddle. It was 'Left Twin Split 50 Ram Pump Scat'. It's a five-step drop, our standard passing game type of play. As the play developed, and I turned to look where I'd normally receive the ball, I noticed Jeff was starting to move to his left. Realizing I was behind the defense, I felt like it was an opportunity if he was able to find me. He did.

GLENN: It was at a crucial time. We needed it.

Granger's touchdown pass to Schorp tied the game. The defense continued to suffocate Stanford. A&M mounted another drive later in the final frame. Terry Venetoulias capped it, at the 4:27 mark, with a 39-yard field goal. The Wrecking Crew then stood tall one more time. A&M had started the season with a 10-7 victory over a team that would eventually share the Pac-10 championship.

HILL: Tip your hat to the Pigskin Classic. They put two really good teams together. Both teams had offensive weapons, and none of us could get loose. I wasn't doing much, but Glynn Milburn (Stanford's all-purpose star) wasn't either.

RC: I'm glad we won the game, and I'm glad we took 'em to Disneyland too.

**Greg Schorp celebrates his TD reception in the Pigskin Classic. The tight end was a consensus All-SWC pick in 1992.**

The Aggies would remain undefeated through September. An equally tough road test awaited them after the Pigskin Classic. In sweltering Baton Rouge on September 3^rd, A&M led LSU, 17-14, to start the 4^th quarter. On the first play of the final period, Frazier recorded a key interception. On the next snap, Rodney Thomas rushed 22 yards for a touchdown. The Aggies pulled away for a 31-22 victory.

34769 — **Derrick Frazier registered an interception in each of the first three games in '92. He and Aaron Glenn formed one of the best cornerback duos in the nation.**

The offense was a bit lackluster in wins over Tulsa (19-9) at Kyle Field, and at Missouri (26-13). However, the Wrecking Crew remained stout, and strong second halves were propelling this team. October arrived with A&M 4-0.
In 1992, the October 3^rd slate of games marked the de facto starting line in the national title race. A&M entered the blocks ranked 5^th in the AP and Coaches polls. An early season tie between Notre Dame and Michigan, both in the preseason Top 5, served as a rankings boost.
With the gun raised, special teams were about to fire the first shots.

Saturday, October 3
Kyle Field

FRAZIER: I actually felt like we dominated (Texas Tech), but we just didn't have the points to show for it. We gave up a couple big plays on defense, which we usually didn't do. That game shouldn't have been that close at all. I think we probably underestimated them to be honest.

GLENN: It teaches us all a lesson. Stats-wise, you can be killing a team (A&M outgained Tech in total yards 467-293, and had 25 first downs compared to Tech's 13). But, when the big plays need to be made, that's when it matters. The game is not about stats. It's about who can make the plays when they need to be made.

HILL (ran for 141 yards on 32 carries in the game): They always played us good. We didn't like each other. You knew they were going to play.

It was one of my better games. Sometimes you have to be happy with two to four-yard carries. If you're sticking 2- to 4-yard carries in there it starts the process of breaking their will. It turns into seven in the second quarter, 10 in the third. Then you get 10 to 15 when it really counts.

And every yard, every inch, counted in the fourth quarter.

With 5:23 remaining, a Red Raider field goal put the Aggies down, 17-16. Granger and the offense came on to the field moments later for possibly their final possession. And, maybe, the last chance to remain undefeated…

On 3^rd-and-8, from the Tech 42, Granger miraculously kept his feet with Tech's Dusty Beavers bearing down on him. And, with what may have been the play of the year, he kept the Aggies national title hopes alive.

SCHORP: I always thought it was a fourth-down play. I remember my route was to be working the middle of the field. When I released off the ball I realized they were playing zone. I tried to find an opening. As I looked back for the ball I could tell Jeff was under some big time pressure. He was lucky enough to sense that, feel it, duck under it, pop up and find me.

When we watched that on film it was amazing how he didn't go down.

PULLIG: I remember being in a state of disbelief that Jeff was able to get out of that seemingly inescapable situation.

GLENN: I can't say it surprised me, because it was something we did in practice. We were conditioned to make those kinds of plays. With Coach Slocum, he conditioned us. At crucial times in the game, who can make those plays?

HILL: To build up to it, we'd mess with Granger that he was a drop-back quarterback. But he'd say, "There's nothing I can't do." When the skill position guys hung out, he'd hang out with us. He didn't want to be known as just a QB, he wanted to be one of us. After that play, he said, "I told you I got skills."

RC (the coach wasn't concerned that Venetoulias had missed an extra point earlier in the 4^th quarter): Ole Terry, I wasn't worried about him. He was a competitive guy. A great soccer player. He loved to play. He was one of the most fun guys we had. I had total confidence in him.

HILL: I was saying we shouldn't be in this situation. I was pissed off it came down to a kick. The kick, though, I thought should've been easy. He always rose to the moment. TV would get pumped up. It was great to have a kicker that was into it like we were. He was an excitable guy. He lived for that moment.

Venetoulias' kick wasn't the only one of significance that afternoon. Approximately 15 minutes before he drilled his field goal, Florida State's Dan Mowrey missed from 39 yards as time expired in the Orange Bowl. In what is still known as 'Wide Right II' in the rivalry's lore, No. 2 Miami topped the 3^rd-ranked Seminoles, 19-16. The two would have tied had Mowrey been good. Overtime was not a part of college football then.
This marked the second week in a row a missed field goal on the final play helped Miami win. In their previous contest, Arizona's Steve McLaughlin was mere inches off (yes, to the right) from 51 yards with zeros on the clock. Miami escaped with an 8-7 win.
October didn't feature a lot of poll movement, with one exception. Alabama emerged as a title contender. Ranked ninth to start the season, the Tide swelled to 3^rd by the time the second month ended.
After clipping Tech, A&M beat Rice, Baylor and SMU to round out October, and remained 5^th in both polls. They needed two goal line stands to top Baylor, 19-13. And, on Halloween, got a scare when Granger was injured in an otherwise easy win at SMU. That meant to begin November, true freshman Corey Pullig would make his first start with Louisville coming to College Station.

Saturday, November 7
Kyle Field

34772 — **In Corey Pullig's debut as the starting quarterback, he completed 14 of 22 passes against Louisville for 128 yards. He backed that up by throwing for 272 yards versus Houston the next contest.**

PULLIG: I had already seen significant playing time in the previous games. I don't recall being nervous about the start. If there were any nerves it was because Louisville had an outstanding defensive lineman in Joe Johnson. We were able to negate his effect by getting rid of the ball quickly, and getting out of the pocket with some waggles, which resulted in passes to the tight end.

SCHORP (with eight catches vs. Louisville, was named ABC's player of the game): We did run a lot of play action. We were dominant in the running game. So, when you have a young guy and you sprinkle in some play action, that can buy him some time and you find guys more open. I think that's good for a young quarterback because you can get some confidence.

HILL (ran for 142 yards, and three touchdowns, in a monster effort against the Cardinals): Did you see the stat line? I went to work! I wasn't worried about (Pullig) at all. I said, "I'm going to make this easy for you today. Me and the boys, the O-Line, are gonna make this easy for you." I wasn't even tired. I didn't even need to put on deodorant after that game. I was still fresh.

The Aggies' 40-18 triumph was regionally televised on ABC. The network's game out west that Saturday featured No. 1 Washington's matchup in Tucson versus Arizona. The result was a welcome sight to the 12^th Man. Using their Wrecking Crew-like, Desert Swarm defense, the Wildcats upset the defending national champion Huskies, 16-3. 'Zona had just missed in Miami weeks before, but they were on target at home this time.

On the following Monday (November 9^th), the AP and Coaches polls released new rankings. With Washington checking out, the Top 5 read the same in both: Miami, Alabama, Michigan, Texas A&M and Florida State. The Seminoles and Wolverines were charging hard, as neither had lost since early-season blemishes.

Thursday, November 12
The Astrodome

Set to take on Houston in the Astrodome on November 12^th, a national television audience was ready to look in on the Aggies. The Thursday night game on ESPN would present an interesting challenge. The Cougars run and shoot offense had the potential to light up opposing defenses.

ADAMS: We were out to seek and destroy. Any offense with a title had to be smashed by the Wrecking Crew.

RC: It was the early part of the spread we talk about today. It was different then, you didn't see it very much. All the sudden you'd play a team, they'd run it every once in a while, but they didn't really want to.

Over the years we fared well against the Houston run and shoot. They're an unconventional offense. We're not going to play a conventional defense. We'd take our outside linebackers and put them as rush ends. Playing six defensive backs. We'd take our best speed rusher and put him at nose guard. We tried to get speed on the field.

Those were some of the fun games, because it was kind of a cat and mouse, trying to figure out what was coming next. I think our kids liked it.

FRAZIER: As a DB, I got more excited for those games. I'd much rather play a team like Houston than a team like Arkansas (Frazier went against the Razorbacks his first three years before they left the SWC, for the SEC, prior to the '92 season). They ran the triple-read option. I gotta go hit Barry Foster all day. I loved (Houston) games more than Baylor and Arkansas, because (against Baylor and Arkansas) I'm a corner that had to go against blocking receivers and blocking tight ends all day.

GLENN: The good thing about it was we knew the ball was going to be in the air. You knew we were going to put pressure on the quarterback. The opportunity was going to be there to make plays.

The run and shoot, it was always option off of where you were. If you were inside he's going to run out, if you were outside, he was going to run in. You were always thinking to make sure and hide your leverage, so you could confuse the quarterback.

PULLIG: I was excited. I'd be playing in front of my home crowd. I grew up just down the road from the Astrodome. What better way to return to your hometown just months after graduating from high school than starting for an undefeated team in the hunt for a national championship.

I was also excited about playing indoors. Texas weather in November can be unpredictable. I hated playing on windy days. On gamedays, I would wake up and look out the window at the trees. This was before the weather app, so the wind blowing in the trees was the most reliable predictor. If it was windy early in the morning, more than likely it would be worse later in the afternoon.

Houston was game, and led, 17-10, at half. But, Hill scored three touchdowns in the third quarter alone. For the sixth time in 1992, the Aggies erased a second-half deficit to win.

GLENN: They were hot. They were making plays. I can recall from the sidelines we were pretty upset.

RC: They ran it fourteen times. We ran it 49. Those 49 rushes, that's running time off that clock. We had it 37 minutes, they had it 22. We always went in there saying part of this game, the burden goes to our offense. We'd hear all about their 50 or 60 points a game. We scored 38, they scored 30. We won the game.

At 10-0, A&M could turn their attention to that weekend's action. This team insisted they didn't watch other teams in the hunt hoping for outcomes that helped their cause. But, if they had, ESPN's Saturday Primetime game between No. 2 Alabama and 16^th-ranked Mississippi State offered plenty of intrigue.
Entering Davis Wade Stadium, The Tide were on a roll. At 9-0, they hadn't allowed more than 11 points in any game. The Bulldogs were coached by Jackie Sherrill. In his 2^nd year in Starkville, he had Mississippi State at 7-2, poised for back-to-back bowl berths.
Could the Aggies' old coach help out? The early answer looked like a resounding – No. Alabama ran out to a 20-3 halftime lead. With the Tide's defense, the advantage looked sufficient. However, Mississippi State, with help from a rocking home crowd, stormed back – with 18 unanswered points in the third. The Bulldogs stepped into the fourth quarter ahead, 21-20. It marked the first time all year Bama trailed entering the final period.
However, shortly after a Crimson Tide field goal, George Teague came up with a key interception at the Bulldog 19-yard line. Bama cashed in with an ensuing touchdown, then held on to win, 30-21.

November 14^th wasn't a total loss, though. Third-ranked Michigan tied a mediocre Illinois team, 22-22. The Wolverines remained undefeated, but now had tied twice.
The latest release of the polls still had Miami No. 1 and Alabama No. 2 in both. The Aggies did jump to 3^rd in the coaches poll, but remained 4^th in the AP. The AP leaped 1-loss Florida State over A&M. A move that sparked some controversy.

And one broadcaster voiced his displeasure in the newest set of rankings.

Saturday, November 21

BRENT MUSBURGER (during the 3^rd quarter of the Miami-Syracuse broadcast, which he was calling on ABC): Florida State jumped over Texas A&M. That is a controversial jump folks. There are a lot of people around the country who are uneasy about a once beaten team going up on an unbeaten team. Don't tell me about difficulty of schedule, because that's pretty hard to figure out sometimes.

With the Hurricanes and Orangemen serving as one regional game on ABC, A&M and TCU went head-to-head in another. The Aggies were pulling away again in the second half, closing in on back-to-back Cotton Bowl berths.

When the broadcast in the Carrier Dome checked into ABC's New York City studios for an update on the Aggies, the late John Saunders told that audience about a Pullig touchdown pass to Tony Harrison. When Saunders pitched back to Musberger in Syracuse, the veteran game caller didn't let it go.

MUSBURGER: John they're trying to put enough points up today so the voters jump them back ahead of Florida State. I guess it's come to that, huh, how many points you score. That's a terrible thing isn't it?

While the Aggies were putting the finishing touches on a win over the Horned Frogs, Musberger honed in on his own game. The No. 1 team was in trouble.

Miami led, 16-10, with five minutes remaining. But, the 8^th-ranked Orangemen were in the red zone, primed to take the lead. The Hurricanes forced a turnover to thwart the threat.

As A&M completed its 37-10 victory, and celebrated another SWC championship, Syracuse moved back into the red zone on its final possession. With time ticking away, the Canes defense stepped up again with two sacks. On the game's final play, Syracuse QB Marvin Graves completed a pass to the 3-yard line. But, his receiver was stopped right there, just short of the goal line. Miami had escaped again.

Washington and Michigan were right behind A&M in the polls entering this day, but both fell out of the race. The Huskies were blasted by rival Washington State. Michigan tied their third game, this one to rival Ohio State.

Entering the week of Thanksgiving, four teams remained in the hunt for a national title. Miami and Alabama remained 1 and 2, respectively, in both polls. A&M and Florida State were still flipped as 3^rd and 4^th in both.

Thanksgiving
Memorial Stadium

SCHORP: I think hatred would be a good word. That sounds ugly now, but back then it was a big, big rivalry.

GLENN: The 12-0 season wasn't the focal point at that time. The focal point was Texas in general. I had this build up from when I stepped on campus to where I'm like -- "I don't like these guys."

FRAZIER: They were just so arrogant. Even when they recruited me. The recruiting guy called me and acted like I was supposed to be happy he was even talking to me. I flat out told him -- "If I stay in Texas, I'm gonna go to A&M and kick your ass."

HILL: Slocum would always talk about how he wished we had Texas focus. He had to calm us down that week in practice. Seven-on-seven was heated. Team drills were heated. We hated those people. It was serious.

Indeed it was. Even more so in 1992. Thanksgiving week arrived, and the four teams with title hopes had their regular season finales on tap for national TV. Thanksgiving Day featured two of them. Alabama would meet rival Auburn in the afternoon, Texas A&M and Texas were at night on ESPN.

Saturday, Florida State would host rival Florida, while Miami went across country to play at San Diego State.
The Aggies were amped. Not just because of their championship aspirations. Even though, that lofty objective was immediately acknowledged in ESPN's telecast.

RON FRANKLIN (the ESPN play-by-play announcer during the broadcast's intro): For the Texas Aggies, they're 11-0. Still very much in a national championship picture.

RC: You get to the point where you can't get any more motivated. We want to win this game in the worst way. Not because someone, somewhere else thinks we should. It's because we want to. We've been working our tails off. We want to finish this thing off. We could not have been more motivated than we were to play this ballgame.

HILL: We're out there before the game catching punts, and their band came on the field in the middle of us. (Wilbert) Biggens had to catch two punts in the middle of their band. We knew the disrespect level was high.

ADAMS (registered 2.5 tackles for loss in the game): It was huge. We ran Texas and that game always decided who held the crown for the year. I always played well against Texas. It was personal. We had a little extra motivation.

HILL: Me and (Texas linebacker) Winfred Tubbs talked so much crap back and forth in that game. So much so, I was late on one snap count. He wouldn't shut up. But, he'd tell me I wouldn't shut up. That's how deep the hatred was.

With intensity running high, the Aggies were in control for much of the game. Late in the 4^th quarter, A&M led, 27-13. Texas reached the red zone with just over 3:00 left. A touchdown would keep their hopes alive. Glenn was about to step in front of any rally the Horns had in mind.

GLENN: That was a play they liked to run, these all slants, at that part of the field. I was the new guy in the secondary. Even though I thought I was having a pretty good season, playing on the other side of Derrick Frazier I was always ready for somebody to test me.

We were in a man defense, just like 90 percent of the time. I tried to show leverage outside, so the quarterback would think this slants going to be wide open. After that, the play seemed like it was in slow motion.

FRAZIER: They get to the goal line, (if) they lined up near the numbers, 75 to 90 percent of the time they ran quick slants. We knew that. If you watch the film, I think we both jumped the routes, they just happened to throw it to Aaron. He stepped in front of it. Bam! The game's over.

GLENN: I saw the three-step drop, and thought the slants coming. Once (the receiver) broke, I just broke and took a shot.

Once I catch the ball, it was like free sailing. The only thing I can do is mess this up by letting somebody catch me. I'm like, "OK, let me do something to add a little more flair to this." Which was not smart, because Coach Slocum got on me for that one too. And I deserved it.

I've had a lot of exciting plays in my career, but I'm always putting that one as probably the most exciting. I can still see that play.

Texas A&M defeated Texas, 34-13, and became only the fifth team in college football history, at the time, to complete at 12-0 regular season. They cemented themselves in Aggie, and the game's, lore.

However, the rest of Thanksgiving week went by uneventful. Alabama, Florida State and Miami were all easy winners. The polls stayed the same.

The controversy persisted too.

ESPN was on hand for Miami's rout of San Diego State. Even 25 years ago, a playoff was a hot topic. Mike Gottfried, Ron Franklin's broadcast partner and analyst, used the Aggies as an example of why it should've been in place even then.

MIKE GOTTFRIED (during the 4^th quarter of the Miami-San Diego State broadcast): Texas A&M, I just keep thinking of them. 12-0. They've done all you can ask them to do. But, without a playoff you're only talking about two teams that are going to be involved. I just think it's a real injustice for a team like Texas A&M to go 12-0 and not have a chance for the national title (Franklin then backed his broadcast partner with, "Yep, you're right")

Saturday, December 5

Right or wrong, A&M's opportunity to play for the national championship was dwindling.

They had one more chance. Why?

Because the Southeastern Conference had just expanded to 12 teams. They split into two divisions, with the winner of each matching up in college football's first ever conference title game.

At a chilly Legion Field in Birmingham, 2^nd-ranked Alabama would take on 8-3 Florida. The contest was mired in its own controversy.

When the SEC made the announcement of its championship bout, pundits swung away with a major question. If only one team arrived there in the chase for a national title, could the game actually prove costly?

The SEC stared this in the face at kickoff. A Florida victory would serve as a big blow to the conference, possibly knocking Alabama out of the national championship picture.

If this came to fruition, who stood to benefit the most? Texas A&M was the correct answer.

In the case of a Gator win, the door would open to No. 1 Miami coming to the Cotton Bowl to play a 2^nd or 3^rd-ranked Aggie team. Regardless of A&M's poll spot entering, capping a 13-0 season with a bowl win over No. 1 could very well be enough to hoist the trophy.

As night fell, and darkness reigned over Legion Field, the SEC's nightmare scenario was playing out. So was the Aggies' dream.

With 3:25 left in the 4^th quarter, the game was tied, 21-21. Florida had the ball, after a Bama punt, at their own 21. The Gators could drive for the win. The Crimson Tide could fall behind in the race. The Aggies could get the boost they'd waited for.

Things can change in mere seconds. And they did with what happened next in Birmingham. One play changed the course of college football – and Texas A&M.

On the first snap of the drive, Florida quarterback Shane Matthews threw to his right into the flat. Alabama's Antonio Langham stepped in front, much like Aaron Glenn did against Texas. He grabbed an interception at the 27-yard line, and raced for the goal line. When he got to the end zone, Langham ended A&M's title hopes.

Alabama won, 28-21. With the outcome, the national championship game was set. The 2^nd-ranked Crimson Tide would face No. 1 Miami in the Sugar Bowl. With three undefeated teams, the Aggies were the one left out. A&M, ranked 3^rd still in the coaches poll, would head to the Cotton Bowl to face Notre Dame in what amounted to a consolation game.

In the immediate, the Aggies were left to ponder what could have been.

PULLIG: Antonio Langham messed that up for us. I remember being heartbroken watching that play.

FRAZIER: I just thought the system was so flawed back then. There was nothing you really could do. To a point now it's still flawed, but at least they're trying. At least they have a four-team playoff.

PULLIG: That year presented a strong argument why the playoff system was necessary. The championship needed to be decided on the field.

RC: In the annals of men, the saddest story are those of what might have been.

Langham's pick-six is still one of college football's iconic plays. The SEC averted disaster, and their championship game was validated. The league flourished from that moment. Their title match served as the catalyst to new exposure, financial gains and dominance on the field.

A decade after the Tide and Gators tussled, the SEC had grown into college football's premiere conference. Starting in 2006, the league began an incredible run that saw it win the next seven national championships.

That ominous December afternoon in Birmingham marked an unfulfilled hope for the 1992 Aggies. They needed an outcome that never came. Therefore, despite winning all of their games, they didn't get to play for it all. That was the short-term sting of the moment.
- But, over time, perhaps the play transformed into something different. A&M, like the SEC, became more relevant, and recognized, after 1992. This team marked the peak of Slocum's '90s success. The nation took notice, and has ever since.
- As more of this country laid eyes on the SEC, they did too on A&M. America started to become more familiar with the 12^th Man, War Hymn and Kyle Field. All the while, they were growing accustomed to Saturday's gazing upon the War Eagle, Rocky Top and The Swamp.
- Since this incredible season of college football, A&M and the SEC grew in the same ways. And, maybe without even knowing, started walking a path towards each other.
- Twenty years removed from 1992, the decision was made to bring these two great traditions together.
- In 2012, Texas A&M became a member of the Southeastern Conference.
- When he awoke, night had crept in around the cabin in Brady. His kin had returned as their hunt was over.
- Technically, RC Slocum was still in the hunt. The SEC Championship Game, and Langham's heroics, were still a week away.
- For now, he'd slept through the day after Thanksgiving. He'd earned the rest. And, maybe he did dream about the regular season he'd just capped. Hill's power and speed. Granger's miracle escape against Tech. The Wrecking Crew. Glenn's long jaunt to seal the win the night before. Perhaps all of it came rushing back, forming the coach's most perfect dream.
- That's what these Aggies were. Perfect. 12-0. It remains Texas A&M's only unblemished regular season since the 1939 national championship team accomplished the feat.
- The '92 Aggies didn't get the chance to play for the title. If the current playoff format existed that season, A&M and Miami would have met in one semifinal, while Alabama and Florida State would've squared off in the other.
- But, RC has already warned about where the saddest of stories come from.
- When the coach awoke in Brady, he probably started to look forward. He'd be on the road recruiting the next day, looking to build on the success.
- But if that dream had him looking back at his '92 Aggies, it had to warm his heart. He had to be awful proud of them.
- After all -- they were perfect.
- As it turned out, they were almost perfect enough.

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SPOTLIGHT: Almost Perfect Enough - The 1992 Texas Aggies

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