The future of Texas A&M football looked brighter than ever in December of 2012 as Johnny Manziel cradled the Heisman Trophy in Manhattan before the Aggies capped an 11-2 season with a Cotton Bowl victory over Oklahoma. A&M was fresh off a wildly successful debut campaign for coach Kevin Sumlin and had sent a warning shot to the SEC during its first year in the league by winning at No. 1 Alabama.

Backed by big boosters, with a massive stadium renovation project on deck and a home in college football's top conference, the Aggies looked poise to claim a spot in college football's ruling class. In retrospect, however, that 2012 season is the 21st century high-water mark for a program that is always at least somewhat relevant but never dominant.

A&M's efforts to spend its way to the top have

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