Texas A&M vs. Mississippi State: Game Grades, Analysis for Aggies and Bulldogs

The No. 12 Mississippi State Bulldogs jumped out to a 21-point lead over the sixth-ranked Texas A&M Aggies before halftime and never relented.

Dak Prescott led his squad to a 48-31 stomping of the Aggies, which is certainly reflected in the grades for both teams.

Positional Unit	First-Half Grade	Final Grade
Pass Offense	C	D+
Run Offense	C-	D
Pass Defense	D+	D-
Run Defense	D	F
Special Teams	A-	A
Coaching	C-	D-

Pass Offense: Kenny Hill started the day scorching hot, but 10 team drops and three interceptions destroyed a handful of Texas A&M drives. Ricky Seals-Jones hauled in a game-high 10 passes for a unit that dearly missed Malcome Kennedy. Speedy Noil and Josh Reynolds both snared a pair of touchdowns from Hill.

Run Offense: Although Tra Carson and Trey Williams each finished with 50-plus rushing yards, the majority came late in the fourth quarter. Hill had a few noteworthy scrambles, but the Aggies were far from dangerous on the ground when it mattered.

Pass Defense: Texas A&M does not have a great defense, but that's not exactly breaking news. Allowing a 77 percent completion mark and 10.4 yards per attempt to Mississippi State, however, is abjectly terrible. On the bright side, Myles Garrett is on his way to shattering Jadeveon Clowney's SEC freshman sack record.

Run Defense: A trio of Mississippi State rushers found success against the Aggies, who ceded 5.7 yards per carry and five touchdowns. If TAMU doesn't improve, Alabama, Auburn and LSU will definitely be looking forward to this matchup.

Special Teams: Josh Lambo connected on four extra points and a 27-yard field goal, while Drew Kaser netted 43.1 yards per punt. The Aggies also recovered an onside kick and muffed punt, so they didn't lose all three phases of the game.

Coaching: For a Kevin Sumlin team to be dominated, there had to have been a few major shortcomings. Texas A&M was simply outworked by the Bulldogs on both sides of the ball, losing the turnover battle, committing more penalties and allowing 7.3 yards per play.

Positional Unit	First-Half Grade	Final Grade
Pass Offense	A-	A-
Run Offense	A	A
Pass Defense	B	B+
Run Defense	B+	B+
Special Teams	A-	D+
Coaching	A	A

Pass Offense: No Jameon Lewis? No problem. Despite missing his top receiver, Dak Prescott picked apart the Aggies, completing 19 of 25 throws for 259 yards and two scores. De'Runnya Wilson and Fred Brown caught the touchdowns, tallying 72 and 69 yards, respectively.

Run Offense: The three-headed attack of Prescott (77 yards, 3 TD), Josh Robinson (107 yards, 2 TD) and Brandon Holloway (76 yards) found running lanes all game long. Mississippi State racked up 289 yards on the ground, proving the nation's No. 15 rushing attack is a serious threat.

Pass Defense: Richie Brown recorded all three interceptions, ending a pair of promising Texas A&M drives and sealing the win with another. Hill was consistently pressured, and the Bulldogs registered four sacks.

Run Defense: Highlighted by a couple of Benardrick McKinney hits, Mississippi State's front seven played its best game of the year. Carson and Williams ripped off 80 yards on just three carries during the final frame, but the Aggies otherwise managed just 2.9 per attempt.

Special Teams: A punt deflected off Jamoral Graham and resulted in a turnover. An extra point was blocked. Evan Sobiesk missed a 42-yard field goal, and TAMU recovered an onside kick. Long story short, the Bulldogs special teams has plenty to improve.

Coaching: The offensive coaches had every unit ready to play, and the defense was even better until a fourth-quarter lapse. After a nationally recognized victory like this, head coach Dan Mullen has become an even more appealing candidate for potential high-profile openings.

Follow Bleacher Report college football writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.