Texas A&M kicked off the 2014 college football season on a hot Thursday night in Columbia, S.C., by kicking South Carolina 52-28.
A&M's performance on national television impressed the voters, and the Aggies and Gamecocks traded places in the polls that following Monday, with A&M jumping from No. 21 to No. 9, and USC falling from No. 9 to No. 21.
The attention on the Aggies was more widespread than voters in polls, and when the Aggies outscored their next three opponents 169-19 (Lamar, 73-3; Rice, 38-10 and SMU 58-6) no one was talking about Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel, who had left early for the NFL draft.