OU football: Aggies blowout Sooners in Cotton Bowl catastrophe
No. 11 Oklahoma failed to show up in the second half of the 77th Cotton Bowl, allowing No. 9 Texas A&M to score 27 unanswered points in the game’s final two quarters and secure the 41-13 victory.
How the Sooners lost: OU couldn’t get the ball rolling on offense, settling for a pair of field goals on the team’s first two possessions before finally tacking on its lone touchdown of the game via a pass from senior quarterback Landry Jones to senior wide receiver Justin Brown in the second quarter. OU wouldn't score again, while the Sooners' defense couldn't keep the Aggies' offense off the field in the second half.
Key Stat: 663 yards. The Aggies were explosive through the air and on the ground, combining for a mind-numbing amount of yards against a Sooner defense known for its problems in giving up big yardage over the past two seasons.
Key player: No contest, freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel proved why he deserved to win the Heisman Trophy. Manziel registered a record-setting performance with 229 yards rushing and 287 passing with four total touchdowns.
What it means: The Sooners finished the 2012 season with a 10-3 mark and failed to extend their three-game bowl winning streak. With a slew of seniors and potential underclassmen leaving for the NFL next year, OU will need to go back to the drawing board to build a team capable of returning to national championship contention.
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