After Math: Mississippi State

by Will Johnson '01
12th Man Productions

Going into the biggest day of football in Mississippi history, the scene couldn't have been painted any better.

In Starkville and Oxford, gorgeous fall-like weather greeted both monumental matchups. 

'SEC Nation' was set up at Mississippi State's Junction with a boisterous crowd backing them.  At the same time, just up the road in The Grove at Ole Miss, 'College Gameday' had and equally impressive gathering while they broadcast on ESPN.

Magnolia State patrons had to wonder if an October Saturday could get any better than this.

Yes.  Yes it could.

Seven hours after kickoff of the first bout, the day had turned from incredible to unimaginable.

The Bulldogs had taken out the Aggies, coasting to the finish just as their rival got underway versus Alabama.  As evening arrived, the Rebels began their celebration after stunning the Crimson Tide.

Two wins over top-10 teams, just hours apart.  Now, that is indeed hard to beat.

The Aggies took the field at Davis-Wade Stadium in Starkville, and issued a quick message that said they were indifferent toward how much this game meant those ringing cowbells.

In just a minute and 41 seconds, the Aggies took the initial lead. Once again, A&M shredded an opponent on their opening drive, nothing new here.  In 29 of 32 games coached by Kevin Sumlin the Aggies have scored first.       

However, it's become interesting to see what's happened immediately after that first score. 

In the last two contests versus SEC West foes the opponent has gone back down the field and answered with a touchdown themselves.  The offense, after striking right away, has somewhat stagnated.

Against Arkansas, after opening with a touchdown, the rest of the first-half drive chart for the Ags read as follows: punt, punt, punt, touchdown, missed field goal, punt.

Against Mississippi State, backing up the opening score, it reads like this for the remainder of the first half: punt, turnover on downs, punt, punt, interception, interception, field goal.

“There weren't a whole lot of things that were different from the other five weeks,” Kevin Sumlin said.  “Except, basically, they made plays and we didn't.”

Another stat that looked to be important to Saturday's matchup was Red Zone offense and defense.

Texas A&M had been terrific in the Red Zone, on both sides of the ball, going into this one.

The offense was scoring touchdowns 81 percent of the time they took possessions inside the opponent's 20 yard line. That was good enough to rank sixth in the country. In fact, A&M had scored more touchdowns from the Red Zone, 22, than anyone in the nation.

On defense, the Ags had only allowed 3 touchdowns in 9 trips down there by foes. That rated them No. 9 in country in the category.

It didn't work that way in Starkville. The Bulldogs got bullish in the scoring area.

Mississippi State scored touchdowns on all six of their trips inside the A&M 20-yard line.

A&M took four trips into the Red Zone. They scored touchdowns on two, kicked one field goal and were turned away on downs on another.

Mississippi State won the day near the goal line.

Finally, perhaps the most prevalent number of the day is one that can't actually be calculated with clarity. 

Dropped passes are not a stat.  And, it's really a matter of opinion on what is or is not a drop.

Regardless, whatever the number was Saturday (and the consensus seems to be somewhere near 11 or 12), it was far too high.

“We've got some talented players, but a lot of them are young,” Sumlin said in reference to the receiving corps. “We were really inconsistent in what we are doing as far as our play.”

What does it all add up to?

The old adage 'It's not what happens to you, but how you react when it does' sums it up just fine.  And, Sumlin used that exact verbiage in the locker room after the game.

The mistakes are correctable, and now is a time when a team can find out a little extra about itself.

This is when a group can grow and mature unlike at any other time. 

You see, even defeat brings opportunity.

During the week of prep and against Ole Miss this Saturday the Aggies will get some serious answers as to where they stand as a team. This team is in control of what those answers will be.

“Our message was real simple,” said Sumlin. “Everybody needs to look in the mirror and figure out where you personally came up short.”

Start there, then put in the work this week. Then go the extra mile on Saturday night at Kyle Field.

If the Aggies do just that, regardless of the result against Ole Miss, they'll feel a lot better about what's staring back at them the next time they look in that mirror.