In the final leg of a four-game road trip that spans the entire month of October, the No. 22 Texas Longhorns travel to Starkville, MS to square off against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The Bulldogs are in the midst of a three game losing streak since starting SEC play after opening the year with a perfect 4-0 record against their non-conference schedule.
Last week was a particularly painful loss for Mississippi State. In a back-and-forth game at The Swamp against the Gators, the Bulldogs had the ball
at the UF 29-yard line with less than a minute to go and the chance to kick a game-winning field goal. Down two, the game looked all but over as Mississippi State was well within field-goal range. Instead, Mississippi State quarterback Blake Shapen threw an interception in an effort to secure a few more yards and sealed the win for Florida.
In year two at the helm of the Mississippi State program, head coach Jeff Lebby is still looking for his first SEC victory — the Bulldogs are 0-11 in conference play spanning back to last season. Lebby explained, “To not be on the right side of it is frustrating. There’s no question about it. I’m tired of being close, our guys are tired of being close.”
The SEC losing streak actually at 15 games now dating back to the Zach Arnett era, which ended with four straight conference losses. Tuesday was the two-year anniversary of the last SEC win for the Bulldogs — by Saturday’s game, the losing streak will be at 735 days.
However, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian noted Mississippi State’s improvement in his weekly press conference.
“Jeff Lebby in his second season has done a really nice job. This is a much-improved football team.”
The early-season momentum, including an upset over Arizona State, seemed to suggest things were moving in the right direction. Now, fans of the maroon and white may be more skeptical, but the on-field product does look improved compared to a year ago.
The offensive-minded Lebby made it a point to rebuild the defense this past offseason after finishing third-worst in the Power Four in EPA allowed per play by adding quality and depth via the transfer portal. The defense has made noticeable and necessary improvements, particularly against the pass, giving the Bulldogs a fighting chance in most games this season.
On the other side of the ball, Mississippi State came into the year with mixed expectations. Shapen returned at the quarterback position, but the offense was forced to replace three of its top four receivers. Through portal additions, including former Longhorn Brenen Thompson, this unit has more explosive capabilities than a year ago.
When the Longhorns come to town, expect the Bulldogs to game plan around getting the ball to Thompson and other playmakers — Lebby’s best skill as an offensive mind is scheming the ball to his best athletes. Defensively, Mississippi State will need to hold the Texas ground game in check, something they’ve struggled to do against most opponents.
All in all, this is a game that will provide a clear indication of the culture that Lebby is building at Mississippi State. With three straight losses, including the heartbreaker last week, do the Bulldogs respond with energy and desperation as they look for their first SEC win in two years? Or, do they allow a substandard Longhorn team to set the tone? Let’s jump in to the players that will line up for Mississippi State on Saturday for the 3:15 p.m. kickoff from Davis Wade Stadium.
Offense
Leading the offense is Shapen, a 6’1, 210-pound sixth-year senior from Shreveport, La. Shapen brings experience and athleticism to the Mississippi State offense, having attempted over 1,000 passes in his career. His talent spans past the gridiron and into the diamond — as a high school recruit, Shapen signed with Baylor as a two-sport athlete before eventually deciding to focus on football.
Shapen spent four years at Baylor and built an impressive resume having started just 23 games — Big 12 Championship game MVP, 5000-plus passing yards, and 40 passing touchdowns. When Lebby was announced as the head coach for Mississippi State, Shapen made the move to Starkville.
“I got to watch him coach at Oklahoma,” Shapen said. “It was kind of a no-brainer. When he got the job at Mississippi State and contacted me, I wanted to play in the SEC.”
Shapen’s first year in the SEC got off to a tough start. In the fourth game of the year, he suffered a season-ending injury. Through seven game this season, Shapen has bounced back by completing 67.3 percent of his passes while averaging 227.0 yards per game in the air. He’s tossed 17 touchdowns against six interceptions while adding a score on the ground.
Shapen is a proven improvisor. When the pocket collapses, something that has happened frequently this year, he has the speed to scramble and the accuracy to deliver outside the pocket. Mississippi State doesn’t call many designed runs for Shapen and he’s more likely to use his athleticism to make plays in the passing game — of his 59 yards on 20 scrambles, 35 yards came on six scrambles against Northern Illinois.
Still, maintaining rush lane integrity will be key for the Texas front seven, as the group will likely be in the backfield throughout the day.
Mississippi State also utilizes freshman quarterback Kamario Taylor as a situational runner. At 6’4, 230 pounds, Taylor is a bigger body that can pick up key yards on the ground.
The ground game overall has been a strength of the Mississippi State team. In the top 50 nationally with 177.9 yards per game, the Bulldogs are tied for 15th in the country with 19 rushing touchdowns.
Mississippi State operates a two-back system led by transfer Fluff Bothwell with Davon Booth providing support behind him. That rotation took a major hit two weeks ago when Bothwell was carted off the field and is now unlikely to play against Texas. It’s a significant loss for Mississippi State as Bothwell led the Sun Belt in rushing touchdowns as a true freshman last season at South Alabama and is averaging 5.5 yards per carry this year.
Booth is not a player to scoff at, though. He’s an experienced back who ranked fifth in the SEC last year in all-purpose yards and has run the ball 81 times for 370 yards and six touchdowns this year. Against Florida, in his first game as the primary back, Booth dashed for 105 yards and two touchdowns. The momentum Booth built against Florida is a worrisome sight for opponents of the Bulldogs.
Wide receiver Bremen Thompson also seemed to break out of a short slump against the Gators, tying his season high with seven catches and recording 155 yards. Texas fans should be familiar with Thompson after the speedy senior spent time on the Forty Acres before transferring to Oklahoma and eventually landing in Starkville.
Thompson is the most productive Bulldog receiver and a fantastic portal addition for Lebby and company. His 533 receiving yards and four touchdowns both lead the team.
The other key wide out to monitor is Anthony Evans III, who was also brought in this season as a transfer and leads the team with 42 receptions. The Georgia transfer is a possession receiver, but has elite speed, making Evans and Thompson a threat every time they touch the ball.
Getting the ball to Thompson and Evans has been a challenge due top struggles in pass protection from the offensive line. The Bulldogs have allowed 20 sacks, tied for 116th nationally.
Redshirt freshman Jimothy Lewis Jr. played left tackle after starter Blake Steen suffered a season-ending injury, and was replaced by redshirt sophomore Jayvin James when he gave up three sacks against Tennessee. James gave up two sacks in his start against Texas A&M, but only allowed one pressure to Florida.
The right tackle position was bolstered last week by the return of Albert Reese IV, a 13-game starter a year ago, yet the group still gave up four sacks.
Getting Shapen enough time to throw the ball will be a critical factor that could determine the nature of the game. While the big fellas up front have thrived in run blocking, they’ve allowed Shapen to be pressured with ease.
Tight end Seydou Traore provides support as a blocker, but is primarily used as a pass catcher. The returning starter has 13 catches for 160 yards and three touchdowns. Traore is a weapon for this offense.
All in all, the Mississippi State offense has been good, but not great, ranking No. 42 nationally in ESPN’s SP+ rankings. The run game has been a strength, but remains uncertain without Bothwell, and although Thompson and Evans III have enough speed to give the Texas secondary trouble, that requires enough time for Shapen to deliver the ball, something that has been absent in most games.
For the Longhorns defense to succeed, the front four needs to win individually and free the linebackers to aid in pass defense. If Texas can pressure Shapen and stifle the run game without additional defenders, coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski’s defense should be in a good position.
Defense
A year after being one of the worst P4 defenses in the country, Mississippi State’s defensive unit has turned things around. This group isn’t elite by any standard at 43rd in SP+, but has improved drastically. When the Bulldogs surrender 20 points or less, they are a perfect 4-0; give up 20-plus points and their record is 0-3.
The strength of this defense has been in creating turnovers and defending the pass. Allowing a 59.0 completion percentage and just 187.3 pass yards per game, Mississippi State’s pass defense ranks fifth in the SEC. They’re also leading the SEC with 10 interceptions.
Said Sarkisian, “ This is a defense that goes and attacks the football. They create turnovers at a high at a high rate. We’ve got to continue the trend of protecting the football.”
The Bulldog secondary is a savvy group headed by a seasoned three safety trio — junior Isaac Smith, senior Jahron Manning, and fifth-year senior Brylan Lanier.
Smith is one of the premier hybrid players in the entire country. Listed at 6’0, 220 pounds, he added 15 pounds to his frame this offseason and is now more linebacker than safety from his hybrid spot. Wherever he lines up, Smith is the heart and soul of not just the defense but the entire team.
A four-star safety recruit out of high school, Smith played in all 12 games as a freshman before exploding last year with a historic campaign. His 127 tackles led the SEC and ranked seventh nationally despite missing a game. Smith will be all over the field against Texas. He’ll blitz the quarterback, plug holes in the run game, and even drop back in pass coverage. The Longhorn offense will need to know where he is at all times.
At a more traditional safety role, Manning is in his final year of collegiate ball and first at the P4 level after spending two years in junior college before a season at Old Dominion. He’s an excellent playmaker, leading the team in tackles (46) and adding an interception with four passes defended. He’s a guy that will be in and around the ball the entire game.
Fellow safety Brylan Lanier is another experienced junior college product with dynamic playmaking abilities on the backend that can do it all. Lanier spend time at Alabama and Indiana before winning a national championship at East Mississippi CC in 2023. A 10-game starter last season for Mississippi State, the 6’1, 190-pounder has 32 tackles, three interceptions, two passes defended, and a sack to his name this season.
Lanier primarily operated on the outside as a cover guy last year before making the jump to safety in the offseason. His versatility and experience playing the ball is evident by his team leading three interceptions.
Behind Smith, Manning, and Lanier, the Bulldog secondary has thrived. Their improvements against the pass are significant, but wouldn’t be possible without additions and improvements at cornerback, too. Redshirt sophomore Kelley Jones, senior DeAgo Brumfield, and redshirt junior Jayven Williams are the primary players responsible for defending opposing wideouts.
Jones is a tall and lanky athletes with elite speed. Listed at 6’4, Jones was crowned at the fastest player on the Mississippi State roster as a sophomore. He has great size and leads the team with six passes defended.
Brumfield, a Memphis transfer, is on pace for his best season of college football. After injuries derailed his 2024 campaign, he’s settled into a strong seniorseason, recording 22 tackles, four defended passes, and an interception.
Williams is a Kennesaw State transfer brought in to compete for a starting role at corner. With good size, Williams has been a consistent contributor rotating in at corner for the Bulldog defense.
While the secondary has been strong, the Mississippi State front seven has struggled — allowing 164 rush yards per game ranks 14th in the SEC and sacking the quarterback only 10 times slots at 13th. This is a bit of a surprise given that the Bulldogs returned their top three defensive tackles and signed a handful from the portal.
The team leader in sacks at the time, Coastal Carolina transfer Will Whitson was injured early in the season, but losing Whitson is hardly the explanation for the subpar play up front.
Auburn transfer DJ Reed arrived in Starkville and has led the way up front, particularly once Whitson went down. After seeing little playing time as a War Eagle, the redshirt sophomore has contributed 15 tackles and two sacks on the year.
He’s joined by former Longhorn Jaray Bledsoe, who left the Forty Acres and has found a role for the Bulldogs.
Yet despite this production, the interior defensive line has been gashed — against Arizona State and Texas A&M, Mississippi State conceded a combined total of 550 rushing yards.
Not to mention, the defensive line isn’t rushing the passer particularly well. Transfers Malick Sylla and Ray Thomas were brought in at the edge position, but haven’t produced. Senior Deonte Anderson is a well-sized pass rusher on the year to keep an eye on, but has only amassed one sack and nine tackles. Senior Branden Jennings has recorded 24 tackles and a sack, but hasn’t established himself as a clear playmaker.
The linebacker group provides the defense with depth and production. Smith is joined by senior Nic Mitchell, a veteran Bulldog with five years under his belt in Starkville. Mitchell plays the Mike position for Mississippi State. while junior Zakari Tillman also sees reps depending on the situation.
Providing depth for the position group are former Longhorn Derion Gullette and redshirt sophomore Jalen Smith. Gullette and Smith have combined for 48 tackles on the year, impressive production for two players outside the starting lineup.
As a whole, the Mississippi State defense is still a few seasons of strong recruiting and development away from being in the top-tier of SEC defenses. The secondary has shown a knack for intercepting passes, something that the Texas offense must avoid on Saturday, while the front seven has been exploited by opposing ground games.
Special teams
In his third season as the starter, junior Kyle Ferrie has made 7-of-9 (77.8 percent) field-goal opportunities, including both attempts from 50-plus yards this season. In the season opener, Ferrie hit from 55 yards.
Handling punting duties is former top-10 ranked punting recruit Ethan Pulliam, a member of the Mississippi State baseball team who averages 47.05 yards per punt, good for sixth in the SEC.
Evans is the punt returner and kickoff returner, ranking seventh in the SEC with 14.67 yards per punt return. The Bulldogs rarely return kickoffs with only two on the season.
For the Longhorns, this game comes to winning up front — if Shapen is pressured early and often without giving up pass lane integrity, the Bulldogs offense is in trouble, especially with their starting running back unlikely to play.
On the other side of the ball, the Mississippi State front seven has shown an inability to stop the run. While the Texas offense line has struggled, too, this is a prime opportunity to get back on track. With the Bulldogs still desperate for their first SEC win under Jeff Lebby, this game will undoubtedly test the Longhorns’ poise and composure in a hostile environment. That’s simply the nature of SEC road games.
