On a beautiful day for football in Starkville, Mississippi, the Mississippi State Bulldogs would welcome the Tennessee Volunteers to Davis Wade Stadium for the Southeastern Conference opener for the Bulldogs. After starting the season 4-0 with wins over Southern Miss and Arizona State, the Bulldogs would look to carry the momentum into SEC play. 

Mississippi State would strike first with a touchdown on a short drive after a muffed punt by the Volunteers to make it 7-0 in favor of the Bulldogs. Tennessee would respond with ten unanswered points in the first quarter to retake a 10-7 lead over Mississippi State. Instead of backing down and rolling over like they’ve done in years past, Mississippi State came out in the second quarter swinging and scored a touchdown to make it 14-10, before Kyle Ferrie added a 50-yard field goal to make it 17-10 Mississippi State with 8:41 in the half. After a few penalties that gave Tennessee yardage, the Volunteers’ offense struck to tie the game at 17-17 with 7:25 remaining in the second quarter. Mississippi State and Tennessee remained grindlocked at the break at 17-17. 

Tennessee would open the second half with a three-and-a-half-minute drive that ended in a field goal to retake a 20-17 lead over Mississippi State with 11:29 in the third. Following a missed textbook horse-collar on the Tennessee defense, Kyle Ferrie missed a 42-yard field goal that would have tied the game at 20. Zakari Tilman would deliver an interception that would set up a Mississippi State touchdown to retake the lead at 24-20 with 3:48 left in the third. 

After a fake punt to open the 4th quarter, the Tennessee defense would blindside Blake Shapen, forcing a fumble that ended in a scoop and score to retake the lead for the Volunteers at 27-24 with 13:29 to play. Kyle Ferrie would respond with a 37-yard field goal to tie the game at 27 with 10:31 remaining. Zakri Tillman would deliver Mississippi State with his second interception of the game with 10:15 left in the game. Blake Shapen would find Seydou Traore for a Mississippi State touchdown to retake a 34-27 lead over Tennessee with 7:59 left on the game clock. Tennessee would march down the field to tie the game with 1:55 on the game clock. After three questionable throws from Blake Shapen, Mississippi State would give Tennessee the ball back with 1:23 on the clock. 

Regulation wasn’t enough as the Bulldogs and Volunteers needed overtime to decide a victor on Saturday. 

Tennessee would open overtime with a touchdown on play number one to take a 41-34 lead over Mississippi State. Tennessee’s defense would hold Mississippi State on 4th and goal, and the Bulldogs would fall short in overtime. 

Photo Credits- Mississippi State Football on X