For the first time in nearly two years, the Mississippi State Bulldogs woke up on Sunday feeling the emotional high of winning a Southeastern Conference game the Saturday before. Mississippi State finally got the job done on Saturday night as they went into the mouth of the beast and took down a depleted Arkansas team 38-35 in an ugly game. Sometimes, to get where you want to go in football, a team must tackle the demons and win ugly to set the tone for the remainder of the season, to finish out by earning one more win to make a return to the postseason for the first time since 2022, when they beat the Illini of Illinois in the Reliquest Bowl. 

So, let’s talk about. Every week, there are thoughts and takeaways from the game prior, Saturday, although sloppy, was no different, as the Bulldogs finally broke through and earned a road Southeastern Conference win, now setting the scene for a fun finish that could see Coach Lebby and his Bulldogs back in the postseason. 

First, despite the fans’ outcry, Blake Shapen did just enough to position Mississippi State for a victory on Saturday night. He wasn’t perfect by any stretch of imagination, but Shapen did what he had to do on Saturday night and finished with 242 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Again, his decision-making at times was questionable at best, but Shapen got the job done, likely with the help of Brenen Thompson and Anthony Evans. Either way, Shapen got the job done and won the game for Mississippi State. A random fact to add to this: according to the Mississippi State communication staff, Mississippi State leads the nation in passing plays of 40-plus yards, with 16 this season. 

Second, to complement Blake Shapen’s job are the receivers, particularly Brennen Thompson and Anthony Evans. Thompson and Evans finished the day with a combined 218 receiving yards, with Evans leading the way in touchdowns with two. As we’ve seen all season long, these two guys give Blake Shapen and even KaMario Taylor, when he’s in, a lethal core group to trust with a long-standing track record this season of making plays. Saturday was no different as the Razorbacks’ secondary struggled to keep up on Saturday night. 

Lastly, winning cures all. As we saw back in September when Mississippi State found a way to beat Arizona State, the weight that had been on the program’s chest seemed to have been lifted last night as they left Northwest Arkansas with a road win. Sure, it was only Arkansas, and the Razorbacks have their issues with not being a very good football team, but Mississippi State found a way not to lose last, which in itself is a massive win for Coach Lebby and his boys. With three games remaining and already exceeding expectations according to multiple people, the Bulldogs can now enter the final three games with a sense of confidence. This season has shaped up to where anything can happen, and the Bulldogs now have that mometum of knowing that they can not only win ballgames, but have the talent and the coaching to play with just about anyone in the country. For those of the forgetful nature, Mississippi State had both Florida and Tennessee beat, and really only deserved to lose one game against a potential National Championship contender in Texas A&M. Other than that, Mississippi State has had chances in every game, and they finally broke through on Saturday afternoon. 

There’s no denying it, Saturday was a monumental win for Coach Lebby and the Bulldogs, and now they have three games where they’ll be underdogs but playing with the confidence needed to shock the world and pull off an upset, earning a trip to the postseason. 

Mississippi State returns home on Saturday morning as it welcomes the Georgia Bulldogs to Davis Wade Stadium for another opportunity to earn a signature win. 

Photo Credits- Mississippi State Football on X