Mississippi State quarterback Blake Shapen will miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury that will require surgery, the team announced Saturday evening.
Shapen sustained the injury in the second half of Saturday’s 45-28 loss to Florida, although he initially remained in the game. The last drive he led ended with a turnover on downs just shy of the goal line early in the fourth quarter. He completed 13 of 21 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown, and rushed 12 times for 32 yards and another score.
True freshman Michael Van Buren, a four-star recruit out of Baltimore, played the rest of the game and finished 7-of-13 for 100 yards. The Bulldogs also have redshirt freshman Chris Parson, who played in two games last year and saw a little bit of playing time late in this season’s opener against Eastern Kentucky.
Head coach Jeff Lebby said after the game that Shapen wanted to stay in but pulling him was the right move. Now, MSU (1-3, 0-1 Southeastern Conference) will be without the Baylor transfer, a fifth-year senior, for its final eight games.
Shapen started 23 games between 2021 and 2023 at Baylor and was the first player to join MSU in the transfer portal last winter after the Bulldogs hired Lebby.
“We’re all hurting for Blake after this unfortunate news,” Lebby said in a news release. “Blake is the ultimate competitor and teammate and an unquestioned leader in our program. I know he will work incredibly hard to come back stronger than ever, and he will continue to serve as a team leader from the sidelines.”
Lebby’s statement also said the program will help Shapen “explore all options” to help him seek a medical hardship waiver for an additional year of eligibility. Shapen redshirted as a true freshman in 2020, so this was supposed to be his final season, but he has missed time with injuries before and played in just four games this year.
MSU’s season continues next Saturday at No. 1 Texas.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 47 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 47 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
