ARLINGTON, Texas – Spencer Nealy and some of his Texas A&M teammates were discussing potential bowl games even before their first SEC season began.

“We were like, how funny would it be if we made the Cotton Bowl,” Nealy said. “We were looking at SEC vs. Big 12 teams. That’s what we thought about, that situation.”

Well, Texas A&M’s season of firsts – coach Kevin Sumlin’s first year, quarterback Johnny Manziel becoming the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy and the SEC debut – will end with the 10th-ranked Aggies (10-2) playing a familiar Big 12 foe.