No. 14 Texas A&M Overpowers Mississippi State in Second Half

© Matt Bush-Imagn Images

No. 14 Texas A&M (6-1, 4-0 Southeastern Conference) increased its winning streak to six games with a 34-24 road victory over Mississippi State (1-6, 0-4) on Oct. 19 at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss.

Despite early defensive struggles, the Aggies were able to put it all together in the second half and hold off an improving Mississippi State team that impressed offensively and made nothing easy in a difficult road environment.

Texas A&M-Mississippi State Game Summary

Mississippi State marched down the field on the game's first possession, getting aggressive with two fourth-down conversions, including a 14-yard touchdown pass from emerging true freshman quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. to running back Davon Booth to take a 7-0 lead.

Texas A&M responded with a heavy dose of wide receiver Jabre Barber, who got 3 touches on the opening drive as the Aggies evened things up on a touchdown pass from quarterback Conner Weigman to wide receiver Noah Thomas. Barber also had a 58-yard catch to set up a Le'Veon Moss second-quarter touchdown run to take a 14-7 lead and led A&M with 92 receiving yards on the day.

The Aggies' defense struggled in the first half, allowing 273 yards to the Bulldog offense, but settled down in the second half. Mississippi State couldn't get anything going unless it had a short field, and that allowed the Aggies to take over the game, although the Bulldogs did come up with a late score to keep things somewhat close.

Van Buren continued to progress after his big game against No. 5 Georgia (5-1, 3-1), throwing for 242 yards with 3 touchdowns and an interception, but the Texas A&M pass rush eventually became too much for his offensive line to handle and he frequently had to evacuate the pocket.

Moss and fellow running back Amari Daniels accounted for 3 Texas A&M touchdowns, while Weigman finished 15-of-25 passing with 217 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions. Linebacker Scooby Williams also had a big day with 6 tackles and an interception, while linebacker Taurean York led the way with 12 tackles.

Turning Point

Trailing 24-17 and having just held Texas A&M to a short field goal inside the 10-yard line, Mississippi State inexplicably attempted a fake punt. The upback took the direct snap and tried to run for a first down, but the Aggie defense was not fooled. Even if the play had been successful, there was also an offensive holding call on the play.

The failed fake gave Texas A&M the ball deep inside Mississippi State territory, and Moss scored from 3 yards out to put the Aggies up two scores. Mississippi State added a touchdown from wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. early in the fourth quarter, but the lead turned out to be enough, and kicker Randy Bond added some insurance with a late field goal.

What It Means

Texas A&M remains atop the SEC and continues to be somewhat of a surprise team. Its offense had an extremely efficient day, going 9-of-10 on third down in the first half and generating several explosive plays. Weigman was not as sharp as he was against No. 19 Missouri (6-1, 2-1), but they found a way to win on the road in an environment where they had recently struggled.

The Aggies stay firmly in the College Football Playoff conversation and have a showdown looming with No. 8 LSU (5-1, 2-0) on Oct. 26.

© Matt Bush-Imagn Images

Meanwhile, Mississippi State has made strides since its early season debacles. Van Buren could be a future star and has added some energy to its offense, and the Bulldogs have been much more competitive since he entered the lineup. At 1-6, a bowl game is unlikely, so they'll be concentrated on building for the future. Yet, future opponents will not be able to take the Bulldogs lightly and get away with it.