Mississippi State takes on No. 12 Arizona State in its home opener on Saturday. Here’s a look at who has the edge at each position.

Quarterback

Blake Shapen overcame a big injury setback to return stronger for his final year at MSU. He began with a bang, finding tight end Seydou Traore for an explosive touchdown play on his first drive back leading the Bulldogs at Southern Miss on Saturday. 

Shapen is back and healthy, but his opposite in Week Two is another proven talent. Sophomore Sam Leavitt is high on NFL Draft boards for a reason. He can kill defenses with his legs or his arm, and he’s running an offense that he helped take to the College Football Playoff a year ago. 

Edge: Arizona State

Running back

MSU showed off its depth at running back in the season opener, dominating the second half with three scores on the ground. Sophomore Fluff Bothwell ran a pair of scores in before Davon Booth capped off the performance with a score of his own. 

The Sun Devils have a talented backfield themselves with Raleek Brown and Kyson Brown, the latter originally hailing from Tupelo. They’re no slouches replacing Cam Skattebo, but the Bulldogs have the deeper room here. 

Edge: Mississippi State

Wide receiver/tight end

Shapen has plenty of options to pass to this season despite the turnover at wideout. Oklahoma transfer Brenen Thompson showed his stuff with a career high in receptions and yards against Southern Miss, proving he is much more than just a vertical threat. He leads a group that includes Jordan Mosley and Anthony Evans among others looking to make a name for themselves. 

The Sun Devils may not match the Bulldogs in depth, but receiver Jordyn Tyson is one of the most highly regarded players in college football this year. 

Edge: Even

Offensive line

MSU and ASU both suffered injuries on the offensive line in the opening week of the season, but both groups have plenty of depth to help remedy the situation. 

For the Bulldogs, the group that ended the game against Southern Miss looked more cohesive than the initial starting unit. Albert Reese returned to his former position at guard while Jimothy Lewis looked solid at tackle, and the Bulldogs got rolling in the ground game. 

Penalties were an issue for both teams, but MSU in particular suffered with 14 penalties and more than 100 yards chalked off. The Bulldogs’ offensive line is work in progress, while the Sun Devils have some continuity in a unit that helped them run through opponents on the way to a 10-win season in 2024.

Edge: Arizona State

Defensive line

This is where the game may be won or lost for either team. The Bulldogs simply couldn’t stop the run in Tempe last year, and spent a lot of recruiting energy addressing the problem this offseason. The unit was stronger against Southern Miss, but bigger and tougher tests await. 

The Sun Devils return plenty of talent from the defense that made the College Football Playoff a year ago and had the third-best time-to-pressure in the Big 12 last year. With veterans like C.J. Fite, Jacob Kongaika, and Clayton Smith, ASU takes this one easily. 

Edge: Arizona State

Linebackers

The Sun Devils are strong throughout the front seven, but the Bulldogs beefed up the middle of their defense more than any other position group on the roster. Not only that, but All-SEC Isaac Smith made the move to the middle alongside returning linebacker Nic Mitchell to make the room one of the biggest strengths on a revamped defense. 

Edge: Mississippi State

Secondary

As Smith moved forward, the Bulldogs replenished in the secondary. Tyler Woodard and Jahron Manning looked solid along with returning starters Hunter Washington and Brylan Lanier. On the outside Kelley Jones and DeAgo Brumfield both stood out in isolation against USM, with Jones denying two touchdowns with pass break-ups. 

The Sun Devils are talented at defensive back as well. Veterans Javan Robinson, Keith Abney and Nyland Green return at corner while Xavion Alford and Myles Rowser both bring seniority to the safety positions. 

It’s tough to call this one either way, so we won’t. 

Edge: Even

Special teams

Kyle Ferrie set a new program record with a 55-yard field goal last weekend, topping a 40-year-old record belonging to Artie Cosby. On top of that, MSU has a pair of reliable punters in Ethan Pulliam and Keelan Crimmins. 

The Sun Devils have a new special teams weapon of their own though. Jesus Gomez joined the program after two standout years at Eastern Michigan, where he set a school record with a 57-yarder. 

With the parity at kicker and talented return men on both sidelines, this one is even. 

Edge: Even