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Keys to victory for Mississippi State football in their home tilt with Texas A&M

The Bulldogs must do these three things if they're going to get an upset win on Saturday.

By Andrew Miller

Oct 12, 2024; Athens, Georgia, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Mario Craver (7) runs after a catch against the Georgia Bulldogs in the second quarter at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Oct 12, 2024; Athens, Georgia, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Mario Craver (7) runs after a catch against the Georgia Bulldogs in the second quarter at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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Mississippi State football is hoping to snap a 5-game losing streak and pull off a massive upset at home against the #14 Texas A&M Aggies. It's a tall task for the Bulldogs, but it's not totally out of the question. Here's three keys to victory for State against A&M...

Mississippi State can't let the Aggie defensive line pin their ears back

Texas A&M has studs in their defensive front. Nic Scourton leads a group of ferocious pass-rushers that have wreaked havoc in recent games. When they face obvious passing situations, they're almost impossible to contain. That's likely going to be even more true against a leaky State offensive line. State's offense has to stay ahead of the chains as much as possible on Saturday to slow down the pass rush from firing off the line full steam ahead.

The Bulldog defense has to limit explosive plays

On a play-by-play basis, the A&M offense doesn't blow you away. They don't maul teams up front in the run game, and the pass game has been somewhat disjointed all year. But what has worked for the Aggies has been hitting on explosive plays. Even when they've struggled on most snaps, they've hit enough big plays to find the endzone. Of their 11 offensive touchdown drives in SEC play, nine of those drives featured a play of 20+ yards. When the big plays haven't been there, they largely haven't scored TDs. The MSU defense has to limit explosive plays and force A&M to try and sustain long scoring drives, something they haven't done much of.

State must protect the football

Texas A&M has been one of the SEC's best teams at forcing turnovers. In three SEC games, they have a +6 turnover margin. Turnovers were the exact reason why they defeated Arkansas. With A&M fielding a somewhat inconsistent offense, you don't want to give them extra chances to score. And given the thin margins on which State is operating, wasting possessions is a recipe for disaster. The Bulldogs have to play clean football on Saturday if they want a chance at winning.

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