Mississippi State (4-5, 1-5 Southeastern Conference) visits Texas A&M (5-4, 3-3) at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas. Here’s who has the edge at each position between the Bulldogs and the Aggies.
Quarterback
Both teams have dealt with injuries at the game’s most important position. Will Rogers could return for MSU this week after missing three games with a shoulder injury, but if he remains sidelined, it will be Mike Wright and Chris Parson behind center. Max Johnson, who took over midseason for the injured Conner Weigman, should be good to go Saturday even after sustaining a rib injury of his own last week. Johnson, a 6-foot, 6-inch lefty, is coming off his best performance of the season against Ole Miss.
Edge: Texas A&M
Running back
The Bulldogs were down lead back Jo’Quavious “Woody” Marks for the second-straight game a week ago and rushed for just 73 yards on 31 carries. Texas A&M has two running backs, Le’Veon Moss and Amari Daniels, averaging more than five yards per carry, but overall the Aggies are 11th in the SEC in rushing yards per game.
Edge: Even
Wide receiver/tight end
Sophomore Zavion Thomas has come on strong lately for MSU with 15 catches over his last two games, but Lideatrick “Tulu” Griffin has remained quiet, with a combined nine catches for 80 yards in the last three contests. The Aggies were down Evan Stewart, one of their top wideouts, but still had Ainias Smith, who in his last two games has a combined 12 receptions for 201 yards and a touchdown.
Edge: Texas A&M
Offensive line
The Bulldogs’ front had its worst performance of the year against Kentucky, committing several penalties of aggression and allowing five sacks for 43 yards lost. Still, it’s an experienced unit that is poised to bounce back. Texas A&M’s line, on the other hand, has allowed the most quarterback hits of any team in the country and has given up the 10th-most pressures. All this despite the Aggies returning four starters as well as center Bryce Foster, who missed most of 2022 with a knee injury but was excellent the year before.
Edge: Mississippi State
Defensive line
After a dominating performance against Arkansas, MSU’s defensive front has regressed considerably the last two weeks, although the Bulldogs could have a favorable matchup Saturday against Texas A&M’s struggling offensive line. The Aggies rank second in college football in sacks and first in tackles for loss, and while a lot of that production has come from their linebackers, the guys up front, led by Fadil Diggs, Walter Nolen and Shemar Turner, are certainly no slouches.
Edge: Texas A&M
Linebackers
MSU’s veteran duo of Jett Johnson and Nathaniel “Bookie” Watson, while still very productive, are possibly feeling the weight of carrying the Bulldogs’ defense, as they have seen their tackle numbers slip a bit the last two weeks. Texas A&M’s Edgerrin Cooper has been a monster, with 16 tackles for loss and seven sacks. He and freshman Taurean York have been the Aggies’ standouts and are the team’s leaders in overall tackles.
Edge: Even
Secondary
Cornerback Decamerion Richardson enjoyed perhaps his best game this fall against Kentucky, while Shawn Preston Jr. remains the leader of a talented yet inconsistent safety room for MSU. Josh DeBerry, a grad transfer from Boston College, is Texas A&M’s top cover corner with two interceptions and seven pass breakups. The Aggies are second in the SEC behind only Georgia, allowing fewer than 200 passing yards per game.
Edge: Texas A&M
Special teams
Kyle Ferrie has been a source of consistency in the kicking game for the Bulldogs as a freshman, making eight of 10 field goal attempts, and Thomas and Griffin are still excellent as returners, even though Griffin averaged just 18 yards on three kickoff returns last week. Texas A&M kicker Randy Bond is 18-for-26 this season, with six of those misses coming from between 40 and 49 yards. Smith did return a punt 82 yards for a touchdown in the Aggies’ win over Arkansas.
Edge: Mississippi State
Starters
Mississippi State
Offense
QB 2 Will Rogers Sr. OR 14 Mike Wright Sr. OR 16 Chris Parson Fr.
RB 7 Jo’Quavious Marks Sr. OR 25 Jeffery Pittman Jr.
WR 3 Justin Robinson R-Jr. OR 19 Freddie Roberson R-Sr.
WR 5 Lideatrick Griffin Sr.
WR 1 Zavion Thomas So.
TE 88 Ryland Goede Gr. OR 98 Malik Ellis Fr.
LT 69 Kwatrivious Johnson Gr.
LG 66 Nick Jones Sr.
C 57 Cole Smith Gr.
RG 64 Steven Losoya III R-Sr.
RT 58 Kameron Jones Gr.
Defense
DE 91 Deonte Anderson So.
NG 22 Nathan Pickering Sr.
DT 94 Jaden Crumedy Gr.
SLB 36 Donterry Russell R-Fr.
MLB 14 Nathaniel Watson Gr.
WLB 44 Jett Johnson Gr.
CB 3 Decamerion Richardson Sr.
S 7 Shawn Preston Gr.
S 10 Corey Ellington Jr.
S 1 Marcus Banks Sr.
CB 4 DeCarlos Nicholson Sr.
Special teams
K 80 Kyle Ferrie Fr.
P 83 Keelan Crimmins Fr.
Texas A&M
Offense
QB 14 Max Johnson So.
RB 2 Rueben Owens Fr.
WR 3 Noah Thomas So.
WR 0 Ainias Smith Gr.
WR 9 Jahdae Walker Jr.
OL 71 Chase Bisontis Fr.
OL 64 Layden Robinson Gr.
OL 61 Bryce Foster So.
OL 54 Mark Nabou Fr.
OL 60 Trey Zuhn III So.
Defense
DL 10 Fadil Diggs Jr.
DL 3 McKinnley Jackson Sr.
DL 0 Walter Nolen So.
DL 5 Shemar Turner Jr.
LB 45 Edgerrin Cooper Jr.
LB 21 Taurean York Fr.
DB 14 Jayvon Thomas Fr.
DB 16 Sam McCall So.
DB 1 Bryce Anderson So.
DB 2 Jacoby Matthews So.
DB 26 Demani Richardson Sr.
Special teams
K 47 Randy Bond Jr.
P 95 Nik Constantinou Gr.
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