Mississippi State moved to 3-0 on the season for the first time since 2018 with a 63-0 win over Alcorn State on Saturday. The Bulldogs were overwhelming favorites for a reason, and rarely missed a step in their comprehensive victory, utilizing talent throughout the depth chart in doing so.
While the game didn’t have the typical turning points and flashpoints that most games will have this season, it still had plenty to dig into.
DeAgo Brumfield gets a gift
Alcorn’s offense had a few surprising moments in the first half, and in particular, their boldness to attack the Bulldogs downfield seemed to catch the defense off guard.
MSU cornerback DeAgo Brumfield found himself in one such situation, isolated against Jarvis Rush, a 6-4 receiver with plenty of speed as well as size. Brumfield soon found out about the speed and found himself playing catch-up to the Louisville native looking to make a big play. The ball hit his hands, but what could have been a touchdown soon turned into a nightmare as the ball bounced off of his hands and backward straight into the arms of Brumfield.
It was a bit of a let-off for the defense, and Brumfield, of course, but it didn’t matter so much in the moment. The Bulldogs regained possession, and Brumfield didn’t have to reflect too much until after the game. He did so with an appreciation the ball falling the way it did, suggesting some divine intervention perhaps, but admitted to his mistake with a bit of humor and humility.
“Man…,” he began his answer in the post-game press conference. “They had a motion adjustment… I messed up on my technique, got beat, but kept running to the ball, the ball popped up, and I took advantage of it.”
It was a moment of fortune, but played to the favor of a defense that deserved what it got on the day.
Missed field goal
The visiting team had one real look at getting on the scoreboard after the interception. A drive into MSU territory stalled out on the edge of the red zone, and the Braves opted to try a field goal. The 36-yard attempt by Grandin Willcox missed, and the Braves never again got close to tallying points.
For the Bulldogs, it was the first shutout since 2017, in Dan Mullen’s last season as head coach. Three coaches and eight years later, the Bulldogs posted a zero once again. It wasn’t just the first team defense either. The entire second half saw the depth chart utilized at every position, and still the defense stood tall.
More than 70 players got into the game off the bench on offense, defense or special teams. Even late in the game, starters were on the sidelines pumping up the fans to get loud for the second and third units to close out the shutout. Celebrating each other’s wins and the team’s success was part of the team’s approach, and for the defense especially, there has been a new mentality to overhaul what was a weakness last year and turn it into a strength.
“We take a lot of pride in it,” Brumfield said. “I didn’t even know (it was the first shutout since 2017). We take a lot of pride in defense, and our defense is loaded this year. The mindset that Coach Hutzler came in, all of the coaches, the mindset just changed completely. We ramped it up a lot.”
Seth Davis touchdown
“There are a lot of guys deserving, but there is one guy who has been through a whole hell of a lot,” Lebby said, handing out a game ball in the locker room. “It’s the greatest team game in the world, and Seth, you are the best teammate I have ever been around.”
MSU running back Seth Davis went down with a knee injury in the 2023 Egg Bowl and didn’t see the field again for 21 months.
When he came into the game in the fourth quarter, there was little doubt of the team’s intentions. They handed him the ball twice, and that was all he needed to find the end zone. He ran in from 23 yards out after putting the Bulldogs in the red zone, and sped away around the right tackle to charge untouched into the end zone.
Davis is still on the return path after nearly two years of rehabilitation, and he has plenty of company on the running back depth chart. Still, after showing a glimpse of his old self, Davis can certainly offer the rotation plenty of ability with the ball in his hands once he’s back to 100%.
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