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COLLEGE STATION – Texas A & M sophomore quarterback Kellen Mond claims he never entertains the concept his coach might yank him from a game.
"That does not really cross my mind at all," Mond said.
Jimbo Fisher figured Mondo had one more shot against Mississippi on Saturday at Kyle Field before Fisher would turn to his bench.
"If he would have struggled that next drive, I would have had to really seriously think about it," Fisher said.
Fisher kept the faith and watched his turnback in the game following two turnovers early in the second half, and Mond rewarded a 38-24 comeback victory over the Rebels.
"I said," Fisher said. "You did not go there, but you did not go there, you did not go there, you did not go away and you did not get touchdown."
All in all it was a roughshod contest, with a double-digit outcome not indicative of the Aggies' struggle for most of three quarters, in their first SEC West home game in more than three years.
"I tell my kids all the time it's not about winning or losing, it's about every time you compete, you find out something about yourself," said Fisher.
The A & M fans who braved the temperatures in the 40s on Saturday, and the Aggies trailed 21-14 early in the third quarter following a 96-yard return to a fumble by the Rebels' Zedrick Woods.
On the Aggies' next series, Mond underthrew a streaking Cullen Gillaspia along the right sideline, and Rebels cornerback Ken Webster hauled in an interception. At that point the A & M fan base has been resting as it's been since Florida State's last December.
"Our defense played out and gave us an opportunity to win," Rebels coach Matt Luke said. "We could not get into a rhythm offensively, and (A & M) made the plays that we did not."
As usual, the leader of the Aggies making plays was junior running back Trayveon Williams, who finished with 228 yards rushing on 31 carries, and became only the second A & M player to have 200-yard career, joining Darren Lewis.
"Phenomenal," Mond said of Williams' performance. "Not only running the ball, but picking up a lot of blocks."
Williams had 56 yards at half-time, meaning he was blasted for two hundred and two quarters, and with the Aggies in desperation mode in trying to avoid their third consecutive loss. The Aggies (6-4, 4-3), playing for home, also earned bowl eligibility for a 10th consecutive season.
"We made up our mind that we were not going to let the slump happen," Williams said of the Aggies being 4-11 against SEC competition in the final quarter of the year.
The Rebels offended by Scottie Phillips, who was closing in on 1.000 yards rushing this season, suffered a leg injury early in the first quarter and did not return. Meantime the Aggie welcomed back receiver Jhamon Ausbon, who had 66 receiving yards on a team-high five catches. Ausbon had missed the first games with a foot injury.
"He's a big-time game-changer," Williams said of Ausbon.
Undeterred following the third quarter interception, Mond threw two touchdown passes to Quartney Davis in the second half, freshman kicker Seth Small booted a 46-yard field goal to lift A & M to a 24-21 lead early in the fourth quarter in between the Davis scores , and Williams iced the victory with a 46-yard touchdown run.
The Rebels (5-5, 1-5) entered the game with the SEC's top passing offense, but were still mostly out of control on 1-of-11 on third-down conversions.
"We focused all week on finishing," A & M linebacker Otaro Alaka said. "We focus on dominating the next play."
The Aggies play their second of three consecutive home games when they welcome Alabama-Birmingham, priority to hosting LSU on Nov. 24.
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