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Texas AM Aggies

Rapid Reaction: Reality hits Texas A&M as defense, Hill flounder

Christopher Smith

By Christopher Smith

Published:

Here are some quick thoughts on Texas A&M’s 48-31 loss at Mississippi State.

What It Means: The Aggies are not a Top 15 team. The defense still can’t defend a read-option quarterback. Dak Prescott is a legitimate Heisman candidate, but Rice exploited that weakness earlier this season and Auburn should do the same. The biggest surprise was how flat the pass offense was without Malcome Kennedy and how uncomfortable Kenny Hill looked under pressure. The receivers dropped pass after pass in what could’ve been a shootout. This team easily could be headed for four losses after a 5-0 start.

What I Liked: Speedy Noil’s first of two touchdown catches looked like an NFL highlight, and he nearly made another spectacular grab in the fourth quarter. Ricky Seals-Jones was relentless even if he did drop a few passes. Hill made some nice gains on the ground. Myles Garrett is within 1.5 sacks of Jadeveon Clowney’s SEC freshman record after getting to Prescott in the first half.

What I Didn’t Like: The receivers dropped pass after pass after pass. Hill did the rest, throwing three interceptions and acting spooked most of the game. A&M’s defense face-planted after a solid second-half effort against Arkansas last week. De’Vante Harris got burned repeatedly in pass coverage. The offense converted just 5 of 17 third downs.

Who’s The Man: The bus driver. For getting the team the hell out of Starkville, Miss., after the game.

Key Play: The first of MSU LB Richie Brown’s three interceptions. Texas A&M was driving at the end of the first half with a chance to get within 21-14. Instead, on third-and-7, Hill threw almost imperceptibly behind Boone Niederhofer. The receiver got his hands on the ball, but it popped straight into the air for an easy pick.

What’s Next: Things could unravel quickly for Texas A&M, which hosts Ole Miss next week before traveling to face Alabama.

Christopher Smith

An itinerant journalist, Christopher has moved between states 11 times in seven years. Formally an injury-prone Division I 800-meter specialist, he now wanders the Rockies in search of high peaks.

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