The Texas A&M football team will head off to Starkville, Mississippi at 3:15 p.m. Saturday to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs in just its second true road game of the season. The Aggies enter the contest as the No. 14 team in the nation and the leaders of the SEC with a 5-1 overall record and a 3-0 mark in conference play.
The Bulldogs are the antithesis of the Aggies, sporting a 1-5 overall record and are 0-3 in conference play. Here are some players to watch as A&M tries to avoid the trap in Davis Wade Stadium:
Nic Scourton, junior defensive end, Texas A&M
The Bulldogs’ offensive line has struggled when it comes to protecting the quarterback. Their group has already allowed 19 sacks on the season, which is tied for 122nd in FBS. The Aggies have tallied 14 sacks in their six games, which is tied for 37th.
Luckily for the Aggies, they have a guy. Scourton has 4.5 sacks in 2024, with 3.5 of them coming in his last two games. Last week’s rest may end his hot streak, but it would be surprising given Mississippi State’s lack of success in the protection department. Watch for Scourton to live in the backfield on Saturday.
Michael Van Buren Jr., freshman quarterback, Mississippi State
Van Buren put on a show last week at No. 5 Georgia. The former 4-star QB was ranked No. 58 on the ESPN Top 300 list coming out of high school. The true freshman threw for 306 yards and three touchdowns in the loss, becoming just the second QB in program history to throw for over 300 yards against Georgia. His performance was enough to earn SEC Freshman of the Week honors.
Coach Mike Elko had high praise for the young quarterback in A&M’s Monday press conference.
“[Mississippi State’s] ability to stretch the field is probably the most impressive thing that jumps off the tape,” Elko said. “He’s got great arm talent. He can throw the ball a mile.”
Slowing Van Buren down will be a major focus for the Aggies’ defense come Saturday.
Le’Veon Moss, junior running back, Texas A&M
Moss had a monster day last time out against Missouri. The Walker, Louisiana native put up 138 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the Aggies’ decisive win over the Tigers, bringing his season totals to 609 yards and six touchdowns. Moss had a 75-yard breakaway touchdown that served as the dagger early in the second half.
The Aggies have one of the best rushing attacks in the country, averaging 232.3 yards per game, sitting at ninth in the nation. Mississippi State allows an average of 201.8 rushing yards per game on the season, putting them tied for 119th in FBS. With a matchup this unfavorable for the Bulldogs, look for Moss to have a day.
Isaac Smith, sophomore safety, Mississippi State
When it comes to making tackles, Smith is a heat-seeking missile. In just his second season with the Bulldogs, Smith has racked up 56 tackles on the season and is averaging 11.2 tackles per game, which puts him at second and first in the SEC, respectively. Smith has been the Bulldogs’ leading tackler in four of the five games he has appeared in this season.
Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby was impressed with Smith early in the season.
“I saw a guy playing the game the way it’s supposed to be played,” Lebby said after Mississippi State’s season-opening victory over Eastern Kentucky. “You know, a guy that is violent when he gets to the football, [and] he is playing incredibly hard.”
Whenever an Aggie hits the ground, look for Smith to be the one making the tackle.
