Texas A&M is riding high after a quality win, but the 14th-ranked Aggies don’t want to slip up Saturday afternoon when they visit Mississippi State in Southeastern Conference action in Starkville, Miss.
The Aggies (5-1, 3-0) are coming off their best win of the season — a 41-10 throttling of then-No. 9 Missouri on Oct. 5. Le’Veon Moss ran for a career-high 138 yards and three touchdowns against the previously undefeated Tigers, helping his team move up from No. 25 in the AP Top 25.
“We are in a growth mindset. … We are trying to grow every single day,” said Texas A&M coach Mike Elko, whose team had a bye last week.
Moss ranks second in the SEC and 17th nationally in rushing yards per game (101.5), although it certainly helps create space when Conner Weigman is as effective as he was against Missouri (18 of 22 for a season high 276 yards).
Meanwhile, Mississippi State (1-5, 0-3) is in the midst of a gauntlet against top-15 teams. The Bulldogs lost to No. 1 Texas 35-13 on Sept. 28 and then came up short against No. 5 Georgia 41-31 last weekend — both games coming on the road. Now the Bulldogs are back home, but they’re taking on a third straight ranked foe and looking to avoid their sixth straight defeat.
Michael Van Buren Jr. fared well against Georgia, throwing for 306 yards with three touchdowns in a competitive loss. Kelly Akharaiyi reeled in two scoring strikes, while Kevin Coleman Jr. led the receiving corps with eight grabs for 103 yards.
“They answered the challenge, they answered the bell,” said Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby, whose team is starting a true freshman (Van Buren) at quarterback after losing starter Blake Shapen (shoulder) for the season. “I hate that we’re sitting here disappointed, frustrated, that we’re not on the right side of it. But our guys are continuing to fight like heck for each other. And I’m proud of them.”
The Bulldogs actually became the first team since Tennessee in 2016 to score at least 30 points against Georgia in Athens.
“I think they’re starting to find an identity,” Elko said.
On defense, Mississippi State safety Isaac Smith likely will be a focus of the Texas A&M game plan. Smith ranks second in the SEC with 56 tackles, which is good for 12th nationally.
For the Aggies, defensive back Marcus Ratcliffe is a key contributor with three interceptions in the last five games, while Nic Scourton leads Texas A&M with 4.5 sacks.
From a big-picture perspective, the two programs essentially have gone through opposite seasons to this point. Mississippi State won its opener before losing five in a row, while Texas A&M dropped its first game against then-No. 7 Notre Dame before winning five straight contests.
Texas A&M lost two consecutive meetings with Mississippi State before rolling to a 51-10 victory in last year’s matchup. Still, the Aggies have lost four of their last five road meetings with the Bulldogs.
“We’re not very good in Starkville as a program,” Elko said. “That certainly is something we’re very aware of. So we’re going to have to play our best football to have success on Saturday.”
