Kendall Webb’s SEC Update Week 10.

One of the hardest things for a team to do is to refocus and reset its goals mid-season when its original goals are no longer attainable.

And there’s no doubt Texas A&M entered the 2013 season with the highest of goals. With a Top 10 preseason ranking and the defending Heisman Trophy winner returning at quarterback, there was a lot of talk about championships – both of the SEC and the national variety – and who could blame the Aggies for dreaming big? An upset win over Alabama in 2012 had proven that the boys from College Station had the talent to go toe-to-toe with anybody.

But an early season loss to that same Crimson Tide team had illustrated just how fragile dreams can be, and a loss to Auburn two weeks ago officially ended any talk of SEC titles and national championships. With Johnny Manziel questionable and nursing a sore right shoulder, the bigger question was whether the Aggies could hit the reset button and find something else to play for.

At least for one week, so far, the answer is ‘yes’ after the Aggies manhandled the Vanderbilt Commodores 56-24 at Kyle Field. Head coach Kevin Sumlin wasn’t even sure if Manziel would be able to play all the way up until the pregame warm-ups, but in less than three-quarters, he looked pretty much like he always does – brilliant. Manziel threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns before taking a seat in the third quarter with the Aggies ahead 42-17.