No. 14 Texas A&M is undefeated (5-0, 2-0 SEC) and tied for the top spot in the SEC West following a 30-17 victory over No. 21 Mississippi State at home.

The Aggies used a balance attack on offense and played aggressive defense with constant pressure to fend off the Bulldogs’ upset bid. TAMU won the turnover battle 2-0.

5 TAKEAWAYS

  • Sumlin got the monkey off his back: Somewhat surprisingly, in his previous three seasons, Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin went 0-5 against ranked opponents at home. Saturday night, he finally got the monkey off his back.
  • 300+100 combo will be hard to stop: If TAMU can continue to get 300-plus yards of passing from QB Kyle Allen and 100-plus yards rushing from RB Tra Carson, it’s hard to imagine many teams outscoring them.
  • No playing time for QB Kyler Murray: Sumlin demonstrated on Saturday that he doesn’t consider it mandatory to get Murray playing time every game. If Texas A&M’s offense isn’t in need of a change of pace, Allen can handle all the meaningful snaps.
  • Aggies stayed aggressive: For so many coaches, it’s all too tempting to focus on killing the clock in the second half with a lead. Sumlin had the Aggies firing deep out of their own end zone in the third quarter on a pass play that moved them to midfield.
  • Bring on Bama: For scheme and health purposes, Sumlin certainly welcomes the bye week. But with the way the Aggies are playing right now on both offense and defense, it’s hard not to want the showdown with Alabama to get here sooner than Oct. 17.

REPORT CARD

Offense: A- – With the two first-quarter touchdowns, it looked like a potential A+ game, but the lack of a touchdown in the second half drops this 30-point, 516-yard night to an A-.

Defense: A- – The Bulldogs were able to run the ball (34 carries, 196 yards), but the Aggies were successful in containing one of the SEC’s best passers, Dak Prescott (20-of-34, 210 yards) with constant pressure.

Special Teams: A- – K Taylor Bertolet missed from 49 yards, but he drilled a 55-yard field goal.

Coaching: A – Sumlin’s play calls allowed Texas A&M to control the game from start to finish. Defensive coordinator John Chavis out-coached Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen in the chess match on that side of the ball.

Overall: A- – The offense’s second-half performance and WR Ricky Seals-Jones’ targeting penalty keep the Aggies from getting a perfect grade, but all four of the above units brought their A-game for an important SEC West win.

GAME PLAN

Texas A&M’s strong pass rush kept Prescott from ever taking over the game in the air. Sumlin’s early play calls, and Allen’s throws, gave the Aggies the perfect start for an SEC home game. TAMU tried to pull away in the second half, but the Bulldogs tightened up for a four-quarter fight.

GAME BALLS

  • QB Kyle Allen: Allen’s passing (25-of-41, 322 yards, 2 TDs) helped the Aggies get out to an early lead and maintain a double-digit cushion. And this time, he didn’t have to share signal-caller duties.
  • DE Myles Garrett: Garrett disrupted the MSU offensive line throughout the game and finished with 7 tackles. His forced fumble in the third quarter killed a momentum-building drive and potential score for the Bulldogs.
  • WR Josh Reynolds: Reynolds notched a career-high 141 yards on 7 catches.

INJURY UPDATE

  • WR Speedy Noil did not play against Mississippi State.