Both Texas A&M and Mississippi State look to return to the win column on Saturday, Oct. 2, as the maroon and white host the Bulldogs at 6 p.m. at Kyle Field.
Here are five things to look for ahead of the matchup:
Short-term memory
Showing that all good things must come to an end, the Aggies fell to Arkansas 20-10 last week for the first time since 2011, snapping a nine-game win streak against the Razorbacks. It will be key to watch if A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies can put the Southwest Classic in the rearview mirror and keep their focus on the 2-2 Bulldogs. In addition, A&M must refrain from looking too far ahead to the Oct. 9 home showdown versus Alabama.
“Nobody likes the feeling of losing, and when you do lose, you’re going to remember that feeling,” junior wide receiver Ainias Smith said. “This team is going to remember that feeling and come back stronger than before.”
Mississippi State run defense
Despite carrying only a 2-2 record and coming off a loss to LSU, Mississippi State enters Saturday’s matchup with the No. 8 run defense in the country. The Bulldogs have only given up 283 yards and one touchdown through four games this season, averaging 70.8 yards per game. The Aggies come into the contest averaging 168.8 rushing yards per game, led by the three-headed monster of junior Isaiah Spiller, sophomore Devon Achane and Smith. With the passing game’s recent struggles, the Aggies may rely heavily on this trio to carry their offense.
“We have a very tough opponent this week in Mississippi State,” Fisher said. “They are playing outstanding defense right now. I think they are giving up 71 yards per game rushing. They are experienced, they are physical up front and they have a very physical secondary. It’s going to be a tough game, so we need to get cleaned up, clean the mistakes up from this game and get ready for Mississippi State.”
Calzada looks to get back on track
Having been thrust into the starting quarterback role following Haynes King’s injury, redshirt sophomore Zach Calzada is still looking for consistency as the leader of the Aggies’ offense. Calzada accounted for 275 passing yards and three touchdowns against New Mexico, but only mustered up 151 yards with no touchdowns against Arkansas. Ultimately, Calzada’s success will determine how far this A&M team goes this season, so it’s essential that Calzada find his groove sooner rather than later.
“You’ve just got to keep everybody’s head up as the game goes on,” Spiller said in the Arkansas postgame press conference. “You can’t get down on yourself, because it’s still a game. And there’s still a lot of football to play. I think Zach did a great job today keeping me encouraged, keeping the team encouraged. I’m proud of him.”
Breakout of Jalen Wydermyer
Following a season in which he accrued over 500 yards and six touchdowns in just 10 games, there has been a surprising lack of production from this junior tight end. The 6-foot-5, 255-pound giant has compiled just 159 yards with no touchdowns to his name through four games this season. If Wydermyer can start moving in the right direction, it would be a huge boost to the A&M offense, giving Calzada a large, reliable target. Along with the A&M receiving corps of Smith, sophomore Chase Lane and freshman Demond Demas, Wydermyer can help make the offense one of the most dangerous in the SEC.
“We need to play much more consistent,” Fisher said following the Arkansas game. “It was a game where we needed to catch and run and execute, we didn’t do a good enough job in our runs. We didn’t have as many clean runs.”
Both teams looking for first SEC victory
The Bulldogs’ season has been characterized by close contests thus far, with three of their four contests decided by three points or less. Such was the case last week when they fell 28-25 to an LSU squad looking to rebound from last season’s disappointing campaign. The Aggies are also looking for their first win in conference play after last week’s loss to a resurgent Arkansas team. Multiple players have expressed their excitement for this season’s SEC home opener, as the 12th Man is expected to provide a large home field advantage.
“Being in front of the 12th Man, it’s always an honor to step on the field,” Smith said. “But I just believe the environment itself, the fanbase is going to be behind us. We’re just going to need the support at all times. It’s going to be a real big deal for us to go into Kyle Field [for] the first home game in SEC play; I believe we’re going to do great.”