Texas A&M coach Mike Elko feels that last week’s break came at just the right time for his No. 14 Aggies, judging by their energetic response.
Before the midseason pause, they performed well, taking the lead in the Southeastern Conference, especially after a strong 41-10 victory over Missouri. However, they face more challenges in the next three weeks, starting with a trip to last-place Mississippi State, which raises several concerns for A&M (5-1, 3-0 SEC) in a season full of upsets among ranked teams.
“This group of kids, the last time they went down to Starkville, it wasn’t pretty,” Elko said, referring to the Aggies’ 42-24 loss in 2022 when they were ranked 17th. “So, I don’t even know that we need to look at other people.
“I think we just need to be aware of our own history and understand what it takes to be successful, why we’re doing things, to give ourselves a chance to have success. And understanding that if we stop for any second, we’re going to put all of that at risk.”
The Aggies have won five straight games since losing to Notre Dame, averaging almost 447 yards per game. Their defense has also been strong, allowing 311.13 yards in league play, 318 overall, and just 16.7 points per game.
Meanwhile, rebuilding Mississippi State (1-5, 0-3) has lost five games in a row, including the last two against top-ranked Texas (35-13) and No. 5 Georgia (41-31).
The Bulldogs come into this game with the lowest-ranked defense in the league in several categories, including yards allowed (465.8 per game) and points allowed (33.2). However, first-year coach Jeff Lebby is encouraged by some progress, such as the two interceptions made last week in Athens that led to 10 points and a second-half performance where they outscored Georgia 21-7.
Texas A&M will be the third ranked opponent for Mississippi State, which will also face No. 11 Tennessee, No. 19 Missouri, and No. 18 rival Ole Miss to close the season. The Bulldogs lead the series 9-8 but enter the game as 15.5-point underdogs according to BetMGM College Sports Odds.
“I think our guys are incredibly encouraged and enthused by the fact that we’ve had really good moments,” Lebby said. “We’ve got to make sure there’s more and more of those moments every single Saturday and build on the good and continue to take away the bad.”
