Postgame Notes: Mississippi State at Texas A&M
October 02, 2021 | Football
GENERAL
- Mississippi State won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Texas A&M received the opening kickoff.
- MSU's game captain was WR Austin Williams.
- Today's attendance was 87,973.
- An unranked MSU team has now upset a ranked Texas A&M team three times since the Aggies joined the SEC (2021, 2018, 2017).
- Unranked MSU teams have upset at least one ranked team in six of the last seven seasons dating back to 2015.
- Three of those have come against Texas A&M.
- Mike Leach is now 8-4 against Texas A&M in his career with two wins over ranked Aggie squads.
OFFENSE
- The Bulldog offense is now 18-for-21 (85.7 percent, 14 TD, 4 FG) in the red zone this season.
- 4-for-5 today (3 TD, 1 FG).
- Scored on its first two drives of the game (FG, TD) for the first time this season.
- Passed for 408 yards, which is No. 10 in MSU single-game history and marks the 11th 400-yard passing game in program history.
- It was the fourth time MSU has passed for 400 or more yards and the eighth game of 300 or more yards under Mike Leach.
- Completed 46 passes, which ranks third in MSU single-game history.
- Each of the top three single-game completion totals have come this season.
- Completed eight passes of 15 or more yards.
- Four came in the second quarter, including three of 20-plus yards.
- Three of the 15-plus-yard completions were on the same drive, a 5-play, 75-yard march for a touchdown in 1:31.
- Four came in the second quarter, including three of 20-plus yards.
- Did not turn the football over for the second time this year.
- Has completed 215 passes this season through five games, the fewest games needed to reach 200 completions in school history.
- 215 completions ranks eighth in MSU single-season history.
DEFENSE
- MSU has at least one takeaway in 39 of its last 44 games.
- State has forced a turnover in seven straight games with 14 takeaways in that span.
- The Bulldogs have collected 76 takeaways in the 44-game span dating back to Nov. 18, 2017 at Arkansas.
- MSU has intercepted a pass in 29 of the last 42 games with 39 total picks in that span.
- Scored a safety for the second time under Mike Leach.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
WR Christian Ford
- Posted career highs in receptions (4) and receiving yards (40).
- Made a career-long 16-yard reception.
- Posted a career-high 52 receiving yards.
- Made a career-long reception for a 23-yard gain.
- Hauled in a 22-yard pass on MSU's second drive of the game, which led to a touchdown seven plays later.
- Has caught a pass in 15 straight games, every game of his career.
- Recorded the first multi-touchdown game of his career.
- Tied for the team lead with four receiving touchdowns this year.
- Caught a career-high 13 passes, which is fourth-most in MSU single-game history.
- School record: 15, Kylin Hill at Kentucky (Oct. 10, 2020) and Eric Moulds at Tennessee (Sept. 23, 1995)
- No. 3: 14, David Smith vs. Ole Miss (Nov. 27, 1969).
- Registered his third career double-digit reception game as a Bulldog, which is tied with David Smith (1968-70) for second in school history.
- School record: 4, Fred Ross (2013-16).
- Posted 126 receiving yards, which is 10 shy of his career high (136 at Memphis, Sept. 18, 2021).
- Second 100-yard receiving game of the season.
- Matched his career high with three touchdown passes.
- Has thrown a touchdown pass in 11 straight games with 22 touchdowns in that span.
- 14 touchdowns is the most by any through the team's first five games since 2007.
- Previous: 13Â by Dak Prescott (2014).
- Completed 46 passes, which is third in MSU single-game history.
- Holds four of the top five single-game marks in MSU history with each of the top three coming this season.
- Completed 13 of his first 14 passes in the game.
- Was a perfect 7-of-7 passing on State' first touchdown drive in the first quarter.
- Completed five passes of 20-plus-yards to five different receivers.
- Has completed a pass of 20 or more yards in all five games this season.
- Recorded his sixth career 300-yard passing game, which is second in MSU career history.
- School record: 9, Dak Prescott (2012-15).
- Recorded his 10th career 200-yard passing game, which is tied for fifth in MSU history with Nick Fitzgerald (2015-18) and Tyler Russell (2010-13).
- School record: 29, Dak Prescott (2012-15).
- No. 2: 11, Tommy Pharr (1967-69), Wayne Madkin (1998-01) and Kevin Fant (2000-03).
- MSU's career leader in completion percentage (72.1 percent, 454-of-630).
- Career No. 2: 64.1 percent by K.J. Costello (134-of-209; 2020).
- Career No. 3: 62.8 percent by Dak Prescott (734-of-1169; 2012-15).
- Completed 46-of-59 passes today (78.0 percent).
- In his last three games, has gone 143-of-188 (.761) while averaging 381.3 yards with three touchdown passes in each contest.
- Extended his streak of consecutive games with a reception to 14.Â
- Has a receiving touchdown in four of five games this season.Â
- Has a receiving touchdown in six different games since 2020, which ranks tied for fourth in the SEC during that span.Â
- Had a 25-yard catch on first down in MSU's first drive of the second quarter, his first 20-plus-yard catch of the season.Â
- Caught his team-leading fourth touchdown pass of the season.
- Split a tackle for loss inside the red zone to help force a field goal attempt.
- Forced a fumble for the first time in his career.
- Added 1.0 tackle for loss.
- Broke up a pass for the second time this season.
- Tied for the team lead with eight tackles.
- Sacked the quarterback in the end zone for a loss of 10 yards for a safety.
- Made his first career sack for a loss of 10 yards.
- Tied for the team lead with eight tackles.
- Recorded a strip sack in the second quarter before the Aggies recovered the ball.
- Sack was the seventh of his career and his third career forced fumble.
- Has 7.0 sacks in 14 career games.Â
- Was his second career game with both a sack and a forced fumble.Â
- Added half a tackle for loss to finish with 1.5 tackles for loss in the game.
- Intercepted the third pass of his career and second of the season.
- Returned it a career-long 12 yards.
- Picked up 1.0 tackles for loss.
Players Mentioned
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DT
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