STARKVILLE — The best part of being 3-0? The chance to go 4-0.
Mississippi State football is off to its best start since 2018. The Bulldogs have an opportunity to go undefeated in nonconference play this week against Mid-American Conference school Northern Illinois, which would be an ideal way to shift focus to No. 15 Tennessee at the start of Southeastern Conference play the following week.
Head coach Jeff Lebby spoke of the matchup during his Monday media session, noting the team’s ambition to stay undefeated in their final test before Tennessee comes to town.
“It’s about having the ability to go 4-0, 1-0 on Saturday, and for us having an undefeated nonconference. We talked about that a ton as a team, it’s incredibly important for us to start 4-0. We put ourselves in position to do that, but we’ve got a great test on Saturday.”
Upset watch
MSU fans won’t soon forget the last time a MAC team came to Davis Wade Stadium. Toledo throttled the Bulldogs 41-17 last September, which served as a wake-up call for the rest of the 2024 season.
This year, the Bulldogs have reloaded on both offense and defense, but this isn’t a matchup they’re overlooking with SEC play on the horizon. The team wants this one, and they know it’s not an opponent they can afford to write off.
The Huskies keep a “boneyard” wall commemorating their wins against major programs. In recent years, the victims include BYU, Georgia Tech, Boston College, and as of last year, Notre Dame.
Head coach Thomas Hammock became known across the country when his tearful celebration in South Bend last year, after the Huskies took the eventual national finalists down, 16-14.
“The urgency our guys have got to operate with is crucial,” Lebby said of the matchup.
MSU is a 21.5 point favorite as of yesterday, and will be expected to win this one given the difference in talent, but the Bulldogs know NIU has a lot of pride in the road matchups they play and their reputation for giving opponents more than they bargained for.
“I think Northern Illinois, what they’ve done from a program standpoint, they’ve gone on the road and won huge games,” Lebby said. “I think you point to that as much or more than anything, and understand in the last four years they’ve gone into somebody else’s house, Power Four opponent, and won three of four games.”
Winning in the trenches
The biggest strength for the Huskies this season has been their run defense. Opponents average just 74 yards per game against them, and even Big Ten side Maryland failed to surpass the 100-yard mark in a 20-9 win over NIU.
“Their guys don’t stay blocked, they’ve done a great job of getting off blocks,” Lebby said. “It’s hard to dent the interior, and they’re a physical bunch, and with the Mike and Will backers being guys that play downhill, it’s the same deal. They don’t stay blocked.”
“I really like what they bring on the defensive line,” MSU guard Jacoby Jackson said. “I think they’re really experienced, they have some great players that have a lot of games, so the biggest thing is they’re really disciplined. They’re big on their gap control, doing their job, they’re going to run a lot of games. We have to bring it and be ready for that, and I know we’re going to get a bunch of reps of the defense they run. It’s going to be a good game and I’m excited for it.”
MSU’s offensive line and running game turned into one of the team’s few strengths over the course of the 2024 season, and that has continued into 2025 with the addition of running back Fluff Bothwell to the room.
While the line has been banged up, losing right tackle Blake Steen for the season, the team has continued to make positive strides.
The Bulldogs like to score from far through the air, but they pound the rock in the red zone and short-yardage situations. MSU is 22nd in FBS in third down conversion and is one of 21 teams with a perfect red zone scoring percentage, including seven rushing touchdowns on 10 red zone trips.
There were some slow moments in wins against Southern Miss and Arizona State, notably with penalties killing drives and negating touchdowns, but the Bulldogs have tightened things up since a 14-penalty performance in Hattiesburg.
“I think we’re definitely making progress,” Jackson said. “We’ve just got to keep building that, what (Coach Phil Loadholt) says, the ‘Not my man mentality.’ Keep running off the ball with great leverage and great technique. Once again, I feel like we’re getting better and we’re going to keep getting better moving forward.”
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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 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
