COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Thanks to a bolt of energy from Zavion Thomas, Mississippi State enjoyed its first lead of any kind in three weeks and its first opening-quarter touchdown since the Western Michigan game on Oct. 7.
Against Texas A&M’s third-string quarterback, who was making his first collegiate start, the Bulldogs’ lead lasted all of three minutes.
Jaylen Henderson, starting in place of the injured Max Johnson, efficiently led the Aggies down the field, moving 80 yards in just six plays. On his first snap, the Fresno State transfer faked a handoff to Amari Daniels and took off to his left, picking up 12 yards and a quick first down. His first pass attempt came two plays later on a bootleg, as he connected with Noah Thomas, who had come in motion before the snap, for 31 yards.
Following another connection with Thomas for 13 yards, Henderson took off on a designed quarterback run and found a seam straight through the middle of the defense, slipping past linebacker Jett Johnson and safety Marcus Banks for a 22-yard touchdown.
That set the tone for a big night from Henderson, who racked up 210 combined rushing and passing yards and four total touchdowns.
“The first drive was very challenging,” Jett Johnson said. “It’s a different dynamic (than Max Johnson). He’s a dual-threat guy; he can run and throw. We had to get settled in after that first drive and see what the flavor of the game was going to be. We just have to play better.”
Fourth-down stop continues field position woes
With MSU (4-6, 1-6 Southeastern Conference) trailing by 10 to start the second quarter, Mike Wright returned to action behind center after freshman Chris Parson, making his first start as a Bulldog, had thrown back-to-back interceptions. On third-and-1 at MSU’s own 34-yard line, Wright took off to his left on a counter play but was stopped cold just before he could reach the ball across the line to gain.
Wright tried a simple quarterback sneak on the ensuing fourth-and-inches, but with no backs behind him to push him forward, the Aggies’ stellar defensive front shot through the gaps in MSU’s offensive line, and linebacker Taurean York brought down Wright for the stop.
Texas A&M (6-4, 4-3) took over on the Bulldogs’ 34, the Aggies’ fourth consecutive possession that started across midfield. MSU forced Henderson into three straight incompletions, but the hosts were already in field goal range, and Randy Bond was good from 52 yards away to extend the Bulldogs’ deficit to 20-7.
“They stem in their defense, which every defense does,” MSU head coach Zach Arnett said. “When you’re facing really talented players, you want to get off on the snap. Clearly, we’re going to need to spend more time stemming on them in practice and giving them more of that so we can have them as best prepared as possible.”
Scoop-and-score becomes the final blow
The Bulldogs managed to get a defensive stop to open the second half, and then freshman running back Seth Davis, playing in his home state, took off to the right before finding a cutback lane to the left for a 46-yard rush, the longest offensive play of the night for either team.
But MSU was soon faced with a third-and-16 thanks to one of the seven pre-snap penalties the offense was called for, and Wright was blasted in the backfield as he wound up to throw by blitzing defensive back Jarred Kerr. Shemar Stewart scooped up the ball on the run and ran it back untouched to give Texas A&M a 41-10 lead.
“We should be frustrated,” Arnett said. “Our job is to put a product on the field that the fans are excited about and proud of. Simply put right now, we need to do everything better. We need to play better and we need to coach better. Ain’t no denying that.”
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