Texas A&M Football: Ranking the 10 Best Moments in Kyle Field History

For the past 85 years, Kyle Field has stood as the home of Texas A&M football. Expanding from a mere 32,890 to a now gigantic 83,002, the stadium is one of the largest, loudest and most powerful venues in the country.

Bolstered every home Saturday by the famous 12th Man, the Aggies have compiled a respectable 288-143-13 record for a better than decent .663 winning percentage at Kyle Field. Aggies of every generation can look back on their time following A&M and name a few games that stick out to them as some of the best to ever watch at home.

In honor of that, I have ranked my top 10 moments at Kyle Field. Considering that I am of a younger generation, most of my favorite games come from the more recent era of A&M football. However, I am sure some of the older Ags can think back much further than I for matchups that still resound in their memories.

Without further ado, Kyle Field's top 10 moments of my generation.

10) 2007 3OT Win over Fresno State

Back when I was still in high school, I had the opportunity to come up to College Station and stand in the student section with my sister for a non-conference matchup with Fresno State. The hot Texas sun beat down on us all day, making this triple-overtime thriller one to remember.

With the daytime temperature easily over 100 degrees, Aggies everywhere watched as A&M snuck out of Kyle Field with a huge victory by the score of 47-45. Despite the fact that the No. 23 Aggies should have crushed the unranked Bulldogs, head coach Dennis Franchione and his squad made things difficult in their second home game of the season.

One of the more memorable events of the day, however, was how the student section moved with the game. Many Aggies had to leave during the matchup due to heat exhaustion or refusal to stay out too long in the sun, leaving multiple spots open all across the three decks. This allowed the remaining Aggies to literally move back and forth across the deck during the overtimes. 

9) 2010 Upset of No. 9 Oklahoma

In a year that was supposed to be highlighted by Heisman candidate Jerrod Johnson, Texas A&M was sitting on the brink of falling into the abyss. After losing three straight to end the first half of the season, the Aggies had turned to junior backup QB Ryan Tannehill to take over in hopes of salvaging a bowl game.

Following a strong win at Kansas under the purview of Johnson and then Tannehill's first start at QB during A&M's home win over Texas Tech, the Aggies were hosting their first ranked opponent since falling to No. 19 Missouri at Kyle Field weeks earlier.

The atmosphere at Kyle Field was certainly one to remember. The Aggies could feel the electricity that Tannehill brought to this team, allowing the 12th Man to become one of the most ferocious, rabid fan bases in the country for a day. 

While Tannehill and the offense put up a solid 33 points over the course of the game, it was the defense under the leadership of All-American linebacker Von Miller that gave the win to A&M. Miller led multiple 4th-and-goal stops, only allowing 19 points, to give the Aggies the victory in a thrilling upset.  

8) 2011 Crushing of No. 20 Baylor

With news that the SEC had accepted Texas A&M into their conference coming just weeks earlier, Baylor was more than just a little embarrassed. The Bears were coming into Kyle Field for what might be their last time under the leadership of future Heisman Trophy winner QB Robert Griffin III and needed a win against the ranked Aggies to move into the Big 12's elite conversation.

Texas A&M, however, was more than just a little pissed off at Baylor. The Bears had threatened to sue the Aggies for leaving the Big 12, forcibly holding up A&M's SEC plans. While the deal had been essentially finalized at this point, the Aggies had every intention of giving Baylor all they had on the field.

In an impressive display of offense, Tannehill led A&M to a 55-28 victory in what will most likely end up being the final Battle of the Brazos. 

7) 2010 Upset No. 9 Nebraska

As the Aggies entered Kyle Field following a 42-30 romping of Baylor in Waco, they were pumped to face another No. 9-ranked team. Having just beaten No. 9 Oklahoma two weeks prior, A&M would be playing Nebraska for the last time as conference members, as the Cornhuskers were moving onto the Big Ten.

In what turned out to be one of the best defensive battles in A&M history, the Aggies pulled off the stunning 9-6 win over Nebraska off the leg of future Lou Groza award-winning kicker Randy Bullock. The victory would put A&M's win streak at five games.

Once again, the Aggies' All-American linebacker Von Miller took over the game. Miller and the defense led the charge against injured QB Taylor Martinez, helping A&M squander the Cornhuskers' chances at a national title. 

6) 1997 OT Upset of No. 19 Oklahoma State

In what is considered one of the most exciting games at Kyle Field in the decade, Texas A&M was able to pull off a miracle comeback against Oklahoma State. Under the leadership of QB Branndon Stewart and LB Dat Nguyen, A&M set itself up for a four-game win streak that took it all the way to the Big 12 championship.

Entering the fourth quarter down by 12 points, A&M constructed a brilliant comeback by scoring 15 to the Cowboys' three, pushing the game into overtime. In OT, the defense held OSU to a field goal while Stewart and the offense put the ball in the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. 

5) 2002 Upset of No. 1 Oklahoma

In a game many considered to be a vision of the future, freshman QB Reggie McNeal led the Aggies to a stunning upset of the top team in the land. Coming off the bench, McNeal threw for an A&M freshman record four touchdowns en route to a 30-26 victory.

In a game that would lead to McNeal starting every A&M game for which he was healthy for the rest of his career, one can truly understand the kind of impact this young man had on this matchup. Taking down the behemoth that was Bob Stoops and No. 1 Oklahoma, McNeal and the Aggies became giant-killers in a day.

4) 1998 Upset of No. 2 Nebraska

In what became known as the victory that finished the longest win streak in the country, Texas A&M upset big shot No. 2 Nebraska in a brilliant 28-21 win. Led by QB Randy McCown and RB Ja'Mar Toombs, the Aggies shut down the Cornhuskers en route to their only Big 12 championship.

Having lost to Nebraska the season before in the Big 12 championship, the Aggies were out for a little revenge. Head coach R.C. Slocum claims (per Sports Illustrated) the game to be "the biggest win of my career," officially dubbing it one of the best matchups in Kyle Field history.

McCown and the offense scored one touchdown in each quarter, starting things off with an 81-yard bomb and ending it with three-yard run by Toombs. 

3) 2000 Ja'Mar Toombs TD Run

In what has become an extremely famous moment through A&M's home game opening video, RB Ja'Mar Toombs drags three OU defenders around 15 yards into the end zone. Even though the Aggies fell to the eventual national champions 35-31, this play is easily one of the best moments in the history of the stadium.

The toughness of Toombs has earned him a spot in Aggie football history as one of the best backs to ever come through the program. Check out this other video (1:36) to see just what I'm talking about from another angle.   

2) 2001 Red, White and Blue Game

In what has become famous around the country, the Red, White and Blue game is etched into Aggies' memories everywhere. In A&M's first game following the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, a few students organized to have the entire stadium decked out in the nation's proud colors.

While the Aggies were able to take home the victory 21-7 over the Oklahoma State Cowboys, it was the sight that made most anyone's heart skip a beat. It took students just a week and a half to put together one of the most recognizable college football photographs in the history of the sport. The $150,000 raised from the shirt sales was donated to FDNY charities.

As far as emotional games go, this one has to be on top of many Aggies' lists. Considering that Texas A&M is one of the most dedicated military institutions in the nation outside the three academies, this game still rings a special note in Aggieland. 

1) 1999 Upset of No. 5 Texas

In the most emotionally charged game in Texas A&M history, the Aggies were able to upset the No. 5 Texas Longhorns 20-16 following the deaths of 11 A&M students and one alumnus in the 1999 Bonfire Collapse. 

Nothing can describe the power of that victory. The roar of the crowd was as beautiful as Silver Taps on the first Tuesday of every month or the silence that engulfs A&M during Muster. 

Of all the moments, both good and bad, at Kyle Field, this one is the deepest. It has been engraved in the hearts and memories of Aggies everywhere and will carry that power for as long as the stadium stands.