For a game that used evoke so much emotion on either side and often divided homes and friendships down the middle, this Texas-Texas A&M rivalry has strangely morphed into that just-another-game feel.
Maybe it's the fact the Aggies haven't seriously challenged for the Big 12 South championship this decade, while the Longhorns have seemingly been part of the division title conversation most seasons. Perhaps, it's because Oklahoma, in most years, has been the most dominant team in the South so Texas has directed its energy toward toppling the Sooners in their annual Red River Rivalry Game every October.
Some would might even suggest Texas Tech and --gasp -- Oklahoma State have become greater rivals to the Longhorns than A&M.
It's just three weeks into the full-swing of Big 12 play but the North Division is looking like any of the six teams could win the race.
That doesn't necessarily bode well at all for the weaker half of the two-division league.
Nebraska and Kansas came into the season as the presumed favorites to represent the North, but after two weeks of inconsistent play neither seems as powerful. The same can be said for two-time North champion Missouri, which started the season a surprising 4-0, but has dropped its first two games of the Big 12 season.
Former Texas A&M assistant and ex-Green Bay coach Mike Sherman returned to the Aggies nearly two years ago vowing to restore Aggie pride, dignity and accountability to the once proud program.
But in less than two complete seasons, Sherman doesn't seem close to his promise.
This will certainly be a tough week in Aggieland after A&M fell asleep against Kansas State and did not wake up until the mediocre Wildcats had pulled off a 66-14 rout in Manhattan, Kan., Saturday. And as crazy as it sounds, the score wasn't anywhere as close as it appears.
ARLINGTON, Texas -- It didn't seem to make sense for Texas A&M to have starting quarterback Jerrod Johnson still in the game late in fourth quarter with Arkansas well on the way to a 47-17 win Saturday night the Cowboys Stadium.
So imagine the concerned looks on the Aggies sideline when Johnson took a hard blindsided hit from Tenarius Wright that caused a fumble to pop out in Arkansas territory on the final real play of the game. Johnson stayed on the ground for a moment before popping back up.
Afterward, A&M coach Mike Sherman even questioned himself for leaving Johnson in so long.
ARLINGTON, Texas -- By no means had Texas A&M been as perfect this season as its 3-0 record coming into Saturday night's Southwest Classic against Arkansas might suggest.
It's just that the Aggies hadn't come up on a team strong enough to make them pay for their flaws.
But that changed Saturday night in front of an evenly divided crowd of 71,872 fans at the new Cowboys Stadium. The Razorbacks, a so-so SEC team, punished A&M for every misstep on the way to a 47-19 rout during the renewal of an old Southwest Conference rivalry.
ARLINGTON, Texas -- After a bumpy start to the Mike Sherman era at Texas A&M last season, the Aggies are off to a surprising 3-0 start to begin the season.
But after running through lightweights New Mexico, Utah State and Alabama-Birmingham, we will find just how real the Aggies are tonight when they face their first real test against Arkansas in a battle of old Southwest Conference rivals at Jerry Jones' new Cowboys Stadium.
The appearance is that not much has changed in the Big 12.
When we left off last season, three teams -- Texas, Oklahoma and Texas Tech --were vying for supremacy in the Big 12 South and ultimately the Big 12. Again this season, three teams from the South will clash for the title and likely the right to represent the conference in the BCS national title game.
But this time instead of Tech, Oklahoma State will join the three-ring circus with the Sooners and Longhorns in college football toughest division. Last season, Oklahoma edged out Texas for the division title despite losing the head-to-head battle and eventually made it to the BCS national championship game where Florida and the SEC came out on top 24-14.
A buzz is building around Texas A&M redshirt freshman quarterback Jerrod Johnson. He has yet to hit the field but all kinds of optimistic comparisons are being made so that people have an idea of his skill set.
That said, Franchione said the Aggies will run their offense similar to the way Florida did last year when the Gators played two quarterbacks - Chris Leak and Tim Tebow. The 6-foot-6, 230-pound Johnson would play a role similar to Tebow's and occasionally enter games in short-yardage or other situations, forcing opponents to prepare for him.
...the [Texas A&M coaching] staff has added a new wrinkle to the scheme: Redshirt freshman quarterback Jerrod Johnson, a Vince Young clone at 6-6, 225, will have a Tebow-like role in the offense.
That's quite the quarterback cocktail right there.
I really don't know where Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione is going with this but it's probably suicidal to allow people to start throwing names around of two players who had a hand in the last two national championships. If Johnson doesn't meet expectations - fast - the hangman's noose already prepared for Franchione will make its way to the stage with the Aggie coach snug inside it.
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Former Texas A&M assistant and ex-Green Bay coach 
ARLINGTON, Texas -- It didn't seem to make sense for Texas A&M to have starting quarterback 
ARLINGTON, Texas -- By no means had Texas A&M been as perfect this season as its 3-0 record coming into Saturday night's Southwest Classic against Arkansas might suggest.
ARLINGTON, Texas -- After a bumpy start to the 
The appearance is that not much has changed in the Big 12.
A buzz is building around Texas A&M redshirt freshman quarterback 
