Texas A&M will return to Kyle Field Saturday to host the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
The Aggies will head into the matchup with a confidence boost after coming out on top against Ole Miss 24-17.
“Lots of room for improvement, but it’s a really good win on the road,” A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said. “We’re going to keep growing. There’s a lot of little things in there we can see as coaches that we’re getting better at.”
Mississippi State will come into the matchup after a 36-13 loss to LSU, which puts the Bulldogs at 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the SEC.
A&M’s defense had some key plays against Ole Miss. Midway through the third quarter, junior defensive back Elijah Blades and junior lineman Justin Madubuike sacked Ole Miss quarterback John Rhys Plumlee, knocking the ball free. Junior linebacker Buddy Johnson proceeded to take the free ball 62 yards into the end zone, pulling the Aggies up to a 17-14 lead. Madubuike also blocked an Ole Miss field goal.
“It’s a great push for us for the rest of the season,” Madubuike said. “I have faith that we can pull together and clean up the little things.”
A&M’s young players also contributed some major plays in the matchup. Freshman linebacker Andre White Jr. earned his first career sack in the fourth quarter, forcing an 11-yard loss to Ole Miss. Freshman defensive end DeMarvin Leal contributed five tackles, and freshman tight end Jalen Wydermyer recorded season highs, earning a total of four catches with 67 yards.
A&M quarterback Kellen Mond went 16-of-28 for only 172 yards passing and 76 yards rushing on 15 attempts for the Aggies. Mond also threw two interceptions and one touchdown, making that game the first time an A&M quarterback has earned more picks than touchdowns since 2018’s matchup against Arkansas.
“It’s kind of hard to find that rhythm sometimes,” Mond said. “We showed glimpses of it, but we have to be a little bit more consistent. It’s something that we’ll continue to fight for, and it’ll eventually happen.”
The Aggies will meet the Bulldogs for the 13th time at 11 a.m. Saturday in Kyle Field.