ESPN College Football

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Oklahoma's defense had heard the legends about Johnny Football. They'd seen the highlight reels and trophy acceptance speeches.

Until Friday, though, they had never stepped on the same field with the first freshman to win a Heisman Trophy. After Texas A&M's 20-year-old superstar rolled over the Sooners for 516 total yards (229 rushing, 287 throwing) and four touchdowns in a 41-13 Cotton Bowl victory, Oklahoma couldn't help but be glad his college years will be spent on fields across the SEC and not the Big 12 -- where the Aggies would have been if not for some conference upheaval over the past two years.

"Johnny Manziel is everything he was billed to be," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. "He makes everybody miss him. He was what you've seen on tape the whole year."

Sooners defensive coordinator Mike Stoops called Manziel the best player he'd ever played, which carries a special significance considering Stoops' defense gave up 344 rushing yards and 572 all-purpose yards to a shifty, speedy receiver named Tavon Austin from West Virginia barely six weeks ago, the second-most all-purpose yards in a game in FBS history.

"He's not a Heisman winner for no reason," said Oklahoma safety Javon Harris, who scooped up an interception off Manziel when receiver Malcome Kennedy bobbled what likely should have been Manziel's fifth touchdown of the night. "You saw what he did to the SEC all year. We knew exactly what we were going to get into."

Stoops' defense refused to blitz Manziel for most of the night, but the Aggies' strong offensive line -- led by bookends and future NFL first-round picks Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews -- hardly allowed Oklahoma's defensive linemen to make Manziel notice they were even trying to chase him down. For much of the game, Oklahoma's secondary would cover the Aggies' receivers, but Manziel would find a crease and turn a broken play into a big gain.

"It's hard if you've got an angle on him," Bob Stoops said. "He stops, goes the other way. If you don't he outruns you."

Despite spending the past month making a post-Heisman nationwide media circuit and losing his offensive coordinator, Kliff Kingsbury, Manziel strung together one of the best highlight reels in bowl history, which was set to a soundtrack of "Johnny B. Goode" from Chuck Berry on the big screen at Cowboys Stadium as the final minutes of the game ticked away and Texas A&M fans serenaded the exiting Oklahomans with an "S-E-C" chant.

More like Johnny B. Great.

"There wasn't anything holding us back. No rust. There was no nothing," Manziel said.

He energized the crowd as few have ever had the ability to do, the volume level in Cowboys Stadium rising quickly any time he fled the pocket. Oklahoma's defense could do little to stop him or to quiet the Aggies-friendly crowd of 87,025, the biggest Cotton Bowl crowd ever at the venue.

A media flock hounding him while he did required postgame TV and radio interviews couldn't catch him either after he sprinted from midfield to the corner of the stadium to finish the last few bars of the "Aggie War Hymn" with his teammates in front of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band.

"This is kind of a game that turned the page again," Manziel said. "People asked me earlier in the year about what game made it all click. There was the Arkansas game, and this game tonight made me flash back to that."

That's a scary thought for the rest of the SEC, which could spend the next three years chasing a quarterback nobody can seem to catch, inside or outside the pocket. He helped Texas A&M become the first offense in SEC history to amass 7,000 total yards, and there's no reason he won't do it again. With Manziel taking snaps and breaking tackles, there will be plenty of national title talk in Aggieland over the next few months, with a blowout victory over the Sooners serving as springboard. Texas A&M proved it was better than national title game favorite Alabama on a November afternoon in Tuscaloosa. Can it be better than everyone in the nation for three months next fall?

"For everybody next year, this is the first game of the new year," A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said. "It sets the bar."

Manziel will be around to help us all find out if the Aggies will clear it.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Another Cotton Bowl, another bad loss for the Big 12. Excluding current SEC member Missouri's win back in 2008, the Big 12 has lost the Cotton Bowl to an SEC opponent in eight consecutive seasons. Johnny Football put on a show after a month away and showed zero signs of rust and a zillion signs of being an endless source of frustration for Oklahoma's defense.

The Big 12 finished 4-5 in its nine bowl games, and the SEC improved to 4-3 in its bowl games. Let's take a look at some instant analysis for Texas A&M's 41-13 blowout win over the Sooners.

It was over when: Facing a fourth-and-5 late in the third quarter, Manziel hit Ryan Swope over the middle on a short slant. Swope shed a tackler and raced 33 yards to put the Aggies up, 34-13. That capped a run of three Oklahoma three-and-outs to begin the second half and spelled doom for the Sooners.

Game ball goes to: Johnny Manziel. I mean, who else? He broke the Cotton Bowl record for total yards with 516 and accounted for four touchdowns. It could have even been five, too, if not for Malcome Kennedy's bobbling a pass in the end zone that was eventually intercepted by Oklahoma's Javon Harris.

Stat of the game: Oklahoma averaged 4.8 yards per play. Texas A&M averaged 9.6 yards per play. It was really that simple in this one. Johnny Football made the Aggies dangerous on what seemed like every snap. Oklahoma's offense played well in the first half, but it rarely looked easy, and Texas A&M prevented the Sooners from breaking big plays. It also clamped down in the red zone.

Unsung hero of the game: Texas A&M's offensive line. Get a good, long look at Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews serving as bookends on this line. They might be gone soon, cashing big-time checks as NFL first-round picks. Mike Sherman had well-chronicled struggles, but the offensive line guru left some big beef for Manziel and the Aggies offense to operate behind. It showed tonight. Oklahoma rarely blitzed, for fear of Manziel running loose in the second level, but he had all day to throw and little pressure on most snaps.

What Texas A&M learned: Heisman jinx, December distractions, coaching changes, whatever. It all seemed pretty irrelevant in this game. Johnny Football looked like his usual self, if not better. He broke loose for 47 rushing yards on Texas A&M's opening drive and didn't slow down from there. Kliff Kingsbury checked out as Texas A&M's offensive coordinator, but Clarence McKinney had a solid performance in his debut as play-caller. Manziel insisted he wasn't distracted and that the whirlwind of awards and television appearances after winning the Heisman hadn't changed him. His performance validated those claims.

What Oklahoma learned: Just like Kansas State and Notre Dame, the Sooners were incapable of beating the elite teams in college football this year. A 10-3 season isn't bad, but it's not good enough at Oklahoma. The Sooners might not have even been happy going 1-2 in those losses, but 0-3 will leave a very bitter taste in their mouths thinking back on a season that was very average by the Sooners' sky-high standards. Any notion that it had a formula for stopping or even slowing down the Johnny Football train went out the window. He had his way with the Sooner defense, which tackled poorly, too.

David Ubben and Jake Trotter preview the AT&T Cotton Bowl and how Oklahoma can stop Johnny Manziel, what the Sooners offense has to do to win and more.

It's time to take a look at Texas A&M's X factor in tonight's matchup with Oklahoma in the AT&T Cotton Bowl:

X FACTOR

Damontre Moore, Jr., DE: Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones had a very successful regular season. He passed for 3,989 yards and 29 touchdowns during the regular season and also had four receiving targets register more than 40 catches on the year. He has done very well against the blitz this year, so bringing extra pressure probably isn't the best method of attack for the Aggies. So, Moore will have to make sure he brings the pressure so that the blitz doesn't have to. Moore was one of the best sack artists in the country this year, registering 12.5 sacks on the year. He also collected 20 tackles for loss. Since the Aggies don't want to spend most of the night blitzing, they'll have to rely on Moore to bring the heat up front. Jones struggles when he's pushed outside the pocket, and Moore should be able to make that push happen. He'll have to because the Aggies ranked 11th in the SEC in pass defense, giving up 248.4 yards per game. Texas A&M can't afford to give Landry time to throw tonight.

Here's a look at three keys for No. 9 Texas A&M's matchup with No. 11 Oklahoma in the AT&T Cotton Bowl:

1. Don't change the script: Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury might be gone, but all those athletes who made the Aggies' offense so potent in 2012 will still be lining up inside Jerry's World. And that includes Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel, who made just about every defense he faced look silly. Kingsbury and Manziel had a special in-game relationship, but Kingsbury is now at Texas Tech, so Manziel won't have the luxury of Kingsbury's guidance on the sideline. But the Aggies can't divert from the plan that got them to 10 wins in their first year in the SEC. Trying anything new or restricting parts of the offense probably isn't the way to go at this point in the season. The athletes are there to stay the course, and with Oklahoma's high-powered offense, the Aggies can't afford to get too far behind the Sooners. Keeping the run game going will be key as well, as Oklahoma ranks 79th nationally in rush defense and gave up 200-plus rushing yards six times during the regular season.

2. Force Landry out of the pocket: Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones completed 65.5 percent of his passes for 3,989 yards and 29 touchdowns this season and had two 500-yard passing games during the regular season. The man can throw the pigskin around, and it helps that he has four players to throw to who have more than 40 receptions on the year. That means the Aggies have to make him as uncomfortable as possible tonight. While Jones has done well against the blitz this season, he struggles when he's forced out of the pocket. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Jones has attempted 12.2 percent of his passes from outside the pocket in his career and has thrown 25.5 percent of his career interceptions from outside the pocket. Defensive end Damontre Moore was a terror in opposing backfields this season and if he can consistently get into Landry's face, he should make it tough for Landry to make a lot of plays on the Aggies' defense.

3. Contain Oklahoma's returners: The Sooners rank fourth nationally in kickoff return average, registering 26.5 yards per return. The Sooners have returned 32 kicks for 849 yards and a touchdown. Roy Finch recorded the Sooners' lone touchdown, but Brennan Clay has done the most damage on kickoffs, averaging 26 yards on 18 returns. The Aggies will also have to deal with punt returner Justin Brown, who averages 13.6 yards per return and has a touchdown. Texas A&M allowed just 18.7 yards per kickoff return during the regular season and 5.9 yards per punt return. The Aggies didn't allow any return touchdowns in 2012.

Three keys for Oklahoma in tonight’s AT&T Cotton Bowl against Texas A&M:

1. Protect Landry Jones, and the ball: When the Sooners have kept Jones upright, he’s been lethal throwing the ball to a quartet of playmaking receivers. But the few times that opposing defenses have gotten pressure, Jones has been subject to major mistakes, notably in a loss to Kansas State earlier this season. This will be OU’s toughest protection test yet, as the Aggies feature one of the top sack artists in the country in Damontre Moore. But if OU can keep Moore and his cohorts out of Jones’ face, the Sooners should be able to move the ball through the air against what’s been an inconsistent Texas A&M secondary.

2. Contain Johnny Football: OU defensive coordinator Mike Stoops said this week that you can’t stop Johnny Manziel. But you can contain him. That’s obviously easier said than done. Just ask Alabama. But if the Sooners can keep Manziel in the pocket and prevent him from reeling off big plays on the move, they should be in good shape.

3. Win the special teams battle: The Sooners have their best special teams units in years, especially in the return game. Jalen Saunders’ punt return touchdown against Oklahoma State helped sparked the Sooners in a come-from-behind Bedlam win. Brennan Clay and Roy Finch have also been very good returning kicks, and punter Tress Way can swing field position with his leg. One way to counter Manziel is to make plays when he’s not on the field. The Sooners could use some big plays on special teams.

No. 9 Texas A&M (10-2, 6-2 SEC) vs. No. 11 Oklahoma (10-2, 8-1 Big 12)

Who to watch: Who else? Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel will attempt to put the finishing touches on his freshman season. "Johnny Football” broke Cam Newton’s SEC record for offensive yardage and accounted for 43 touchdowns while becoming the first freshman to capture the Heisman Trophy. Manziel, however, will be facing one of the better defensive backfields he’s seen all season, led by free safety Tony Jefferson and cornerback Aaron Colvin -- both All-Big 12 performers. Manziel will also have to overcome the distractions of a whirlwind month in which he not only won the Heisman but hung out with actress Megan Fox and played golf with the Jonas Brothers.

What to watch: The Aggies boast Manziel, but the Sooners counter with one of the top wide receiving corps in the country. Kenny Stills, Justin Brown, Jalen Saunders and Sterling Shepard all have more than 500 yards receiving this season. Texas A&M is stout up front, but the Aggies have been vulnerable at times defending the pass, ranking 82nd nationally in pass defense despite competing in the run-oriented SEC. If OU quarterback Landry Jones gets rolling with his talented pass-catchers, this game could tumble into a shootout.

Why to watch: Outside the BCS National Championship, this is as good a matchup as any out there. This Cotton Bowl also features two of the top quarterbacks in the country, with the hotshot freshman in Manziel facing off against the elder statesman in Jones, who will be making his 50th career start on the same field in which his career began four years ago. There should be plenty of energy inside Cowboys Stadium, too, as the Cotton Bowl is expecting a record crowd of 90,000. This will be a BCS-caliber bowl in every way except in name.

Prediction: Texas A&M 34, Oklahoma 31. Coach Bob Stoops has a dominating 11-2 record against Texas A&M, including an average victory margin of three touchdowns. These, however, are not the same Aggies the Sooners faced in the Big 12. Manziel and coach Kevin Sumlin have brought a new attitude to Texas A&M, and the Aggies will be motivated to prove this on the field against their former conference foe.

Texas A&M Aggies (10-2) vs. Oklahoma Sooners (10-2)

Jan. 4, 8 p.m. ET, Arlington, Texas (Fox)

Texas A&M take by GigEmNation's Sam Khan Jr.: The Aggies are one of the surprise stories nationally in college football this season, exceeding preseason expectations by going 10-2 in their first Southeastern Conference campaign.

New coach Kevin Sumlin has injected energy into the program and helped reverse the narrative of 2011, when the preseason-top-10 Aggies couldn't hold on to a second-half lead. Now, Texas A&M closes games out as good as any team.

A lot of that credit can go to its Heisman Trophy candidate at quarterback, redshirt freshman Johnny Manziel. Nicknamed "Johnny Football," Manziel took the college football world by storm with his playmaking ability, producing an eye-popping statistical season by breaking Cam Newton's single-season SEC total yardage record. Manziel compiled 4,600 offensive yards this season, throwing for 3,419 and rushing for 1,181. He was responsible for 43 touchdowns.

But the Aggies have been far from a one-man show.

Questions about the defense -- and the defensive line in particular -- were answered emphatically. Junior Damontre Moore spent most of the season at or near the top spot in the country in tackles for loss (20) and sacks (12.5), where he's tied for fifth and third, respectively.

Perhaps the team's best unit has been its offensive line, which has two future NFL draft picks at the tackle spots (juniors Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews), and a senior center (Patrick Lewis) who has been a catalyst to the team's success.

The Aggies have displayed a high-powered, quick-strike offense under Sumlin and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, and an aggressive defense under coordinator Mark Snyder.

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Oklahoma take from SoonerNation's Jake Trotter: From Lee Roy Selmon to Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma has a long, strong defensive tradition. But like almost everyone else in the Big 12, these Sooners win with their high-flying pass offense. Senior quarterback Landry Jones finished off the regular season on fire, throwing for more than 500 yards twice in November while leading the Sooners to a pair of come-from-behind, fourth-quarter wins. Jones, who has a chance to go 4-0 as a bowl-game starter, benefits from one of the most explosive wide receiving corps in the country.

Four different receivers boast more than 500 yards receiving, including Kenny Stills, who leads the Sooners with 75 receptions and 11 touchdowns. All three of OU’s running backs are dangerous in the passing game, too, especially fullback Trey Millard, who had a 73-yard reception against Texas earlier this season.

Opposing offenses have gashed Bob Stoops’ defense on the ground, but the Sooners are not easy to thrown on. Free safety Tony Jefferson is a ferocious tackler, and cornerback Aaron Colvin is a ball hawk.

As co-Big 12 champs, the Sooners had a season worthy of a BCS bowl. But Northern Illinois' sudden ascendance knocked them out of the BCS and the Sugar Bowl. The Sooners did not have a win over a team currently ranked in the AP Top 25. But their two losses came at the hands of top-ranked Notre Dame and Kansas State, which was No. 1 before the Irish. OU was in both games until falling apart in the fourth quarter. The Sooners, however, have owned the fourth quarter down the stretch, coming back in the final seconds to knock off West Virginia and Oklahoma State, then holding off TCU in the last minute.

As we continue to take a look at who should be No. 2 in the BCS standings, there's only one question that really matters in the grand scheme of things: Who can challenge Alabama?

So far, it hasn't looked like anyone other then the Crimson Tide can take down the nation's No. 1 team. Alabama has beaten people down with its power running game and held every offense it's faced in check with an extremely talented and disciplined defense. It's clear this is the nation's best college football team, but who out there can challenge the Tide?

Our ESPN.com colleagues took at look at four teams that have the potential to dethrone Alabama. Do any of these teams have what it takes to knock off Alabama in 2012? Is another one lurking?

Let's face it; spring games aren't exactly exciting.

Sure, getting to see your team kind of go hard at the end of a month of spring practice has its moments, but it's mostly a snoozefest for those in the stands. You usually don't learn a ton from spring games and the best players often skip them.

But what if the NCAA decided to tweak these games. Maybe, let teams travel to other stadiums and actually play another team? Put it on national television and we're talking more money to spread around. I know, it sounds crazy, but you have to admit it beats seeing Team A collide with Team A over and over again. It actually makes a spring game watchable!

Well, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he thinks it would be a good thing if teams were allowed to play other teams to end the spring. His criteria would be that teams could only play out-of-conference opponents but within a reasonable driving distance, such as 100 or 200 miles, the revenue generated from the game (and I'm sure there would be a lot) could be given back to the schools or donated to charity, and rules for the game would be agreed upon by the coaches of each team before the game. If a school doesn't want to partake in the festivities, it doesn't have too, but it sure is missing out.

Here's some of what Swinney said about his idea:

"The good thing about doing something like this is that in the spring time, you don’t have your whole team there. Like last spring, for example, we were missing 31 guys for spring ball. So we were very, very thin. This year, we have more bodies on hand. But still, every time you practice against each other in a scrimmage, you’re 100-percent invested with your personnel, as opposed to if you go and scrimmage somebody else. You’re scrimmaging their defense, while your defense is on the sidelines. When your offense is out there, your defense is on the sidelines. You’re not 100-percent vested with what’s going on. I just think there’s something good with that.

"Plus I think a scrimmage would be a great way to further teach our guys and prepare them for the season … to be able to implement your schemes against another opponent, and it could be against anybody."

Swinney's right. Coaches would have more time to analyze everything that's happening on one side of the ball without having to constantly watch both the offense and the defense at the same time. That's a win for coaches, especially when their dealing with youngsters or plugging in new players. Also, you don't run into the whole issue of the defense knowing what the offense is going to do and vice versa.

Sure schools are going to wonder about revenue when having to play on the road, but that's where national television comes in. I'm sure that wouldn't be an issue. Putting these games on for the country to see means more money and it certainly helps with recruiting -- something every coach would love.

And remember, this is a scrimmage, so play as many people as you can. It won't affect your season record ... because it's a scrimmage.

Worried about injuries? Things getting a little testy? Don't be. It's Division 1 football! Injuries happen in practice all the time and teammates turn on each other all the time. Both happen regardless of who's on the field.

"I think it would be fun. I think the players would enjoy it. I think the fans would enjoy it," Swinney said. "But that’s just one guy’s opinion."

And it's a good opinion.

Here are some fun matchups that could happen if such a thing were possible:

• Alabama-Florida State: OK, so this would be a 300-plus-mile journey, but these are two good football names and they share plenty of recruiting battles. Surely that would be enticing to both coaching staffs.
• Arkansas-Oklahoma: A little more than 200 miles separates a great offensive spring game.
• Auburn-Georgia Tech: Atlanta isn't far at all from Auburn and that Georgia Tech running game can prep just about any defense.
• Florida-Miami: Another 300-plus-mile trip, but it'd be well worth it for both schools. This rivalry needs to be revisited more than it is.
• Georgia-Clemson: These two play in private basketball scrimmages every year, so why not translate it to the football field?
• Kentucky-Cincinnati: This isn't much of a drive at all, so it's really a no-brainer for both schools.
• LSU-Tulane: Another no-brainer in the travel department and a good time is liable to break out afterward.
• Mississippi State-Southern Miss: The Bulldogs play Ole Miss every year, so switch things up and head south before the year starts.
• Missouri-Kansas: Renewal of a pretty good rivalry.
• Ole Miss-Memphis: Those around both programs know this has been a pretty heated rivalry. Spring together would be great!
• South Carolina-North Carolina: Battle of the Carolinas. Sounds good to me.
• Tennessee-Virginia Tech: Not a taxing drive and it gets the Hokies into SEC territory.
• Texas A&M-Texas: I'll let the Aggies fans tell us why this one would be so great.
• Vanderbilt-Louisville: Relatively new coaches surpassing expectations. Nice.

One day, we'll look up and see an SEC team not covered in national championship confetti.

But when?

It's hard to tell, really. It's not like there aren't capable teams outside of the SEC that can end the streak. And it's not like the SEC teams can't beat each other up too much and eliminate the conference from another national title run.

The problem is that the top teams in the SEC don't seem to be going anywhere.

The new national champs? Don't expect Alabama to sit by and watch others compete for a shot in Miami. Yes, the defense will take a few hits and everyone expects running back Trent Richardson to leave for the NFL, but it's not like the talent pool has been drained in Tuscaloosa.

With the way Nick Saban has recruited, Alabama will still compete for the SEC title in 2012 and beyond. If Alabama is competing for the SEC title, recent history tells us its competing for the national championship.

LSU will have something to say about next year's national championship, too. LSU has the bulk of its dominant defense returning. Tyrann Mathieu, Sam Montgomery, Barkevious Mingo, Michael Brockers, Bennie Logan and Eric Reid were only sophomores in 2011. Plus, the offense will return all four of its running backs, its top receivers and will get a much needed upgrade at quarterback with Zach Mettenberger taking over.

LSU might be a favorite to win it all next year and it's not like coach Les Miles hasn't been recruiting his tail off. LSU has a slew of young, gifted players that will fit right in when some of the veterans depart. LSU is on a reloading path.

Georgia and South Carolina have recruited their way to the top of the SEC East. Both possess outstanding defenses and have what it takes to compete for the conference title in 2012. Beyond that? Absolutely. South Carolina has put a special emphasis on defense and it's paying off. Georgia has owned the state of Georgia in recent years and seems to have a pretty stocked cupboard.

Don't forget Arkansas. The Hogs will lose some pretty good talent in 2012, but coach Bobby Petrino has done a very solid job recruiting and molding his talent. It might be tough for Arkansas to compete nationally in 2012, but don't count out a team with Knile Davis in its backfield.

Also that young talent at Auburn, Florida and Tennessee, won't be so young players soon.

There certainly are schools with the talent to take down the SEC in 2012. USC looks primed for a title run with 19 starters, including star quarterback Matt Barkley, returning.

Michigan State has the talent on both sides of the ball to make a run. Also, the schedule isn't so bad. Can the Spartans finally inch the Big Ten out of the SEC's shadow?

Oklahoma had a rough 2011 season, but with quarterback Landry Jones returning with some solid receiving talent, the Sooners should be the favorite in the Big 12. However, winning BCS games has been, well, tough.

Florida State is stocked with talent and should be favored in the ACC, but don't expect the same result we saw in 2011. Improvement is coming and if Jimbo Fisher can get that talent playing as consistently as it should, watch out.

In a couple of years, keep an eye on Ohio State. Urban Meyer is in charge now and he knows a little about winning in the SEC.

The SEC's championship winning streak will come to an end at some point (unless the Mayans were right). It has to. But ending it next year will be hard, so the national pouting could continue.

Or, the other conferences could form a super team. Surely, that would work.

Missouri will join the SEC and plans to be the conference's 14th member in the 2012-13 academic year, according to a Sunday morning announcement.

"I am pleased to officially welcome the University of Missouri to the SEC family on behalf of our presidents, chancellors, athletics directors, students and fans," SEC commissioner Mike Slive said in the news release. "Missouri is an outstanding academic institution with a strong athletic program. We look forward to having the Tigers compete in our league starting in 2012."

But could hurdles to making that happen still lie ahead? West Virginia and the Big 12 announced their plans for the Mountaineers to join the league in 2012, but the school and the Big East are currently embroiled in dueling suits over the league's 27-month notice required in Big East bylaws.

From our news story: "A source recently told ESPN.com's Andy Katz that Missouri could have trouble getting out of the Big 12 because the league isn't sure if it can get the Mountaineers in from the Big East next season."

The Big 12 is required to have 10 members to fulfill its television contract.

Missouri and the SEC plan to have a public celebration and news conference on Sunday afternoon in Columbia.

"The Southeastern Conference is a highly successful, stable, premier athletic conference that offers exciting opportunities for the University of Missouri," school chancellor Brady J. Deaton said in the SEC statement. "In joining the SEC, MU partners with universities distinguished for their academic programs and their emphasis on student success."

Missouri's entrance also gives the SEC a fourth Association of American Universities member, joining Texas A&M, Florida and Vanderbilt.

LSU Tigers coach Les Miles and Oklahoma Sooners coach Bob Stoops discuss their top spots in the rankings.