Cowbell Corner

5 Reasons Mississippi State Fans Should Stay Optimistic After 34-24 Loss to Texas A&M

Mississippi State lost 34-24 to No. 14 Texas A&M but showed resilience with strong defense and key plays that signal hope for future upsets.

Taylor Hodges

Mississippi State Bulldogs fans cheer during the fourth quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field.
Mississippi State Bulldogs fans cheer during the fourth quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. / Matt Bush-Imagn Images
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STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State football is on a six-game losing streak, but the Bulldogs are close to ending that streak.

No. 14 Texas A&M came to Starkville and gave the Bulldogs their sixth loss, 34-24, but the Bulldogs made the Aggies work for the win. Mississippi State played No. 1 Texas and No. 5 Georgia a lot closer than anyone anticipated and kept that trend going against the Aggies.

That’s why the remaining opponents on Mississippi State’s schedule should be on upset alert (except UMass).

Here are five stats from the 34-24 loss to Texas A&M that should give Bulldog fans hope in the final month and a half of the season:

3.7

That’s how many yards per run Texas A&M averaged against Mississippi State. The Bulldogs haven’t been good at stopping running plays, but held one of the nation’s best rushing attacks to 136 yards.

7

That’s how many times Mississippi State tried to convert a fourth down into a first down. The Bulldogs only converted three attempts, but it’s an aggressive approach. If the Bulldogs are to upset one of the remaining ranked teams on their schedule, they’ll have to take some risks.

3

That’s how many touchdown passes true freshman Michael Van Buren threw against Texas A&M. Van Buren’s play is a big reason why there’s some hope around this team. He’s played great against some of the nation’s best teams and did so again Saturday. Van Buren ended the game 22-for-41 with 242 yards and one interception.

2

That’s how many interceptions the Bulldogs’ defense had against Texas A&M. Mississippi State’s defense struggled to get any takeaways in its first few games, but has found ways of taking the ball away the last three weeks. The Bulldogs forced two fumbles against Texas and two interceptions against Georgia las week.

6.6

That’s how many yards per carry running back Davon Booth had against Texas A&M. Booth has taken over as the main running back since Keyvone Lee went down with an injury earlier this season. Coach Jeff Lebby wants to run the ball and Booth is showing an ability to satisfy that desire.

Read More Mississippi State Bulldogs On SI:

Mississippi State Falls to Texas A&M: Bulldogs Show Resilience in Close 34-24 Loss

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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