Ten Things You Need to Know - MSU vs. A&M

The Texas Aggie football team will be on the second leg of a three-game SEC road trip when they battle nationally ranked Mississippi State in Starkville on Saturday. Aggie Websider's David Sandhop mentions ten things you need to know about MSU and the match-up.

1. Mississippi State’s seven wins in 2012 have come against opponents with a combined 20-37 record.

2. Mississippi State’s three SEC wins have come against opponents with a combined 0-17 record in the conference.

3. Mississippi State’s projected strength of schedule based on the cumulative winning percentage of its opponents is ranked No. 65. Texas A&M’s strength of schedule based on cumulative winning percentage s ranked No. 1 in the nation.

4. Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville has not hosted a game between two ranked teams since September, 2001 when Mississippi State (No. 17) hosted South Carolina (No. 18). Saturday’s game between the Bulldogs and Aggies will be the highest ranked match-up in Starkville since Jackie Sherrill coached at MSU.

5. MSU coach Dan Mullen has won 28 games in 3+ seasons at the helm. That’s good enough for fifth all-time in the school’s history. A win against the Aggies this week would move him up to fourth all-time.

6. In Mullen’s tenure, he’s 22-1 when his teams win the turnover margin battle. The Bulldogs are just 5-9 when losing the turnover margin. In 2012, MSU leads the nation in home turnover margin at plus-13. Conversely, Texas A&M is ranked No. 101 in road turnover margin at negative-5.

7. Texas A&M has scored first in all eight games in 2012. The Aggies have scored a touchdown in its first drive 5 times. Mississippi State has scored touchdown in its first drive 3 times.

8. MSU ranks No. 54 in third down conversions at 41%. Texas A&M’s third down conversion defense is ranked No. 8 nationally at 28%. Offensively, the Aggies rank No. 3 converting on third down a whopping 54%. On the other side, MSU ranks No. 29 in third down conversion defense at 35%.

9. Texas A&M leads the SEC in total offense and No. 5 nationally at 543 yards per game. MSU’s defense gives up 339 yards/game good for No. 29 nationally. Mississippi State’s offense ranks No. 66 at 397 yards/game compared to Texas A&M’s defense that gives up 385 yards/game and ranked No. 55.

10. Mississippi State’s pass defense is one of the best in the SEC, ranking No. 21 nationally in pass defense efficiency. Conversely, Texas A&M’s pass efficiency is ranked lower at No. 35.