Mississippi State was desperate for something good to happen, and the Bulldogs made it happen on Saturday with a 35-28 win over No. 4 Texas A&M.

Aggies QB Trevor Knight left the game in the second quarter with what looked like a shoulder injury and did not return. But the result was all about Mississippi State sophomore QB Nick Fitzgerald.

5 TAKEAWAYS

Run Fitz run: Fitzgerald ran for 182 yards and 2 touchdowns on 20 carries, again leading the team in rushing. He also threw for 209 yards on 18-of-31 passing with 2 touchdowns, making his two end zone interceptions forgivable.

Run Aeris run: The Bulldogs have a stable of running backs, Aeris Williams a star that had yet to star. On Saturday, the sophomore had his first career 100-yard game with 140 on 24 carries with a touchdown.

Bulldogs clocked it: Mississippi State owned time of possession, using up more than 37 minutes of offensive time. It had a season-high 365 rushing yards.

Still in the bowl hunt: Mississippi State was all but counted out of bowl contention, but that win gave it four with three to go. It is still going to require a couple of upsets against Alabama, Arkansas and Ole Miss.

Good on third down: The Bulldogs were 39 percent on third downs this season. On Saturday, they were 11-for-18.

REPORT CARD

Offense: A – Fitzgerald has 11 touchdowns the last two weeks and is coming into his own, especially as a runner. The Bulldogs outgained the Aggies, 574-382.

Defense: B – Did plenty to win, got a fumble and Mark McLaurin’s pick sealed it. The Bulldogs limited the Aggies to 14 first downs, and when Knight was in, he was only 5-of-14 for 43 yards. The defense held A&M to 4-of-15 on third down.

Special teams: C – Nothing stellar, but Westin Graves did miss a 32-yard field goal that would have made it easier to breathe late.

Coaching: A – To get this team up for a game it had no business winning, A+. The Bulldogs literally had nothing to play for and now all of a sudden do.

Overall: A – That was a win that could turn things around headed into 2017. Mississippi State not only beat the Aggies, it dominated them and all but knocked them out of the College Football Playoff. Fitzgerald was already becoming a name in the SEC. He put himself out there as a national name with this win.

GAME PLAN

Limit Trevor Knight and an explosive offense. Texas A&M averages 486 yards per game and was held more than 100 yards below that. Coupled with the Bulldogs’ running game, it was a deadly combo with or without Knight at center.

GAME BALLS

QB Nick Fitzgerald: 391 total yards and 4 touchdowns, including a 74-yard touchdown run. He and Mississippi State’s front dominated the Aggies.

RB Aeris Williams: Fans have wondered why Williams hasn’t been given the chance to do what he did each week. His 140 yards on 24 carries should convince coaches he can.

LB Richie Brown: In a defensive effort that was more overall than individual, the senior had a team-high 8 tackles, 1 for loss and a hurry.