Texas A&M is well on its way to giving those who questioned their positioning in the initial playoff rankings some serious ammunition -- although not as far down that path as it looked late in the half.
Last Tuesday, the Aggies came in a surprising, to some, fourth in the first College Football Playoff rankings. A mere four days later, A&M has found itself on the short end of a 28-14 halftime score against Mississippi State (3-5, 1-3) in Starkville.
Symbolic of the first half for A&M was MSU’s first play from scrimmage as quarterback Nick Fitzgerald raced 74 yards for a touchdown less than three minutes into the first quarter. Perhaps most embarrassing for the Aggies’ defense was the fact that Fitzgerald scampered untouched into the end zone.
The Bulldogs went on to more than double-up the Aggies in total offense, 372-146. It was the most yards the Aggies have given up in a half this season.
Fitzgerald accounted for 277 yards of that production -- 145 passing, 132 rushing. The sophomore signal-caller was also responsible for three of the four touchdowns (two passing, one rushing).
Adding to the concern of the Aggies is the health of Trevor Knight. The starting quarterback went down with an injury to what appeared to be his right shoulder area in the second quarter. While returned the following series, he appeared to aggravate whatever the issue is. Knight didn’t take the field for the Aggies’ final possession of the half.
Were it not for a special teams play -- and the officiating -- things could’ve been exponentially worse.
With less than a minute left in the second, Christian Kirk returned a punt 93 yards for a touchdown to cut the Aggies’ deficit from 21 to 14 points. Replay, however, seemed to show a block in the back on the play that took out not one but two Bulldog players; no flag was thrown on the play, and the touchdown -- and momentum swing -- stood.
MSU will get the ball first to start the second half.