Expectation vs. Reality: Texas A&M Gets Wake-Up Call in Mississippi State Loss
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The biggest positive from Saturday's game at Davis Wade Stadium for Texas A&M was when the clock struck zero.
Now comes the hard part, accepting the reality of the 2022 season.
The No. 17 Aggies will not be going to the College Football Playoff on New Year's Eve. Barring a complete implosion from Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Alabama, A&M won't be playing in Atlanta for the SEC Championship on Dec. 3.
All the promise and potential showed in back-to-back top 15 wins the previous two weeks by A&M's offense went out the window in a 42-24 loss to Mississippi State. Max Johnson was under duress for most of the afternoon. Receivers couldn't get open. The defense couldn't contain the Bulldogs (4-1, 1-1 SEC) on third down.
It's back to the drawing board for Jimbo Fisher. Even then, will things change?
"We're not where we want to be," Fisher said postgame. "We have to get better."
The Aggies (3-2, 1-1 SEC) have seen their fair share of troubles against Mike Leach's Air Raid offense well before he was hired to replace Joe Moorehead in 2020. Last season, the Bulldogs marched up and down Kyle Field behind Will Rogers' arm for a 26-22 victory.
New location, same results. Rogers, who threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns last October, nearly duplicated his success, throwing for 329 yards and three touchdowns in front of a rowdy house in Starkville.
Perhaps the only thing more infuriating to Texas A&M fans than the ringing of cowbells for three hours was Fisher's reluctance to change his offensive personnel. Drives moved slowed, but ended fast, usually found in the form of punts instead of points.
Prior to the midway point of the second quarter, A&M had yet to cross the 50. Even when the Aggies entered Bulldog territory, things soured quickly. Running back Devon Achane, arguably A&M's best offensive weapon, fumbled at MSU's 8-yard line, eliminating the Aggies' best chance to score in the first half.
After Achane's fumble, Rogers drove the Bulldogs 94 yards for a 7-0 lead. Johnson was stripped-sacked Nathaniel Watson at the Bulldogs' 15 two drives later. By then, it was 14-0 heading into halftime.
"The two red zone turnovers were critical in those situations, that's for sure," Fisher said.
A&M rallied under Johnson in the third quarter. The left-hander connected with receiver Moose Muhammad III for a gain of 36, putting the Aggies at Mississippi State's 30. The two would connect for an 18-yard touchdown to make it 21-10.
Perhaps the second half was when things would come together. A 1-yard touchdown run by running back Dillon Johnson ended that thought with still 12 minutes remaining in the game.
"We definitely haven't been playing as good as people are saying," safety Demani Richardson said. "We just need to create more turnovers."
Switching quarterbacks did little to change the outcome. Johnson suffered a hand injury with eight minutes remaining, forcing Fisher to trust redshirt sophomore Haynes King to keep things close.
King scampered his way into the end zone a 4-yard touchdown to make it 28-17 with seven minutes on the clock. One play and a 75-yard pass to Rara Thomas later, the Bulldogs took back the seven points and extended their lead to 18.
King tossed an interception on the ensuing drive. The Bulldogs missed a 39-yard field goal, giving the Aggies the ball at their own 21-yard line. Two plays later, King tossed his second pick, this one being returned 33 yards by MSU's Emmanuel Forbes for the score.
"We had chances," Richardson said. "We just have to go back and execute. We weren't at the game [today]. Last week we were down 14-0, we were down 14-0 the last game. ... They kept executing and making plays more than we did."
The attention for the short-term turns to Alabama. Last season, Fisher and the Aggies used the loss to MSU as fuel to help pick up a 41-38 upset win at Kyle Field. Playing at Bryant-Denny Stadium is a whole different atmosphere.
Long-term, all eyes are on Fisher. Entering Saturday, the Aggies ranked dead last among SEC teams in total offense, passing offense and scoring. And while A&M scored a season-high 24 points, 14 came when the Bulldogs held a 14-point lead or higher for the remainder of the game.
Fisher said following A&M's 17-14 loss to Appalachian State that he'd be willing to relinquish the play-calling if it gave A&M its best chance to win. For two weeks, mistakes made by opponents silenced the critics on if it was time to hand over the play sheet.
A road trip to Starkville now has fans clamoring for change — especially on offense. The Aggies once again fell short to Leach, who improves to 9-4 all-time against A&M.
If Fisher was honest about being willing to make a change, now would be the time.
And if not now, when?
Said Fisher: "The system and plays are there. We just have to execute and coach them better. It's the same system a lot of people use. ... We just have to pick it up and go."
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