The Texas A&M Aggies had some tense moments early against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, but comfortably opened things up in the second half en route to a 51-41 victory in College Station.
Mississippi State vs. Texas A&M 2013 results: Aggies handle business in 51-41 victory
The Aggies didn’t exactly blow out the Bulldogs, but they comfortably took care of business at home on Saturday.
Thomas Campbell-USA TODAY Sports
The Aggies opened up the scoring in the first quarter by virtue of a 12-yard touchdown pass from Johnny Manziel to Malcome Kennedy, but the Bulldogs would strike back less than 20 seconds later on a 51-yard touchdown run by Josh Robinson. There were more fireworks in the first quarter, too, with A&M picking up nine points in the final 90 seconds. The Aggies blocked a punt in the end zone for a safety, and scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive on a 33-yard pass from Manziel to Travis Labhart.
The second quarter was mostly quiet until the last minute, when Dak Prescott threw a touchdown pass to De'Runnya Wilson to make it a 16-14 game with less than 60 seconds left in the first half. That lead wouldn't last, though, and Manziel's second touchdown pass to Labhart was a microcosm of the whole game: Every time Mississippi State did something good, Texas A&M answered immediately.
The Aggies established a comfortable cushion in the second half. Manziel threw another two touchdown passes, and Trey Williams and Ben Malena each rushed for a touchdown to get A&M over the 50-point mark yet again. Mississippi State kept it within a respectable margin, but at no point did it feel like it was really going to get back in the game.
Box Score Hero:
Manziel nearly amassed 500 yards of offense by himself. He went 30-39 for 446 yards and five touchdowns in the air, and rushed for another 47 yards on the ground. He did throw three picks, but that wasn’t enough to really damage A&M’s chances.
Honorable mention has to go to Dak Prescott, who did it all for Mississippi State in a losing effort. He threw for 149 yards, two touchdowns and a pick, and rushed for 154 yards to boot.
Rankings Ramifications:
The Aggies were ranked 15th in the latest BCS standings, and should get a modest bump as a result of the win.
But Did They Cover?
Texas A&M was favored by 19.5 points at kickoff, so it covered the spread.
For More On This Game:
For more on the Aggies, check out Good Bull Hunting. For more on the Bulldogs, head over to For Whom The Cowbell Tolls.
Next Week’s Schedule:
Texas A&M gets a week off before traveling to LSU on Nov. 23. Mississippi State hosts Alabama next Saturday.
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