In a game filled with mental mistakes, turnovers and penalties, the Aggies (1-0, 1-0 SEC) found a way to outlast an undermanned Vanderbilt (0-1, 0-1 SEC) team in an embarrassing 17-12 decision that served as the season opener for both teams.

“We found ways to do what we had to do at the end of the game. But all three phases tonight didn’t play the way I thought they would and we can. And that’s on me as a head coach,” coach Jimbo Fisher said.

The game was confusing from the outset, with the Aggies looking disjointed on both sides of the football. The Commodores, who were 31-point underdogs and were starting a true freshman at quarterback, still took the opening kickoff and went 60 yards in 13 plays for a 33-yard field goal by Pierson Cook. On the drive, the Commodores went three for four on third down conversions, setting a precedent for the rest of the game.

The Aggies jumped right back, with running back Ainias Smith (10 carries, 51 yards) scoring on a 25-yard option pitch to put the Aggies in front 7-3 after a 7 play, 75 yard drive. Things looked like they would be easy, but nothing else came simply.

Vanderbilt would march right back down the field, but a bubble screen from QB Ken Seals (20-29, 150 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT) to Jaden Harrison was destroyed by DE DeMarvin Leal for a 4-yard loss on 3rd and 11, pushing the Commodores back to the Aggie 27. Pierson then missed from 45 yards.

A&M started moving the ball again and got to the Vanderbilt 28, and it looked like even closer. Smith caught a quick pass, juked a defender and made it to the Commodores 2, but a hold on tight end Jalen Wydermyer forced the Aggies back 10 yards. Two plays later, QB Kellen Mond (17-28, 189 yards, 1 TD) had his arm hit as he was throwing. That play was ruled a fumble, and Vandy took over near midfield.

“We took the ball right down and score, get the ball back, move right down again, and we have a holding call when we taking control of the game,” Fisher said.

The Aggies shut down that drive, but then had one of the most boneheaded plays in recent memory.

Smith fielded a punt in the end zone and, as he was coming out, cornerback Brian George was called for a personal foul. Since the foul occurred in the end zone, Vanderbilt was awarded a safety, cutting A&M’s lead to 7-5.

Neither team did anything in the final moments of the half, letting the Aggies go into the locker room with an embarrassing two-point lead. After getting the ball to start the second half, the Aggies turned to a forgotten man — sophomore Isaiah Spiller, who had two carries in the first half but ripped off a 57-yarder to start the third quarter. Two plays later, Mond hit WR Caleb Chapman (4 catches, 40 yards) for a 17-yard TD to stretch the lead to 14-5.

Vandy would march back down the field, but Seals was picked off by safety Demani Richardson to end the threat. The Aggies looked like they had found a rhythm, but Mond fumbled while sliding after a 13-yard run and the Commodores recovered at the A&M 43.

“We’re driving and we fumble the ball. We’ve got to protect the ball. It’s ridiculous,” Fisher said.

Nine plays later, including conversions on 3rd and 11 and 3rd and 8, Seals found WR Amir Abdur-Rahim (5 catches, 72 yards) on a perfectly thrown 7-yard score to pull Vanderbilt back within two.

“That team was 7 of 17 on third downs. A lot of those were third and longs,” Fisher said.

On the next possession, Mond kept the Aggies in business with a 15-yard dart to WR Kam Brown that got the Aggies to their own 46 on 3rd and 4; one play later, Spiller (7 carries, 117 yards) ripped off a 30-yard gallop inside the Vanderbilt 20. The Aggies had a chance to put the game away, but a 5-yard delay of game penalty — one of 8 penalties for 50 yards on the Aggies — made so that Mond came up short of a first down after a 13-yard run. Seth Small hit from 24-yards out, giving the Aggies their final score of the night.

That would not mean the drama was over. The Aggies had another drive short-circuited when WR Jalen Preston fumbled at the Vandy 44, and the Commodores went on an 8-play drive that ended when safety Leon O’Neal picked off a deflected pass at the goal line and returned it to the 41. A personal foul on Vanderbilt moved it back to their 44, but the Aggies botched a 4th and 1 play when Mond fumbled the snap.

Vanderbilt had a chance to win the game, taking over at their own 35 with 4:56 left, but the Aggies forced them to punt in three plays after Micheal Clemons sacked Seals on 3rd and long.

“They had some scheme things they were trying to do … they were trying to avoid one-on-ones,” Clemons said. “But we continued to compete and got some pressure on that man in the second half.”

Fisher said after the game that the defensive’s play in the second half was critical.

“I thought they played well late in the game, but didn’t play well earlier in the game. But late in the game, critical sacks, critical turnovers, they did a hell of a job,” he said.

The Aggies were able to run out the clock from there, at least in part due to Vandy coach Derek Mason’s sideline tirade at the officials that cost the Commodores 15 yards and move A&M into Vanderbilt territory.

After the game, the Aggies were pretty subdued in spite of the win, knowing that they had made a lot of unforced errors to keep the game close.

“A lot of (the problems) was self-inflicted,” Mond said. “With Alabama coming next week … we’ve got a lot of things to clean up.”