Coming off of the first two bye weeks, No. 14 Texas A&M's momentum after blowing out Missouri 41-10 may have paused, but this team has turned the corner ahead of the second half of the 2024 season. Set to face a Mississippi State team that is slowly but surely coming together on offense, the Bulldogs are still 1-5 and in last place in the SEC.

While the Aggies' 2-4 road record in Starkville may worry fans, head coach Mike Elko isn't letting his team show up lackadaisical on Saturday. Every preseason goal, including a potential College Football Playoff spot, is still in reach. On the field, if the Aggies open up with a similar offensive game plan to what worked against Missouri, starting quarterback Conner Weigman will need to hit tight windows early, which should loosen things up in the running game.

Defensively, the secondary will be challenged against Mississippi State's speedy wide receivers, meaning that A&M's ascending pass rush will need to pressure freshman QB Michael Van Buren and disrupt any early rhythm in the pocket. However, the Bulldog running game is also a threat if the run defense fails to travel.

I trust Elko and his staff to get the best out of this team. While the Bulldogs will likely score, Texas A&M should control the game in the second half.

I don’t believe I’ve been close to any of my predictions so far this season; however, Texas A&M looks like a much different team than it was in previous years. So, an extra week to prepare and after watching the Mississippi State Bulldogs put up 31 points against Georgia will ensure the Aggies won’t view this as a trap game.

Still, this one is extremely simple for me. A&M will be too much in the long run, and after Mississippi State makes it interesting early, the Aggies will pull away in the end for their fourth SEC victory. I’m predicting a big game for Noah Thomas, who will go over 100 yards and score at least once.

The No. 14 Texas A&M football team returns from its bye this week riding high.

In their most recent game, the Aggies demolished Mizzou, who was previously ranked in the top 10. Meanwhile, Mississippi State has been struggling mightily this year and is currently on a five-game losing streak. The Bulldogs' only victory came against an FCS program, Eastern Kentucky, which tells you pretty much everything you need to know about them.

Following the news that junior quarterback Conner Weigman is 100% healthy, Texas A&M should roll in this contest and jump out to a lopsided lead like it did versus the Tigers. This will provide redshirt freshman QB Marcel Reed and other young Aggies with an opportunity to get some more SEC reps with very low pressure.

If Texas A&M doesn't win by at least double-digits, it will be an extreme letdown and disappointment.