Mississippi State seeking milestone against powerhouse

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Mississippi State has an opportunity to check an important box on Saturday.

The Bulldogs’ next win would make them bowl eligible for the first time since 2022 and the first time in the Jeff Lebby era.

“I think for us, we've talked about it a ton, being postseason eligible as soon as possible,” Lebby said. “And so now it takes one more, and our guys understand that.”

“The faster you do that, the better bowl game you're going to be able to get, and that's our goal this week, is to go 1-0,” quarterback Blake Shapen said. “That doesn't change our mindset on anything, but we definitely want to get to a bowl game and be bowl eligible as fast as possible.”

Lebby often looks at this year's team and sees a product that, compared to last year, is night and day. Making a bowl game would underscore that significantly.

“We haven't got the results that we've wanted non-stop, but our football team and the belief in the way we're playing the game is a Mississippi State football team, and I'm proud of that,” he said. “We’ve got a lot left out in front of us. Our guys can see that and feel that, and we've got to go find a way to be plus one on Saturday.”

Saturday’s opponent doesn't need much of an introduction.

The No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs have won the SEC two of the last three years. They have, more often than not, been one of, if not the best, teams in the country since 2020, winning two national championships in that span.

Beating Georgia will take being balanced on offense. MSU had just 106 yards on the ground against Arkansas, which, in all likelihood, will not fly against a defense allowing just 94.1 rushing yards per game.

“I think we have shown that when we have the ability to sit in there and throw and catch, we've done a decent job of it,” Lebby said. "It's going to be finding a way to run the football to create some balance, that way we can get the matchups that we want.”

Much like it has been all year, Lebby wants Davis Wade Stadium to be raucous when UGA comes to town.

“We need it in a huge way,” Lebby said. “We need 60,000 shaking cowbells, and to have as rowdy an atmosphere as there is in the country.”

Kickoff is Saturday at 11 a.m. on ESPN.

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