Top College Football Games of Week 10
5. (16) Texas A&M v. (15) Mississippi State
While it will not be the premiere SEC West showdown of the weekend, this is a battle of teams looking to establish credibility in both the division and conference as well. Mississippi State has been knocked for not beating a quality opponent and Texas A&M is tired of settling for moral victories after close losses to Florida and LSU.
For the Aggies, they come into this game in great shape. The fact they are 6-2 on the season with a freshman quarterback in the nation’s toughest conference. However their signature win on the season came two weeks ago against Louisiana Tech, and Kevin Sumlin’s team is ready for another.
Offensively has there been a more exciting player to watch than Johnny Manziel? He was not the biggest or highest ranked quarterback out of high school, but no player has played a bigger role in his team’s success. As it stands he has accounted for over 3,000 yards of total offense and will be the key for Texas A&M in this game. Defensively Damontre Moore has filled the pass rushing void for the Aggies and if he can keep Tyler Russell on the run Texas A&M will be in good shape.
For the Bulldogs, they need to regroup and regroup fast. After being beaten by the Alabama Crimson Tide last week, scratch that, embarrassed, it is time for Mississippi State to dig deep. Dan Mullen has been fighting for respect since he first arrived in Starkville, but without a win over a top 25 opponent, he is going to have a hard time earning any.
Offensively running back LaDarius Perkins needs to reestablish himself as the SEC’s top running back. If he can find a rhythm, it could go a long way into exploiting an Aggie defense that has had trouble closing out games. Defensively linebackers Cameron Lawrence and Benardrick McKinney will have to be on their game to keep Manziel in check.
