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Remember when November was supposed to suck for fans of the Mississippi St. Bulldogs? The Bulldogs were 3-5 and none of the games looked too particularly winnable. And to get the sorrow started, the Texas A&M Aggies and their number 4 ranking in the College Football Playoff poll were coming to town. It was supposed to get ugly quick.
Then a funny thing happened. The Aggies bobbled the opening kickoff around and did nothing on their opening drive. When the Bulldogs took over after the ensuing punt, Nick Fitzgerald ran to the house on the very first play from scrimmage for the offense. And it was that moment where you felt like the Bulldogs could win.
It wasn’t the easiest of wins. The Bulldogs could have put up over 50 points but some turnovers left points off the board, and a punt return for a touchdown right before the half put the game in doubt. But getting that win was not what anyone expected, and it showcased the talents of Nick Fitzgerald and Aeris Williams for the first time in a very big way.
Nick Fitzgerald threw for 209 yards and ran for an additional 184 and accounted for total of four touchdowns. Aeris Williams complemented him with 140 yards on 24 carries and a touchdown as well. they’ll be the two players coach Dan Mullen and his staff lean on heavily as they prepare for the 2017 season.
The Aggies were not the team we though they were as they entered Starkville that day. But for a team that needed something to go right in a season that was going in the wrong direction, this game was huge.