Mississippi
LSU vs. Mississippi State by the numbers
![LSU vs. Mississippi State by the numbers LSU vs. Mississippi State by the numbers](https://www.al.com/resizer/XuFpBe4e8mSKYn3oMNKs9E6lTYA=/1280x0/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/advancelocal/2HZFEGHEXREVXNHBITBU3PVCGM.jpg)
No. 14 LSU (1-1) at Mississippi State (2-0)
11 a.m. CDT Saturday (ESPN)
Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi
0 Mississippi State coaches have won their first four games with the Bulldogs. Zach Arnett enters Saturday’s game with a 3-0 record as the MSU coach. The Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator, Arnett took the reins after Mike Leach died last year, and he guided Mississippi State to a 19-10 victory over Illinois in the ReliaQuest Bowl. MSU has opened the 2023 season by beating Southeastern Louisiana 48-7 and Arizona 31-24 in overtime. Arnett is the seventh Mississippi State coach with a 3-0 record. In their fourth games, Earl Abell lost to Tennessee 7-3 in 1923, John Hancock lost to LSU 9-7 in 1927, Spike Nelson lost to Auburn 20-6 in 1938, Allyn McKeen lost to Auburn 7-0 in 1939, Jackie Sherrill lost to Tennessee 26-24 in 1991 and Joe Moorhead lost to Kentucky 28-7 in 2018.
1 Loss for LSU over the past 20 years in a game that kicked off before noon local time. On Oct. 10, 2020, LSU lost to Missouri 45-41 in an SEC game that kicked off at 11 a.m. Since the 2003 season, LSU has played in 10 games with morning kickoff times, including victories over Mississippi State in 2009 and 2021.
MORE SEC FOOTBALL BY THE NUMBERS:
· TOP 10 FOR WEEK 3
· TOP 10 FROM WEEK 2
7 Consecutive games with a takeaway for Mississippi State, including interceptions on Arizona’s first three possessions in last week’s 31-24 overtime victory.
31 Victories for LSU and seven victories for Mississippi State when a ranked team of Tigers plays an unranked team of Bulldogs, although MSU has scored its past three wins in the series in this manner. Mississippi State upended No. 8 LSU 32-29 in 2014, No. 12 LSU 37-7 in 2017 and No. 6 LSU 44-34 in 2020. Unranked MSU also defeated ranked LSU 1945, 1978, 1982 and 1984.
38 Consecutive games with a reception for Mississippi State RB Jo’quavious Marks, who has caught a pass in every game in his college career. Marks holds the school record for consecutive games with a reception.
38 Consecutive games without a 100-yard rusher for Mississippi State until RB Jo’quavious Marks reached the milestone in consecutive games to open the 2023 season. Marks had 123 yards and one TD on 24 rushing attempts against Arizona last week after starting the 2023 season with 127 yards and two TDs on 19 carries against Southeastern Louisiana. Before Marks, MSU’s most recent 100-yard rusher had been Kylin Hill, who ran for 132 yards in a 21-20 victory over Ole Miss on Nov. 28, 2019.
115 Yards and one TD on 15 rushing attempts for LSU RB Logan Diggs in the Tigers’ 72-10 victory over Grambling State last week. A transfer who rushed for 822 yards for Notre Dame last season, Diggs became the first running back with 100 rushing yards in his LSU debut since 1997, when Cecil Collins ran for 172 yards in a 24-9 victory over Mississippi State.
116 Previous games have been played between LSU and Mississippi State. The Tigers lead the series 77-36-3. LSU has more victories over MSU than it has over any other opponent. The teams have squared off annually since 1926 except for 1943, when MSU did not have a football team because of World War II.
199 Receptions by WR Fred Ross and RB Jo’quavious Marks, tied for the most in Mississippi State history. Ross had 199 receptions for 2,528 yards and 22 TDs for the Bulldogs from 2013 through 2016. Marks has 199 receptions for 1,149 yards and three TDs after catching four passes for 32 yards in last week’s 31-24 victory over Arizona.
400 Games as a college head coach for LSU’s Brian Kelly when the Tigers take the field against Mississippi State on Saturday. Kelly has a 295-102-2 record. Kelly has been 118-35-2 at Grand Valley State, 19-16 at Central Michigan, 34-6 at Cincinnati, 113-40 at Notre Dame and 11-5 at LSU.
1,192 Career completions for Mississippi State QB Will Rogers, 271 more than any other player in SEC history. Rogers also holds the conference record for career passes with 1,685, the most in SEC history by 132.
2,078 Passing yards are needed by Mississippi State QB Will Rogers to become the SEC career leader. Georgia QB Aaron Murray had 13,166 passing yards from 2010 through 2013 to set the conference mark. Rogers also needs 2,809 yards of total offense (passing yards plus rushing yards) to break Murray’s conference career record of 13,562.
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE SEC, GO TO OUR SEC PAGE
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
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Mississippi
Arizona State RB Cam Skattebo ‘disrespected’ by Mississippi State football’s defensive game plan
![Arizona State RB Cam Skattebo ‘disrespected’ by Mississippi State football’s defensive game plan Arizona State RB Cam Skattebo ‘disrespected’ by Mississippi State football’s defensive game plan](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2024/09/08/PKNS/75130225007-usatsi-24184754.jpg?auto=webp&crop=4080,2296,x0,y294&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Cam Skattebo slammed Mississippi State on the football field on Saturday night and also took another jab afterward in his postgame press conference.
The Arizona State running back, following a 30-23 Sun Devils win at Mountain America Stadium, took exception to MSU only utilizing three defenders on the line of scrimmage. The results were damning.
Arizona State (2-0) rushed for 346 yards. It was the most allowed by Mississippi State (1-1) in a game since Arkansas in 2016. Skattebo’s 262 rushing yards on 33 carries were the second-most in ASU history.
“They couldn’t stop us in that three-down front,” Skattebo said when asked what made ASU’s run game successful. “Honestly, we all felt disrespected with them in a three-down front. You can’t come in here and put five guys in the box and expect to stop six. I don’t know. We took that a little disrespectful, and we rushed for what over 300 yards? Something around there. It is what it is.”
Skattebo, a 5-foot-11, 215-pound junior, also led Arizona State with 35 receiving yards on three catches.
“I knew these dudes were big and heavy,” he said. “We knew going into the game they weren’t as physical as most other teams but they’re heavy. So when they hit you, it hurts, no matter how hard they’re coming — 300 pounds at 10 miles per hour or 16 miles per hour hurts the same. I just kept my feet moving.”
Mississippi State trailed 30-3 in the third quarter but scored 20 unanswered points to cut the score to 30-23 with 5:27 to play. The Bulldogs never touched the ball again, with the Sun Devils running out the clock on 12 plays.
Skattebo had a game-sealing 39-yard rush that allowed ASU to kneel down.
“Until the end, we had our ups and downs there, but that was fun,” he said. “You can ask these guys up front, bullying dudes, grown men that are 300 pounds, that’s fun to us. That’s fun to the front-five, the front-seven and the running back. The quarterback probably hates it. He probably likes watching, but he didn’t complain one time the whole game.”
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
Mississippi
Why Mississippi State football loss to Arizona State revealed a strong Jeff Lebby culture
![Why Mississippi State football loss to Arizona State revealed a strong Jeff Lebby culture Why Mississippi State football loss to Arizona State revealed a strong Jeff Lebby culture](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2024/09/08/PKNS/75130223007-usatsi-24184733.jpg?auto=webp&crop=3382,1904,x0,y239&format=pjpg&width=1200)
It was 11:10 p.m. Saturday in Starkville when Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt barreled into the end zone for his second touchdown of the game.
At that point, it would’ve been fair for Mississippi State football fans to call it a night. The Bulldogs (1-1) trailed 27-3 at ASU in the final minute of the second quarter. They were dominated in just about every statistical category. New coach Jeff Lebby looked like he was headed toward his first loss, and an embarrassing one.
And even if you gave the second half a chance, eyes just a crack open, that wasn’t encouraging either. Arizona State (2-0) took the opening drive of the third quarter for a field goal while eating 8 minutes, 27 seconds of game time. That just about decided the game before Mississippi State touched the ball in the second half.
Wrong.
Instead, MSU scored touchdowns on three of its next four drives and cut the score to 30-23 with 5:27 to play. The defense, which was torched for 346 rushing yards, needed one more stop to let the offense try to tie it. It would’ve been the largest comeback in program history.
Mississippi State’s path to a bowl game seems murkier than it was a week ago. But in the long-term, there’s still encouragement after the 30-23 loss.
“Our guys battled in an incredible way in the second half, and we’re going to hold on to that,” Lebby said in his postgame radio interview. “We’re going to find ways to get back in the building, get back to work and be able to walk into Davis Wade (Stadium) with a ton of confidence and ready to go win a football game.”
The encouragement from Mississippi State’s comeback effort
Lebby said after beating Eastern Kentucky 56-7 in Week 1 that there is an abundance of teachable moments in wins, just like losses.
There is plenty to point to after losing to Arizona State.
Mississippi State came out incredibly flat. The Sun Devils scored on their first five possessions. The MSU offense had one field goal, two punts, a fumble returned for a touchdown and a turnover-on-downs in the first half. MSU had -13 rushing yards in the first half.
There were concerns entering the game about the travel distance, late kickoff and high temperature. But let’s be real, Mississippi State was playing so poorly at the start that it was hard to judge if those were factors.
“I got to do a better job getting these guys ready to go play out of the gate,” Lebby said. “I thought our energy, our effort and our emotion was really good, but then we did not play clean there in the first quarter, so that part was frustrating.”
The Bulldogs outscored the Sun Devils 20-0 in the final quarter and a half. It was a surprise. Arizona State was rolling. Mississippi State was not.
MORE: Introducing Sam Sklar, the Clarion Ledger’s new Mississippi State beat reporter
For Lebby, a first-time head coach at any level, let it be a learning moment for him. It was his first time getting pinned in a corner. The Bulldogs adjusted correctly in the second half like good coaches do.
The rushing offense and defense both need to improve. Badly. Quarterback Blake Shapen has been impressive in his first two Mississippi State games and the wide receiver room is deep and talented as ever, but they can’t be the only answer.
That’s just for this season.
Mississippi State has its first tally in the loss column. But it isn’t a strike against Lebby leading the future of the program.
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
Mississippi
Arizona State football turns heads with ‘unreal’ uniforms vs Mississippi State
![Arizona State football turns heads with ‘unreal’ uniforms vs Mississippi State Arizona State football turns heads with ‘unreal’ uniforms vs Mississippi State](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2024/09/07/PPHX/75127214007-asuuniformms.png?auto=webp&crop=450,254,x0,y9&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Sam Leavitt leads ASU to convincing victory in 1st career start
Leavitt and the Sun Devils cruised past visiting Wyoming 48-7 on Saturday night at Mountain America Stadium.
The Arizona State football team elevated its play on the field in its 48-7 win over Wyoming in Week 1.
It is elevating its uniform game for Week 2 against Mississippi State.
ASU football is wearing a gold alternate jersey against the Bulldogs at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Saturday night.
The jersey includes maroon “Arizona State” lettering and maroon numbering, along with a noticeable Big 12 logo.
The Sun Devil football team unveiled the uniform last month, with Athletic Director Graham Rossini posting that “you’ll see this on the field early this season.”
On Thursday, ASU football announced that it would be wearing the uniform against Mississippi State with a video that said “Modern shine, with a classic design.”
On Friday, it posted another look at the uniform.
More: Arizona State vs Mississippi State live score updates, analysis for college football game
ASU vs Mississippi State schedule, TV: How to watch college football game
Promising look: Arizona State football’s 2024 win prediction doubles after Week 1 victory over Wyoming
Social media reacted favorably overall to ASU football’s uniform vs Mississippi State:
Do you like the look for ASU football?
ASU vs. Mississippi State picks: Who wins Week 2 college football game?
Looking promising: Arizona State football makes huge leap in college football ranking, Big 12 power rankings
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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