What might have been: Aggie football's biggest 'What if?' moments

“What if?” might be humanity’s most often asked question.

It ponders the possibilities of what could’ve been accomplished or what was avoided. It reviews a decision and the ensuing chain of events.

What if you had invested early in Dell? What if you’d gone into a different profession? What if you had married your college sweetheart? What if you didn’t? What if you had bet on the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey team just for the sake of patriotism?

The “What if?” question is particularly popular in sports. What if a bad call had not been made? What if a key player had not gotten hurt? What if a fourth-down gamble had not worked out?

Texas A&M has had more than its share of “What if?” moments in its football history. Following is one man’s Top Ten.

Join in the speculation and add yours to the thread.

What if Johnny Manziel and Mike Evans had played one more season?

In two seasons, Manziel and Evans combined for 148 pass completions for 2,643 yards and 17 touchdowns. A third season at that average would have resulted in 222 completions for 3,694 yards. That would’ve elevated the Manziel-Evans combination among the best in FBS history. And A&M probably wins at least three more games in 2014.

What if officials ruled an Ole Miss safety in 2012?

Had an official decided to award Ole Miss two points on a sack near the goal line, the Rebels would have taken a 29-17 lead with 8:24 to play. That likely would have resulted in an A&M loss. Maybe Manziel doesn’t win the Heisman Trophy. Of course, the ball was marked inside the 1-yard line. Two plays later, Manziel connects with Evans on the sideline for a 39-yard gain to launch an incredible comeback. The Aggies prevail 30-27 despite committing six turnovers.

Andrew Kilzer

Without a fumble against LSU in 2012, the Aggies may have had a chance at a national championship.

What if Ben Malena didn’t fumble against LSU?

The Aggies had squandered chances to take a bigger lead in 2012, but they still held a 12-7 advantage with less than a minute remaining in the first half. But on second-and-five, Malena fumbled at the 40-yard line at the end of a 5-yard run. That set up an LSU touchdown pass 11 seconds before the break to give LSU a 14-12 lead. The Tigers eventually prevailed, 24-19. Subtract that late first-half LSU touchdown and the Aggies probably win. A&M then would’ve faced Georgia in the SEC championship game and perhaps Notre Dame for the national title.

What if the Aggies had executed the last play hook-and-ladder against Notre Dame in the 1994 Cotton Bowl? 

Trailing 24-21 and facing fourth-and-17 near midfield, Aggie quarterback Corey Pullig passed to Tony Harrison, who attempted to lateral to Leeland McElroy. Under duress, Harrison’s lateral sailed too high for McElroy and the game ended. Had the lateral been accurate, the speedy McElroy likely would have run for a game-winning touchdown. That would’ve raised A&M’s record to 11-1 and given the Aggies at least a legitimate claim on the national championship. Once beaten Florida State was crowned the national champion. The Seminoles’ one loss was to Notre Dame. A&M wouldn’t have been voted No. 1, though. The media liked Florida State coach Bobby Bowden and wanted to give him a championship.

What if A&M had been in the Big 12 in 2012?

The Aggies would’ve been Big 12 champions. That’s a given, which they proved in the Cotton Bowl with a 41-13 blowout victory over co-champion Oklahoma. TCU, which finished 7-6, had by far the best defense in the Big 12 that year. The Frogs allowed 37 points to Iowa State, 56 to Texas Tech, 36 to Oklahoma State and 38 to West Virginia. Imagine the numbers Johnny Manziel, Mike Evans, Ryan Swope and Ben Malena would have accumulated. However, the Aggies would not have won the national championship, but only because they wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity. Remember, there was no playoff then. The BCS selected just the two championship game participants. Alabama would not have played A&M and therefore would have no losses. Notre Dame would still be unbeaten. It is highly doubtful a committee would’ve selected A&M instead of an unbeaten Alabama or Notre Dame.

Alex Parker, TexAgs

Had Kyler Murray stayed at Texas A&M, the Aggies may have found themselves in the national championship game in 2016.

What if Kyler Murray never transferred?

The 2018 Heisman Trophy winner and 2019 NFL Rookie of the Year was destined for stardom. That was apparent even when he arrived in College Station in 2015. Had he been the Aggies quarterback in 2016, the Aggies might have won the SEC championship and probably would have reached the College Football Playoff. Remember, the Aggies trailed Alabama just 20-14 and were driving late in the third quarter before a botched handoff exchange between quarterback Trevor Knight and running back Keith Ford resulted in an Alabama touchdown. Alabama prevailed 33-14, but the outcome might have been different with Murray at quarterback. The remainder of the regular season probably would have been different, too. Recall, A&M was fourth in the first CFB rankings but lost to Mississippi State 35-28. A&M wins that game with Murray at quarterback. The Aggies beat Ole Miss, too, and likely outscore LSU in the finale instead of falling 54-39. Knight wasn’t bad, but an offense that included Murray, Christian Kirk, Josh Reynolds and Ricky Seals-Jones would’ve been lethal.

What if the 1975 Arkansas game had not been rescheduled?

We get it. Back in those days, A&M needed money and teams rarely appeared on television. So, A&M officials jumped at an opportunity to play Arkansas on national TV. That required moving the game originally scheduled for November 1 to December 6. Did anyone ever think that playing a sound opponent on the road the week after facing Texas was a bad idea? Should have. The undefeated second-ranked Aggies were flat and fell 31-6 in Fayetteville. Even Arkansas players and coach Frank Broyles said the Razorbacks would not have won if the game had been played as originally scheduled. Had A&M not agreed to alter the schedule, they’d have finished 11-0 and gone to the Cotton Bowl to face Georgia, which instead was soundly beaten by Arkansas. Here’s what really hurts: No. 1 Ohio State lost to UCLA in the Rose Bowl. Had A&M won the Cotton Bowl, the Aggies would have been national champions.

What if A&M doesn’t tie SMU in 1994?

A&M was 8-0 and SMU was 1-7. But a lackluster effort results in the Aggies falling behind early. They rally to salvage a 21-21 tie, but the damage is done. Ineligible for the Southwest Conference championship, the Aggies finish 10-0-1 and ranked eighth. They join Nebraska and Penn State as the nation’s only unbeaten teams. Without the tie, A&M probably finishes third, which is significant in that it would’ve been its highest finish since winning the national championship in 1939.

Jessica Campbell, Legacy.com

It’s hard not to wonder what might have been different if Bear Bryant had remained in College Station.

What if news of Bear Bryant’s departure had not been leaked?

The Aggies were 8-0 and ranked No. 1 entering the next to last week of the 1957 football season. But earlier that week speculation surfaced that coach Paul Bryant was leaving A&M for Alabama. As rumors persisted, the Aggies were increasingly distracted. Consequently, they lost the last final three games (including Gator Bowl) by a total of six points. Without those rumors, A&M very well may have defeated Rice and Texas to reach the Cotton Bowl and likely would have faced Navy for a chance to win the national championship.

What if ‘Momma’ never called?

Bryant, who played college football at Alabama, explained his departure from A&M by saying “Momma called. And when momma calls, you just have to come running.” Bryant then built Alabama into a national power and was credited with winning six national championships. Had he stayed in College Station, perhaps A&M would have won some of those titles. Instead, upon his exit A&M struggled for a decade until winning the 1967 Cotton Bowl over … Bryant’s Alabama Crimson Tide.