ST. LOUIS -- I know... you're still feeling it. You're falling asleep still rehashing it.

Your heart still beats fast thinking about it; the hair still stands up on your arm talking about it.

Michael Bishop on the Hail Mary, followed by Toya Jones on the tackle at the 1. Bishop fumbling. Branndon Stewart through the air; Dante Hall on the ground.

And Sirr Parker on the slant.

Forget Roll Left when the Longhorns shocked Nebraska in this same venue two years ago for the Big 12 title. For the Aggies, Slant Right will go down in the history of Texas A&M football as one of the program's greatest plays.

Before pure bedlam at the Trans World Dome, the Texas Aggies pulled off their biggest and most gripping victory in 50 years, maybe in school history.

Beating Nebraska earlier in the year was huge, and at the time considered perhaps the biggest win in school history outside of the 1939 national title victory over Tulane.

The miracle on the Mississippi was bigger.

Just ask the absolutely stunned throng of Kansas State fans who sat motionless in the stadium for 30 minutes, refusing to believe what the Aggies had just done. Just an hour earlier, the Wildcats -- thanks to UCLA's loss to Miami -- were leading the Aggies, 27-12, and packing their bags for the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

Then KSU's season and the chance to make school history ended when the Aggies rallied in double overtime for the 36-33 victory.

Think about what happened in St. Louis on this memorable day:

-- The Aggies used a forgotten senior quarterback with an injured knee to throw for 324 yards and three touchdowns against the nation's second-ranked defense.

--  A&M held the nation's best punt returner, David Allen, to 17 return yards for the game.

--  Forgotten tailback Sirr Parker caught two touchdown passes, a two-point conversion and scored the game-winner on a play that was designed to pick up eight or nine yards to position the Aggies for a long field goal.

-- K-State almost converts an unbelievable Hail Mary pass at the end of regulation, and its Mr. Everything quarterback fumbles trying to run out the clock.

And now the ninth-ranked Aggies head to the Sugar Bowl to play No. 3 Ohio State, while Kansas State free-falls to the Alamo Bowl to face unranked Purdue.

But while the execution of the plays at the end by the Aggies, and the conservative play-calling by KSU in overtime ultimately led to the stirring victory, A&M fans all over the world also can point to one characteristic as to why A&M is the Big 12 champion for 1998:

The Aggies are Aggies.

This school was built on pride, spirit and camaraderie. It seems so was its 1998 football team.

How else do you explain this team winning a conference title when many thought the Aggies wouldn't even qualify for a bowl two months ago?

"It's great for every Aggie," offensive coordinator Steve Kragthorpe said. "There were a lot of hearts watching that TV that day. I'm just happy for everyone involved with Texas A&M University. This is the kind of win that transcends just football. It speaks highly of the whole university and the character and values of this university to be able to come back, stick to our guns and make the plays down the stretch. I think it speaks about the university and the character this university builds in young people."

Branndon Stewart even gave a glimpse as to what A&M has meant to him, as the senior closes out one of the most topsy-turvy and hard-luck careers imaginable.

"I think one lucky thing I've had is coming back to A&M (after signing with Tennessee)," he said. "The people at A&M have been great. I'm just proud to play for a university where I can say I'm proud of our student body and our alumni."

The gritty Aggies have now beaten a No. 1-ranked team (the first time in eight tries), a No. 2-ranked team in Nebraska and will play the third-ranked team in the Sugar Bowl. A&M also nearly pulled off the upset of No. 2 Florida State, Tennessee's opponent in the Bowl Championship Series title game.

A special season, indeed.

"I told some of the younger guys to remember what it took to win this game," said senior Dan Campbell. "I think it's going to carry over to the younger guys... this win did wonders for the program."

R.C. Slocum, with a bit of sarcasm, said he thought A&M should shed any notion that it couldn't win the big game after the 36-33 thriller in St. Louis.

And yet, that's what made the maroon celebration so heartfelt, from the free-flowing tears in the stands to the homecoming bash at Easterwood Airport after the team charter landed at midnight.

Yes, the Aggies have done a lot on the football field over the last 15 years, but like the school itself, the program couldn't seem to wake up the nation as to what has been going on in College Station.

Part of the business of being an Aggie is knowing so many people have no clue what this school represents. At least the Aggie football program informs the uninformed a bit each Saturday.