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The No. 15 Texas Longhorns could face off No. 8 Texas A&M, in a matchup of former Big 12 rivals in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 4, 2013.
The Longhorns have used late-season resurgence to jump back into the national conversation, as questions about Mack Brown's tenure in Austin ended abruptly after big wins against Texas Tech and Iowa State. Texas had nearly fallen out of the top 25 completely after a blowout loss to Oklahoma, but now have the chance to get into a major bowl game against a popular rival.
The Aggies have become a prime SEC target for the Cotton Bowl after a tremendous upset victory on the road against top-ranked Alabama, having now won three straight after a tough loss to LSU. The Aggies are riding one of the more explosive offensive in the country, led by freshman sensation Johnny Manziel who is getting attention for the Heisman after a big start to his career.
Jason Kirk of SB Nation predictsthat A&M would almost certainly be the SEC pick for the Cotton Bowl, given the history between the two teams, but says that the matchup is far from a sure thing:
Yep, still have Texas and A&M meeting in the Cotton Bowl. They're both getting hotter as the season goes, making the reunion harder and harder to resist. At this point, the only thing I can see ruining it would be Texas declining and accepting a trip to the Alamo instead -- based on last week's response, the Aggies want this one much more than the Horns do. That should not surprise.
The Longhorns face Kansas State to end the season; a loss could throw some cold water onto the idea of a Big 12 rematch between the two programs.