Mississippi State Heading Into the BYE

Mississippi State will use its bye week during the final stretch of games in the regular season to reassess its plans before facing Missouri on Nov. 23.

The Bulldogs (2-8, 0-6 SEC) are currently regrouping after losing 33-14 to Tennessee on Saturday. They are in the 16th spot in the SEC, right behind Kentucky, which is 1-6 in SEC play. The last stretch of the season is brutal for the Bulldogs, facing Tennessee in Week 11, Missouri in Week 13 and Ole Miss to close out the season.

It would be an understatement to say that Mississippi State football has not had the year anyone wanted, but it’s true. Winless in the SEC under head coach Jeff Lebby’s first season, it has been a low point for the program. This came after last season when the program had its best stretch ever (5-7).

Lebby said that the time has had great energy in practice going into the bye.

Nick Fitzgerald

Nick Fitzgerald is a former quarterback for the Bulldogs’, where he played in 2017.

Fitzgerald said, “I think offense will be fine with Lebby, I like him. Defense is abysmal, unacceptable and embarrassing. We need NIL money, but I think the university should be finding it somewhere, not fans.”

Most Bulldogs fans would agree with Fitzgerald’s take, because while it is undeniable that State’s year has been less than satisfying, their offense has shown promise.

Offense

Is the offense lighting up scoreboards? No. But they are giving fans hope that they can be successful.

Their biggest problem is slow starts. They have been an ongoing issue, and don’t appear to be getting fixed. However, a bye week to get a new game plan together could benefit them to come out stronger when they face Missouri.

State has scored first three time in the ten game this season. Two of those were opening-drive touchdowns.

“For us, there’s no explosive plays,” Lebby said. “Everything for us, as we’ve gotten started, we’ve had some negative plays and then it’s been very grind. We have to have the ability to throw and catch on a couple of these first- and second-down plays on the first two drives.”

Meanwhile, the defense is allowing 9.1 points in first quarters, so MSU is essentially playing from behind in every game.

https://twitter.com/HailStateFB/status/1856072895627203017

The Bulldogs’ Week 13 game against Missouri will be televised on the SEC Network on Saturday, Nov.23, at 3:15 p.m.