Mississippi State (1-1) hosts Toledo (2-0) on Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPNU. Here’s who has the edge at each position between the Bulldogs and the Rockets.
Quarterback
Blake Shapen made some poor decisions last week — most notably trying to get rid of the ball as he was being brought down deep in his own end, a play that resulted in a defensive touchdown — but he still went 18-of-28 for 268 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. For Toledo, Tucker Gleason has completed less than half of his pass attempts, but has hit on some big plays and has six touchdown passes without an interception.
Edge: Mississippi State
Running back
Without Seth Davis and Jeffery Pittman, MSU’s running backs have struggled somewhat so far. Keyvone Lee was solid and scored his first touchdown as a Bulldog a week ago, and Davon Booth also scored after no defender marked him on a 15-yard touchdown pass. The Rockets’ top returning rusher, Jacquez Stuart, has just 11 carries for 48 yards this year, with Willie Shaw III emerging as Toledo’s lead back alongside him.
Edge: Even
Wide receiver/tight end
MSU got Kelly Akharaiyi back against Arizona State after the UTEP transfer missed the Eastern Kentucky game with an injury, though he caught just one pass for 18 yards. Kevin Coleman and Jordan Mosley are still explosive, and Seydou Traore made his first three catches in a Bulldogs uniform. The Rockets’ Junior Vandeross III had 115 yards last week against Massachusetts, and he, Jerjuan Newton and tight end Anthony Torres each have two touchdown receptions.
Edge: Mississippi State
Offensive line
It wasn’t MSU’s best showing in the trenches last week — the line struggled in run blocking and allowed two straight sacks that helped derail the Bulldogs’ comeback attempt in the fourth quarter. Toledo isn’t great up front either, though, and the Rockets’ best offensive lineman, junior college transfer Maddox Marcotte, is not on their depth chart this week.
Edge: Mississippi State
Defensive line
MSU is banged up here and it showed in a big way against the Sun Devils, with Arizona State tearing the Bulldogs’ depleted defensive line to shreds. With Kalvin Dinkins and Deonte Anderson likely still out, De’Monte Russell and Trevion Williams really have to carry the load. Toledo has arguably the best defensive lineman in the Mid-American Conference, Darius Alexander, who made his 2024 debut last week and combined on a sack. Malachi Davis and Cavon Butler make this one of the Rockets’ best units.
Edge: Toledo
Linebackers
It was a mixed bag here for MSU in Week 2, though Stone Blanton had his best game in a Bulldogs uniform and Branden Jennings continued to cause chaos. Toledo’s Daniel Bolden had 94 tackles in 2023 and had eight last week against UMass. K’Von Sherman was excellent at the junior college level last year but has yet to produce much this fall.
Edge: Mississippi State
Secondary
Isaac Smith is emerging as a real star for the Bulldogs, with 28 tackles through two games. This week will be the biggest test so far for cornerbacks Brice Pollock and Kelley Jones against the Rockets’ top two receivers. Toledo’s leading tacklers are safeties Emmanuel McNeil-Warren and Braden Awls, the latter of whom already has two interceptions, and the Rockets also have cornerback Avery Smith and safety Maxen Hook.
Edge: Toledo
Special teams
MSU’s Kyle Ferrie missed the first extra point of his college career in Tempe, though punter Nick Barr-Mira remained solid, and Arizona State kept Coleman from using his explosiveness in the return game. Toledo freshman kicker Dylan Cunanan is just 1-for-3 on field goals, with the lone make coming from 26 yards. Stuart took a kickoff back 98 yards for a touchdown last week, though, and Bryson Hammer was excellent on punt returns in Week 1.
Edge: Mississippi State
Starters
Mississippi State
Offense
QB 2 Blake Shapen Sr.
RB 24 Keyvone Lee Sr. OR 21 Davon Booth Sr.
WR 3 Kevin Coleman Jr.
WR 6 Jordan Mosley Jr.
WR 7 Mario Craver Fr. OR 1 Kelly Akharaiyi Sr.
TE 18 Seydou Traore R-Jr. OR 84 Justin Ball Sr.
LT 66 Makylan Pounders Jr.
LG 75 Jacoby Jackson Jr.
C 67 Ethan Miner Sr.
RG 77 Marlon Martinez Sr.
RT 76 Albert Reese IV Jr.
Defense
DT 22 Kedrick Bingley-Jones Jr. OR 23 Trevion Williams R-Fr.
DT 35 Kalvin Dinkins So. OR 8 Sulaiman Kpaka Sr. OR 90 Kai McClendon Fr.
DE 9 De’Monte Russell Sr.
JACK 11 Ty Cooper Jr. OR 44 Branden Jennings Jr.
MLB 7 Stone Blanton Jr.
DIME 40 Nic Mitchell Jr. OR 5 John Lewis Jr.
STAR 3 Brylan Lanier Jr.
FS 2 Isaac Smith So.
SS 21 Hunter Washington Jr.
CB 1 Kelley Jones R-Fr. OR 6 Traveon Wright R-Fr.
CB 14 Brice Pollock So.
Specialists
K 80 Kyle Ferrie So.
P 82 Nick Barr-Mira Sr.
Toledo
Offense
QB 4 Tucker Gleason Jr.
RB 0 Jacquez Stuart Sr.
WR 1 Jerjuan Newton Sr.
WR 2 Junior Vandeross III Jr.
WR 10 Jaden Dottin Jr.
TE 88 Anthony Torres Sr.
LT 79 Allen Jones Sr.
LG 66 Carter Fouty Jr.
C 78 Jakob James Sr.
RG 72 Ethan Spoth So.
RT 67 Garrett Schwiebert Jr.
Defense
DT 9 Darius Alexander Sr.
DT 52 Cavon Butler Sr.
DE 10 D’Andre Ragin Sr.
LB 46 Jeremiah Peters Jr.
LB 5 Jackson Barrow Sr.
LB 31 Dan Bolden Sr.
CB 3 Andre Fuller Sr.
S 7 Emmanuel McNeil-Warren Jr.
S 25 Maxin Hook Sr.
S 12 Avery Smith Jr.
CB 13 Jadarrius Perkins Sr.
Specialists
K 45 Dylan Cunanan Fr.
P 36 Emilio Duran So.
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