Texas A&M joined the SEC for the 2012 football season and immediately got a big old dose of “The Big Mo.” With a Heisman winner at quarterback (Johnny Manziel), the Aggies went 11-2, which included a historic 29-24 win over No. 1 Alabama in Tuscaloosa and a dominating performance over No. 12 Oklahoma (41-13) in the Cotton Bowl.
First-year coach Kevin Sumlin and the administration at Texas A&M recognized after the 2012 season that momentum was with them. So they charted a course to make their football facilities some of the best in the world. With oil trading at $111 a barrel (it was $41 on Tuesday), they found an alumni base flush with cash and willing to pull out their checkbooks and commit for the long haul.