Agee’s Week 8 Scores

No. 14 Texas A&M football traveled to take on Mississippi State on Saturday and left Davis Wade Stadium with a hard-fought victory. The Aggies are 2-4 in their last six trips to Starkville and have had to fight the urge to look forward to next week’s matchup with LSU, which will have College Football Playoff implications.

Despite the game being up and down at times Saturday, the Aggies (6-1, 4-0) beat the Bulldogs (1-6, 0-4) 34-24 to win their sixth straight game and the fourth game in a row. direct matchup with the SEC in head coach Mike Elko’s first season.

Texas A&M will then head home to host the No. 8 Tigers.

Here’s how the Aggies finished Saturday’s game after winning:

Defenders: C-

The bye week may have caused some rust for the Aggies as a whole, especially for quarterback Conner Weigman. The redshirt sophomore had a few positives in the game, finishing with 217 yards passing on 15-of-25 passing, but also throwing two interceptions and dropping two more on the first possession of the second half.

He seemed to have problems with what he saw in front of him and made questionable decisions. The Bulldogs’ defenders found ways to get into passing lanes and confuse the shooter as he tried to distribute the ball.

Weigman and Aggie did enough to win the game, but it wasn’t the cleanest effort by a quarterback in a week of inactivity. He was 6-for-7 in the first game, but struggled with efficiency after that.

More: Texas A&M vs. Mississippi State Live: Aggies and Bulldogs in Battle

Running backs: A

Every week, Le’Veon Moss and Amari Daniels play a huge role in the outcome of A&M’s production, and Saturday in Starkville was no exception.

The duo combined for three touchdowns and rushed for 112 yards, getting involved in short-yardage situations and finding ways to end long possessions with touchdowns.

The three running backs also combined for three catches for 30 yards.

Receivers: B-

With so much emphasis placed on the ground, it’s difficult for A&M receivers to make a huge impact most weeks. That was the case Saturday, as the group finished with just 145 yards.

The group finished the game with 11 holds and were able to play with the ball in their hands; The longest reception of the day was Jabre Barber’s 58-yard catch. Noah Thomas had a 20-yard touchdown, but his two catches were the fewest since Sept. 14. However, the passing game is nowhere near as productive as others in the conference, and Saturday was another reminder of that.

Offensive Line: B+

The offensive line play can go unnoticed (unless it’s particularly bad), but considering the Aggies rushed for over 120 yards and didn’t allow a sack, it’s clear that A&M’s big boys up front did their job.

The group remains close-knit, led by left tackle Trey Zune II. Saturday’s 137 yards rushing total was the second fewest the team has produced in conference play, and the 3.8 yards per carry average shows Mississippi State has made some strides in defending the run.

Line of defense: C+

The strength of the team struggled on Saturday and it showed in the way the Bulldogs were able to move the ball on the ground. Mississippi State finished the game with 125 yards and 87 in the first half alone. Much of the second half was spent catching up, resulting in 242 passing yards and fewer plays on the ground.

Had the Bulldogs been able to keep the ball closer or find an edge, the rushing attack might have continued to be a focus and a potential problem for the Aggies’ front seven. Shemar Turner earned his second sack in three games with two tackles for loss.

Freshman cornerback Michael Van Buren Jr. showed off his mobility in the pocket, extending plays long enough to make throws downfield even as his efficiency (22 of 41) suffered.

Midfielders: A

The Aggies’ combination of Captain Thorin York and Scooby Williams was excellent. The duo made a total of 18 tackles and were among the top four tacklers, with York leading the team with 12. York also had a half-sack.

Both appeared to be in the game all day, living in the backfield during games, making it difficult for the freshman quarterback and running backs to find appropriate spacing.

With the addition of Cashius Howell, the Aggies’ hybrid pass rusher/linebacker, the group was a bright spot for the team on Saturday.

Defensive Defense: C+

Van Buren came into his own at times last week against Georgia, throwing for over 300 yards, so the Aggies’ secondary had a very tough game against Van Buren.

The junior quarterback finished the day with 242 yards passing and three touchdowns. The Aggies had nine passes deflected, but most of them came from players in front.

Van Buren consistently found space in passing lanes, keeping the Bulldogs in the game late. Mississippi State’s leading receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. finished the game with seven receptions for 78 yards and one touchdown.

Special teams: B

This group has been a bright spot for the Aggies this season, but hasn’t had a significant impact on the outcome of this season. Kicker Randy Bond was flawless in his attempts, with the highlight coming with 6:13 left in the game, kicking in from 44 yards out to give his team a 10-point lead late.

The Aggies scored only once during the contest.

Trainers: B+

It’s not easy to come to Starkville and play in front of a hostile crowd, but the team had to be ready for the bye week.

Even though the Aggies didn’t play their cleanest game of the year, head coach Mike Elko and his team were able to come out victorious. Seven misses are probably still too many, but the Aggies got the job done and beat the team they were supposed to.

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