Learned, Loved, Loathed: Mississippi State 26, Texas A&M 22

There wasn’t much to love in Texas A&M’s loathsome 26-22 Southeastern Conference football loss to Mississippi State on Saturday night.

There was some to be learned, though it’s doubtful that Aggies will like the lessons.

What I learned

Jamie Maury, TexAgs

The Texas A&M defense had its worst showing of the season, giving up 438 yards of total offense on Saturday. 

Kenyon Green should stay at left guard. His offseason move to tackle seemed like a good idea at the time. In retrospect, it actually weakened A&M’s line at two positions. Green was an All-American at guard but has been inconsistent at tackle. Green’s move back to guard appeared to give the Aggies’ running game a jolt. They only rushed for 162 yards, but that was compromised by 29 yards in losses on sacks and a 16-yard loss on a bad snap.

Defensive coordinator Mike Elko’s strategy was flawed. The Aggies typically dropped eight into coverage in an attempt to force Mississippi State to throw short. That worked a year ago. This time, the Aggies routinely played too far off Mississippi State receivers. They forced the Bulldogs to throw short but could not converge quick enough to limit gains. Quarterback Will Rogers was content to take five- and six-yard gains and consistently moved the Bulldogs downfield. He completed 46 passes for 408 yards.

The Aggies are in danger of finishing last in the SEC West. A month ago, that wouldn’t even have been suggested. However, the Aggies are 0-2 in conference play, with Alabama coming up next. Mississippi State was generally regarded as the weakest link in the West. At this point, no victory over an SEC opponent can be assumed.

What I loved

The running game showed signs of life. Isaiah Spiller continued to show he’s the Aggies’ best player. He ran with determination en route to 100 yards on 16 carries. He had a 44-yard run to set up an early touchdown. Devon Achane rushed for 69 yards on eight attempts. He had a 41-yard run to set up a late field goal.

Seth Small was reliable. Obviously, A&M would rather have touchdowns, but when the Aggies settled for field goal attempts, Small came through. He converted all three of his tries from 37, 40 and 44 yards. Unfortunately, he didn’t get a fourth attempt. 

Jalen Preston is developing into a solid contributor. The junior receiver hasn’t been a major factor most of his career, but he’s making plays now. Preston only had two catches, but they were productive. He had a 38-yard catch to highlight a drive for a field goal. Later, he picked up a first down with an 11-yard catch on a drive for a Zach Calzada touchdown run. Of his 49 receiving yards, 21 came after the catch. He was also effective in blocking downfield.

What I loathed

Unforced mistakes have been a common occurrence this season. The list of A&M’s pratfalls included: An interception on a well-thrown pass that ricocheted off receiver Demond Demas. A face-mask penalty on cornerback Jaylon Jones that negated a Mississippi State incomplete pass on third-and-goal at the two-yard line. Jones falling down in coverage to give up a 20-yard touchdown pass. A bad snap for a 16-yard loss that killed a scoring opportunity. A pass interference penalty on third-and-16. Zach Calzada retreated into the end zone to take a sack that resulted in a safety. He also overthrew Ainias Smith in the end zone on a pass that could have given A&M the lead late in the fourth quarter.

Poor pass protection. As mentioned, Calzada does tend to hold the ball too long, but he wasn’t always to blame. He was sacked three times for 29 yards in losses. A&M has allowed 12 sacks. Tennessee is the only SEC team to give up more. The three-man rush that A&M’s defense served only gave Rogers ample time to pick apart the Aggies’ coverage. The Aggies frequently threatened to blitz but routinely dropped out of it. Rogers was buying the threat, anyway. On the rare occasions when A&M brought another rusher, the Aggies had reasonable success.