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

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

There were things to learn, although Aggie is unlikely to like the lessons.

What I learned

Kenyon Green should remain at left guard. His offseason move to tackle seemed like a good idea at the time. In retrospect, this actually weakened A&M’s two-position line. Green was an All-American on guard, but was inconsistent on the tackle. Green’s return to custody seemed to give the Aggies’ running game a boost. They only rushed for 162 yards, but that was compromised by 29 loss yards on sacks and a 16 yard loss on a bad snap.

Defensive coordinator Mike Elko’s strategy was flawed. The Aggies typically dropped eight in coverage in an attempt to force Mississippi State to go short. It was working a year ago. This time around, the Aggies have consistently played too far from receivers in Mississippi State. They forced the Bulldogs to throw short but couldn’t converge quickly enough to limit the winnings. Quarterback Will Rogers was content to take gains of five and six yards and consistently moved the Bulldogs down. He completed 46 passes for 408 yards.

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

What I liked

The running game showed signs of life. Isaiah Spiller continued to show he was the Aggies’ best player. He ran with determination on the road to 100 yards on 16 carries. He had a 44-yard run to set up an early touchdown. Devon Achane ran 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 were content with field goal attempts, Small pulled it off. He converted his three tries on 37, 40 and 44 yards. Unfortunately, he didn’t have a fourth attempt.

Jalen Preston is emerging as a strong contributor. The junior wide receiver hasn’t been a major factor for most of his career, but he’s making plays now. Preston only did two takes, but they were productive. He landed a 38-yard catch to highlight a practice for a basket. He later had a first down with an 11-yard catch on a practice for a Zach Calzada touchdown. Of his 49 receiving yards, 21 came after the capture. He was also effective in blocking the field.

What i hated

Unforced errors are common this season. A&M’s trap list included: An interception on a well-thrown pass that ricocheted off wide receiver Demond Demas. A face mask penalty on cornerback Jaylon Jones who canceled an incomplete pass from Mississippi State on the third and goal at the two-yard line. Jones falls into the blanket to give up a 20-yard touchdown pass. A bad shot for a 16-yard loss that killed a scoring opportunity. A penalty for pass interference on thirds and 16. Zach Calzada retreated into the end zone to take a sack which resulted in a safety. He also knocked down Ainias Smith in the end zone on a pass that could have given A&M the lead late in the fourth quarter.

Poor protection of passes. As mentioned, Calzada tends to hold the ball too long, but he wasn’t always to blame. He was sacked three times for 29 loss yards. A&M authorized 12 bags. Tennessee is the only SEC team to drop more. The three-way rush that A&M’s defense served only gave Rogers enough time to separate the Aggies’ cover. The Aggies frequently threatened to blitz but gave up regularly. Rogers was buying the threat, anyway. On the rare occasions that A&M has brought in another rusher, the Aggies have had reasonable success.