Texas A&M (6-1, 4-0 SEC) took a road trip to Starkville (MS) and completed the task at hand: defeat Mississippi State and get back to College Station with the program's best start in SEC play since entering the conference. However, it was quite the grind despite winning 34-24.

Struggling in just his fourth start of the season, quarterback Conner Weigman was average at best, throwing for 217 yards and a touchdown, but his two interceptions were costly, leading Mississippi State's third touchdown in the second half which made it a one-possession game.

Defensively, DC Jay Bateman received hefty criticism from the fan base after the Aggie secondary allowed Bulldogs quarterback Michael Van Buren a late score in the first half to make it a 21-17 game, and much too close for comfort in one of the toughest road environments.

Credit to Bateman for making second-half adjustments, leading to Texas A&M's defensive line getting in Van Buren's face while producing three sacks, eleven tackles for loss, and nine pass deflections. A win is a win, and head coach Mike Elko should be proud of how his team battled to come out with a tough victory.

After the game, here are five key takeaways from Texas A&M's 34-24 win over Mississippi State in Week 8.

5. Texas A&M's offensive line was brilliant in pass protection

For the second consecutive game, Texas A&M's offensive line has held up, especially in pass protection, allowing zero sacks and just one tackle for loss against Mississippi State,

While the Bulldog's defense has struggled this season, knowing that quarterback Conner Weigman, who didn't have his best day but was able to scan the field on nearly every snap, is good news ahead of facing LSU's defensive front next Saturday.

However, the status of starting left guard Chase Bisontis after a late injury is up in the air.

4. Texas A&M's impressive 3rd down efficiency continued against the Bulldogs

While there were plenty of mistakes on offense that OC Collin Klein would have liked to have had back, Texas A&M's impressive efficiency on third down continued as the Aggies finished 9-14 with a mix of run and pass to convert.

Going forward, controlling the line of scrimmage and converting third downs is the key to winning any game, especially on Saturday when Mississippi State's offense was beginning to heat up.

Conner Weigman's struggles were a prime example of why these conversions matter, as the Aggie running game found life in the red zone on nearly every offensive possession.

3. Texas A&M's linebacker rotation is coming into its own

Linebacker Scooby Williams has played well all season but combined with sophomore backer Taurean York, who led the Aggies with 12 tackles on Saturday, Texas A&M's linebacker rotation is beginning to look like a strength compared to the preseason predictions.

While York returned as the only "reliable" starter after Edgerrin Cooper left for the NFL, Scooby Williams' arrival was seen as a gamble due to his poor final season at Florida, but under DC Jay Bateman, who coached him with the Gators, Williams's coverage, pass rushing, and run defending skillsets have enhanced, as junior finished with 6 tackles and two tackles for loss against the Bulldogs.

While Texas A&M's defensive line continues to dominate, knowing that the linebackers are also improving should scare any incoming offense.

2. WR Jabre Barber and RB Le'Veon Moss stepped up, and showed out

Texas A&M's offense wouldn't have produced four touchdowns if it wasn't for the play of junior running back Le'Veon Moss and wide receiver Jabre Barber, who consistently moved the chains and kept Mississippi State's offense off the field.

While Moss didn't have his best game, finishing with 65 yards and only 3.8 yards per carry, his physicality and relentless effort led to two touchdowns in the red zone, while his one reception for 11 yards resulted in a key conversion late in the second half.

Senior WR Jabre Barber took the snaps usually given to freshman receiver Terry Bussey and took full advantage of the opportunity, finishing with a team-high 94 yards, becoming Conner Weigman's security blanket, and saving several drives that led to touchdowns. Even when Bussey returns, Barber deserves continued playing time.

1. QB Conner Weigman needs to mentally slow things down

This wasn't Conner Weigman's worst game of his career, but if ranking his performances, Saturday's win could have gone the other way if a few of his errant passes were intercepted instead of dropped. Finishing the game 15/25 for 217 yards and a touchdown, the redshirt sophomore's two interceptions were costly, leading to Mississippi State points.

After the game, head coach Mike Elko noted that Weigman may have been speeding things up in his head, rushing throws, while his footwork was erratic on several misses, including an early deep shot to WR Noah Thomas.

As we saw against Missouri, Weigman is one of the best quarterbacks in the country when his feet are set and his head is clear, but the raucous road environment likely contributed to his mistakes. With LSU coming to College Station next Saturday, OC Collin Klein's game plan needs to include early, easy completions to get Weigman on track, which should result in much more consistent play from the pocket.

This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: 5 big takeaways from Texas A&M's 34-24 win over Mississippi State