With a preseason top-10 ranking and lofty goals coming off a smashing 2012 season, things didn't work out the way Texas A&M had hoped in 2013. There was no BCS bowl game or division championship as the Aggies finished 9-4.
But it was still an interesting, compelling and productive season in Aggieland as Texas A&M is ahead of schedule when it comes to SEC success. Beating a ranked team would have been a nice feather in their caps, but the Aggies weren't able to do it. Nonetheless, recruiting is strong, the facilities are being upgraded and the buzz around the program is at levels rarely seen before.
Offensive MVP: No doubt it was quarterback Johnny Manziel. He improved as a sophomore in several passing statistics from his Heisman Trophy-winning season in 2012, and as Manziel went, so did the Aggies. Mike Evans is a close second, but Manziel was still the main man with 4,873 total yards and 46 total touchdowns.
Defensive MVP: Considering the struggles of the unit, it's not easy to pick one. But we'll give the nod to true freshman linebacker Darian Claiborne. He was moved into the starting lineup at a new position (middle linebacker) midway through the season and became a major contributor, finishing third on the team with 89 tackles and leading the team with seven tackles for loss.
Best moment: The Chick-Fil-A Bowl. The Aggies trailed by 21 points at halftime, then proceeded to come from behind and win 52-48. There were too many great individual moments in that game to pick just one, from Manziel's hurdle that turned into a touchdown pass to Travis Labhart, to Toney Hurd Jr.'s interception return that gave the Aggies the lead to Nate Askew's interception that sealed the win.
Worst moment: The trip to Death Valley on Nov. 23. With their BCS bowl hopes still alive, Texas A&M was pounded 34-10 by LSU. Manziel and Evans never found a rhythm, the offense never got going and LSU dominated.
