Coming into the season, coaches for Mississippi State University football (6-2, 3-2 SEC) said depth was something they wanted to develop.
Thanks to injuries, it has.
Over the course of the season, MSU has seen back up players step up to replace injured veterans.
Starting defensive tackle Cory Thomas was the first to go down and back up Braxton Hoyett stepped up to replace him since. Hoyett welcomed the added responsibility and played well in Thomas’ absence.
However, on Saturday night, in MSU’s 35-14 win over Texas A&M University (5-3, 3-2 SEC), multiple backups joined Hoyett in filling empty shoes.
Going into the game, MSU was missing Malik Dear, who tore his ACL in the spring and has not played this season. Gabe Myles, who did not travel after hurting his foot, was also absent from the receiving core. Keith Mixon dressed out but was used only sparingly in emergency roles.
Then, Donald Gray went down against A&M, putting more pressure on MSU’s group of back-up receivers. Two players stepped up to fill the void: receiver Jesse Jackson and tight end Farrod Green.
Jackson, a junior who has seen little time on the field this year, stepped into his own and caught four passes for 39 yards. Green, a sophomore, caught three passes for 51 yards. The two helped stretch the field for MSU and took pressure off the running game.
After the game, quarterback Nick Fitzgerald said the team is benefitting from newfound experience. 
“We are well-seasoned,” Fitzgerald said. “I don’t think you can classify us as a young team anymore. I think everybody has gotten enough reps to know what they have to do.”
Another injury hit MSU in their earlier game against Auburn University when left tackle Martinas Rankin went down with an ankle sprain, side-lining him since.
Rankin entered the season highly acclaimed, seen by many as a first round pick for next April. He was expected to anchor the offensive line.
Freshman Greg Eiland, of Philadelphia, Mississippi, Rankin’s replacement, struggled early at left tackle. He was thrown into the fire against Auburn and made multiple mistakes, including a false start.
However, since then, he has picked things up and come into his own. A&M was his first road test since Auburn and he passed with flying colors, helping pave the way for a rushing attack which gashed A&M for 228 yards.
After the game, Eiland said he has to be more on top of things in practice and the experience will help him in the long run.
“It has been pretty good lately,” Eiland said. “Getting experience as a freshman in some SEC play on the road has been good for me.”
Overall, MSU moved the ball because they were able to spread the ball around between multiple receivers and running backs. 
Among them was sophomore running back Nick Gibson, who rushed the ball four times for 43 yards and scored one touchdown. He, along with Kylin Hill and Dontavian Lee, gave valuable rest to starting running back Aeris Williams, who rushed the ball 22 times.
Fitzgerald said the trio of back-up running backs, who are seeing increased time as the season goes on, have become interchangeable.
“All of them are very good running backs. They can all score,” Fitzgerald said. “They can all run it. They can all block.”
The win over A&M will send MSU to a bowl for the eighth straight year and allowed MSU to jump into both top 25 polls. They come in the AP Poll at No. 21 and find themselves ranked No. 22 in the Coaches Poll.
Head coach Dan Mullen said he sees the bowl game as a reward but also a test waiting for his team at the end of the season.
“Six wins means to our guys that you are rewarded with one more game,” Mullen said. “Hopefully we’ll get some more but we at least got ourselves an opportunity for one more at the end of the season.”