No. 1 ... in January

Aggies rise to top of CBS writer's 2013 preseason rankings on the shoulders of Johnny Manziel

In college football, the only time it pays to be No. 1 in January is when the final polls of the season are released. But the Texas A&M Aggies are certainly abuzz, thanks to CBSSports.com’s Dennis Dodd.

On Tuesday, Dodd released his 2013 preseason power poll. Never mind that the college football season doesn’t start for eight months. He has the Aggies as his No. 1 team.

Yes, Texas A&M. Even though Alabama won the national title and proved that they reload in Tuscaloosa, not rebuild. Even though Ohio State was FBS’s only undefeated team and couldn’t participate in the postseason due to sanctions.

An Aggie rise to No. 1 in August would be unprecedented. For now, it’s just debate.

Putting it in perspective
Texas A&M, to him, is the preseason No. 1. Let’s put this in perspective. If the voters of the Associated Press were to emulate Dodd’s ranking, it would be the first time that an FBS (or the former Division I-A) team from the state of Texas was No. 1 in AP’s preseason poll.

A&M has been No. 2 in the AP preseason poll twice, the last time coming in 1957. Every preseason AP poll since 1936 is archived at Sports-Reference.com.

The University of Texas is the only team in the state to be ranked in the AP’s first poll of the season. But it wasn’t a preseason poll. It was AP’s first poll released in 1946, which occurred on October 7, 1946. An Aggie rise to No. 1 in August would be unprecedented.

For now, it’s just debate, which is exactly what college football thrives on. The Aggies are a better team than just one player, but their rise nationally is on the shoulders of Johnny Manziel, the redshirt freshman who just won the Heisman Trophy.

He might as well be 10 feet tall and bulletproof at this point. The Kerrville native can do no wrong in anyone eyes.

The attention the Aggies are receiving these days is unheard of. The joke on Facebook shortly after A&M obliterated Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl was that every wide receiver in the 2013 national recruiting class changed their commitment to Texas A&M.

Joking aside, the Aggies are in for a huge recruiting haul, and Manziel has something to do with that. Both Scout.com and Rivals.com, two of the nation’s top recruiting websites, rank the Aggies’ 2013 recruiting classes in the top 10.

The Aggies have a tantalizing mix of a folk hero quarterback, a near-loaded roster, a creative head coach and a favorable schedule.

Scout.com has the Aggies at No. 2, while Rivals.com has the Aggies at No. 8. Both have the Aggies with 34 commitments. Last year? The Aggies were ranked No. 21 and No. 15, respectively.

Aggies lose standouts to NFL
Capitalizing on success is one way programs like Texas A&M take that final step. Of course, there are still issues to deal with.

The Aggies lost their top offensive lineman, left tackle Luke Joeckel, and their top defensive end, Damontre Moore, to early entry in the NFL. Mock drafts have the pair in the top 10.

Fortunately, right tackle Jake Matthews is back, and people consider him a leading contender for the Outland Trophy, the award given to college football’s best offensive lineman. That award went to Joeckel in 2012. Matthews will slide over to left tackle in 2013.

Redshirt freshman wide receiver Mike Evans emerged as the program’s top receiver, with 82 catches and 1,105 yards. That’ll soften the blow of losing three senior receivers. Running back Ben Malena will be back and should get 1,000 yards rushing.

The Aggies need some help in the secondary, but they have depth and experience everywhere else on defense. Plus, there’s the schedule. Yes, Alabama is coming to Aggieland on September 14, so circle that date on your calendar.

Yes, the Aggies have to play LSU in Death Valley. But the Aggies managed to avoid every serious contender in the SEC East, including Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. Their non-conference schedule is cake.

Combine it all and you have a tantalizing mix of a folk hero quarterback, a near-loaded roster, a creative head coach and a favorable schedule.

No. 1 doesn’t matter until next January. But in Aggieland they’re agog with the possibilities. For once, there’s good reason to believe.

Johnny Manziel might as well be 10 feet tall and bulletproof at this point. The Kerrville native can do no wrong in anyone's eyes.

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Touchdown

Dallas Cowboys go all-in on nachos for 2026 food lineup at AT&T Stadium

Photo courtesy of Dallas Cowboys

Peri Peri, Texas BBQ, and Butter Chicken Doritos Loaded nachos are among the new concession items for the 2026 Dallas Cowboys season.

Every Dallas Cowboys season brings something new on the concessions front, and for the 2026 season the team has gone all-in on nachos, offering multiple new takes on the favorite stadium fare.

In a September 16 release, the Cowboys announced all the new menu items for the season, in advance of the team's home opener against the Washington Commanders on Sunday, September 20 at AT&T Stadium.

The new nacho lineup will feature international flavors on an array of Doritos Loaded and Tostitos Nachos options, including:

Peri Peri Chicken Doritos Loaded — House-made peri peri chicken with peri cheese sauce, pico de gallo, drizzled with garlic perinaise sauce.
Texas BBQ Doritos Loaded — House-smoked beef brisket with nacho cheese sauce, barbecue sauce, sweet and spicy pickles, coleslaw and green onion.
Butter Chicken Doritos Loaded —House-made butter chicken in butter sauce with raita vegetable mix (tomato, red onion, cucumber and cilantro), drizzled with spiced yogurt.
Tostitos Peri Peri Chicken Nachos — Tostitos tortilla chips topped with house-made peri peri chicken, peri cheese sauce, garlic perinaise sauce and fresh pico de gallo.
Tostitos Island Jerk Nachos — Thick-cut Tostitos tortilla chips topped with house made jerk chicken, fresh mango salsa, cilantro and lime crema.

The Doritos Loaded Nachos will be available at Doritos Loaded Carts at Upper 50 Yard Lines, Sections 412 and 442, while the Tostitos Nachos will be available at Tostitos Cantina at Section 423.

Fans who attended FIFA World Cup matches in Arlington already got a taste of the new nachos, which were developed by Frito-Lay and the Legends Global at AT&T Stadium Food & Beverage team.

Two other new non-nacho items for the 2026 Cowboys season include:

Kraft BBQ DCQ — A hoagie bun stuffed with a grilled jalapeño cheese sausage, famous Cowboys mac n cheese, chopped brisket, and Kraft BBQ sauce, topped with jalapeños. Available at Sections 412 and 442 Smokehouse Stands and Upper Bent Buckle Locations at Sections 410 and 444.
Kraft Buffalo Aioli Chicken Sandwich — Crispy chicken breast with fresh lettuce and tomato on a seeded bun dressed with Kraft Buffalo Aioli. Available at all four Crisp stands at Sections 218, 243, 409, and 439.

$Kraft\u00ae Buffalo Aioli Chicken Sandwich at AT&T Stadium$ The new Kraft Buffalo Aioli Chicken Sandwich.Photo courtesy of Dallas Cowboys

But don't worry: Just because the Cowboys are bringing new items doesn't mean they're getting rid of fan favorites from past seasons.

Fans will still be able to enjoy unique items like Tyson Cowboys Star Nuggets, Cowboys Cheesesteak, The Lineman Burrito, The Rowdy Dog, and Dessert Nachos, among others.

And if you're lucky enough to get to sit in a suite, AT&T Stadium will now offer a variety of vegan options for those ticketholders.

Choices include vegan burgers, brat sausage, barbecue meatless meatballs, meatless chicken nuggets, dessert bars, cookies, Buffalo cauliflower bites, and more.

Meatless chicken nuggets at AT&T Stadium for Dallas Cowboys Suite ticketholders will be able to enjoy new vegan items, including the Meatless Chicken Nuggets.Photo courtesy of Dallas Cowboys

On the non-vegan side, other new suite items include Caribbean Spiced Jerk Chicken, Chicken Empanadas, Reese’s Peanut Butter Pie, Cream Filled Scones, Buffalo Ranch Corn Nuts, and more.

To help fans find the new foods and other locations, the team is also unveiling AT&T Stadium Wayfinding, a web-based navigation tool that can be used either in the Dallas Cowboys app or any of four designated AT&T kiosks on the East and West Platforms. The platform connects fans to the most efficient routes to their seats, as well as the the nearest concessions and restrooms.

The Cowboys will also continue to host their Celebrity Chef series, featuring local restaurant chefs bringing their special signature creations to a concession stand in the Main Clubs at AT&T Stadium during every home game.

Another home opener tradition features the First and Second Place winning teams of the annual Taste of the Cowboys Youth Challenge cooking for fans. Mesquite High School and Duncanville High School will cook for fans at the stadium on September 20.

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