Mississippi State begins Year Two under head coach Jeff Lebby this Saturday at Southern Miss. The Bulldogs are coming off a 2-10 campaign last year, going up against a Golden Eagle team that finished 1-11 last year.
Both teams have reset and reloaded in the offseason, and the Bulldogs can’t afford to fall asleep at the wheel against this USM team.
Here are three keys to victory as the Bulldogs look to start the season 1-0.
Establish the run
Mississippi State’s offense under Jeff Lebby aims to be a “showtime” offense that can strike quickly, hit long passes downfield and stretch opponents out of their comfort zone. They were able to showcase it at times last year despite, more often than not, playing from behind.
The Bulldogs discovered a decent run game over the course of the 2024 season, operating primarily with Davon Booth and Johnnie Daniels. The Bulldogs have added to the offensive line and running back room, notably adding Fluff Bothwell after a breakout true freshman season at South Alabama. The sophomore back adds another talent to arguably MSU’s biggest returning strength from last season.
Running the ball opens everything up for Lebby as a playcaller. It keeps the opponent honest and opens passing lanes, but it also allows his offensive line to grow into the game with a new combination of players. If the Bulldogs can find success on the ground, it will also help wear down a Southern Miss defense with some decent talent in the front seven.
Make Braylon Braxton uncomfortable
Southern Miss’ most notable strength coming into this year is the arrival of quarterback Braylon Braxton, who helped Charles Huff turn Marshall into Sun Belt champions last season.
While Braxton has five receivers and his head coach from last year, he also has a brand new offensive line and a new offensive coordinator. This will be a new look for the talented quarterback, and it’s an opportunity for MSU’s defense to cause havoc.
The Bulldog defense will already be looking to make a statement after finishing as one of the worst defenses in FBS last year, registering just 10 sacks as a team. This game is a chance to find a rhythm, or rather, crash the rhythm of their opponent.
Lebby’s offense showed that it can move the ball last year, even in bad situations. If the defense can hand them some great field position from early stops and turnovers, the Bulldogs will be set up to register a big win on day one.
Play clean football
Mississippi State is a two-touchdown favorite in this game for a reason; they are simply the more talented team on paper. That does not mean that Southern Miss is not talented.
Given a chance, the Golden Eagles have the leadership and playmakers to make MSU uncomfortable. The Bulldogs have their own unknowns with new-look offensive and defensive lines
Lebby noted after the first scrimmage that the Bulldog offense struggled with taking care of the football, and that was a point of focus in the two weeks after. It’s something every football coach in the country preaches, but ball security is vital in a game of unknowns. This team can’t afford to let a win slip because of it, because wins are hard enough to come by in an SEC schedule even when you take care of the football.
The Bulldogs can’t give Southern Miss any chances to flip the script. Distribute the ball cleanly, hold onto the ball, find the right blocks and gaps and wrap up tackles. Do that and there’s a great chance MSU starts 1-0.
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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.
