GAMEDAY: MSU Heads To College Station For First SEC Road Trip

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State faces its first Southeastern Conference road challenge of the 2021 season on Saturday as the Bulldogs square off against No. 15/13 Texas A&M at Kyle Field. The game will be televised at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network. Fans can also listen for free on HailState.com/plus.

Mississippi State's Storylines at No. 15/13 Texas A&M

MSU is meeting a ranked Texas A&M team for the fourth time since the Aggies joined the SEC. The Bulldogs are 2-1 in such games with upsets over then-No. 16 Texas A&M in 2018 and the then-No. 7 Aggies in 2016, both at Davis Wade Stadium.
Mike Leach holds a 7-4 all-time record against Texas A&M, including 47-48 upset of the then-No. 23 Aggies in overtime in 2002.
Through its first four games, MSU has completed 169 passes, which trails only Mike Leach's 2007 Texas Tech team (178) for the most through four games since 2000.
MSU is on pace to reach 200 completions in its fifth game. The fastest team on record to reach 200 completions is the 2020 squad, which did so in six games, but prior to Leach's arrival, the quickest was the 2015 team that did so in nine games.
QB Will Rogers has completed 169 passes in the first four games. That is the most by any NCAA passer in his team's first four games since 2000.
Rogers is one of just 12 quarterbacks since 2000 to have completed 50 passes in a game. Of those 12, five were coached by Leach.
MSU has recorded a takeaway in six straight games with 13 (10 INT, 3 FR) in that span.
MSU boasts three players that are averaging more than seven yards after catch this season: WR Lideatrick Griffin (8.1), WR Rara Thomas (7.5) and RB Dillon Johnson (7.4).
WR Makai Polk has totaled 304 receiving yards already this season, which trails only Justin Jenkins (458) for the most by a Bulldog in the team's first four games since 2000.
State is one of the SEC's most inexperienced squads with only two players, DT Jaden Crumedy (22) and CB Martin Emerson (20), who can boast 20 or more career starts. That is the lowest total of any SEC team.
With the exception of LT Charles Cross, the Bulldogs' remaining four starting offensive linemen entered the 2021 season with just 53 combined career snaps at their current positions, including two who had never taken a snap at their respective 2021 positions.
Since he arrived in 2020, defensive coordinator Zach Arnett's defense ranks No. 13 among Power Five programs with 25 turnovers forced. Only Alabama (29) and LSU (28) have more in the SEC in that span.
The Bulldogs' run defense is one of the best in the nation. MSU has held seven of its 14 opponents since the start of 2020 to 100 yards or fewer on the ground. State has held three straight opponents below the 100-yard mark, and allowed just 101 yards in the season opener against Louisiana Tech (Sept. 4).
CB Emmanuel Forbes is the SEC's active career leader in interceptions (7), which is tied for 15th in the FBS. He leads the FBS in picks since the start of his freshman season in 2020.

Mississippi State University Athletics

GAMEDAY: MSU Heads To College Station For First SEC Road Trip

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Players Mentioned

Charles Cross

Jaden Crumedy

Martin Emerson

Emmanuel Forbes

Lideatrick Griffin

Dillon Johnson

Makai Polk

Will Rogers

Rara Thomas

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