Mississippi State finally got back in the win column on Saturday, overcoming a 14-point fourth quarter deficit on the road at Arkansas to win 38-35. Quarterback Blake Shapen led three straight scoring drives to secure the victory, and the Bulldog defense stood tall with four stops to set the stage for a comeback and then a victory in the final frame. 

MSU’s first SEC win since 2023 featured plenty of standout moments and players, but here’s a look at a few with the biggest impact down the stretch. 

Standout Stat: Penalties 

Arkansas: 18 for 193 yards

MSU: 4 for 30 yards 

The Razorbacks melted down in terms of discipline in the second half. It all started with a scuffle after a two-point conversion, with Razorback players taking issue with Isaac Smith for his hit on Green as he released the pass. A flag was thrown for a push against Smith, pushing the kickoff back 15 yards. Then, on Davon Booth’s return, the Razorbacks landed a late hit to add another 15 yards, putting the Bulldogs in Arkansas territory on the first snap. 

If that wasn’t enough, a targeting call for a rough hit on Kamario Taylor gifted the Bulldogs a first down, eventually leading to a 20-yard touchdown run by Taylor. 

Both the home crowd and interim head coach Bobby Petrino took issue with the mounting number of flags thrown against the Razorbacks, but the response to the drive showed a greater lack of control. Of the team’s 18 penalties, 15 came in the second half, with six in the fourth quarter. 

The final defensive penalty was a running-into-the-kicker call, one which did not gift a first down but pushed Kyle Ferrie’s all-important field goal attempt five yards closer. 

Inversely, the Bulldogs kept their cool and limited the penalties in crucial situations. A false start on the second-to-last drive nearly proved costly, but Ferrie had the leg to match after some help from the Razorbacks. 

Anthony Evans: 5 catches, 111 yards, 2 TDs 

Brenen Thompson: 6 catches, 107 yards

The MSU receiver duo both reached 100 yards in a game for the third time this season. 

Thompson, who is tied for second in the SEC for receiving yards, made a crucial fourth-down catch on the final drive of the game, advancing the Bulldogs 32 yards with a sliding effort while tracking the pass between defenders. 

Evans had two touchdowns on the day and earned both by muscling his way through tacklers after making the catch. His touchdown in the third quarter was crucial as well, and showcased some expert ball-tracking ability as he broke inside to make the catch before pushing his way into the end zone.

The pair may have gone under the radar a bit with limited production at their previous stops, but they’re at the top of the scouting report for opponents now, and deservedly so.

Nic Mitchell: 10 total tackles, 3 solo, 1 sack 

Mitchell added a sack to his impressive total tackles number, and was important in both containing and dialing up pressure on Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green. 

Mitchell got a big pressure in on the defensive drive that led to the game-winning drive for the offense. 

The work done to contain Green was crucial for the defense, and Mitchell noted the contributions of a teammate, Stonka Burnside, in helping them prep the week before. 

“We knew it was going to be a challenge all week,” Mitchell said after the game. “We knew his legs, I mean, they’re deadly. We put Stonka back there and let him run around, and that really tested our legs early in the week, and it paid off.”

Isaac Smith: 11 total tackles, 3 solo, 1 pass breakup 

The leader on defense, and leading tackler on the day, played both linebacker and safety duties well

The Bulldog defense got its first stop since the first quarter by forcing a quick three-and-out late in the third, finished with a pass breakup from Smith that could have netted the Razorbacks a field-switching explosive play. 

The defensive approach saw Smith form a Cover-3 safety partnership with Hunter Washington and Brylan Lanier. Their boost in the run game was evident, but it also limited Green’s options downfield and forced him to break the play at times. 

Like Mitchell, Smith credited the work done to prepare for Arkansas for their clutch stands in the fourth quarter, and especially the endurance that it took to hang with one of the most prolific offenses in the country. 

“Our scout team did a great job this week, giving us great looks of getting out of the pocket, rolling around, us having to plaster receivers. Late in the game, it’s grind time. Malik (Sylla) making a big sack on second down, getting the pressure on fourth, you can’t coach that. That’s all just effort.”