Postgame Notes: Auburn at Mississippi State
December 12, 2020 | Football
GENERAL
- MSU won the coin toss and deferred, Auburn received the opening kickoff.
- MSU's game captain was LB Erroll Thompson.
- Today's attendance was 12,986.
- Four Bulldogs made their first career start against Auburn, bringing the Bulldogs' season total to 25 first-time starters in 2020 (WR Lideatrick Griffin, S Jay Jimison, RB Dillon Johnson, RB Lee Witherspoon).
- One Bulldog made his Mississippi State debut against Auburn, bringing the Bulldogs' season total to 24 in 2020 (OL Grant Jackson).
OFFENSE
- Broke the MSU single-season completion mark as a team with 333 this season.
- Previous: 331 in 2015.
- WR Jaden Walley gave State it's sixth 100-yard receiving game of the season.
- The school record for individual 100-yard receiving games in a season is seven set in 2015.
DEFENSE
- Had gone 54:45, dating back to State's last game, without allowing a touchdown before allowing the Tigers to score with 10:03 left in the fourth quarter.
- Held Auburn to 5-of-16 on third down.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
QB Will Rogers
- Became the first Bulldog quarterback to complete 30 or more passes in four consecutive games.
- Four career 30-completion games ranks second in program history behind Dak Prescott (5, 2012-15).
- Has completed 199 passes this season, which is fourth in MSU single-season history.
- Broke the MSU freshman record in passing yards with 1,533 this season.
- Previous: 1,532 by Wayne Madkin (1998).
- Broke the MSU freshman record for passing attempts (280).
- Previous: 255 by Wesley Carroll (2007).
- Saw his streak of consecutive passing attempts without an interception ended at 177 attempts.
WR Jaden Walley
- Broke the MSU freshman record for receiving yards (562).
- Previous: 510 by Mardye McDole (1977).
- Second true freshman in MSU history to record 500 receiving yards in a season.
- Became the first true freshman in program history to record three 100-yard receiving games in the same season (100 yards tonight).
- Also had 115 yards on seven catches at Georgia on Nov. 21 and 176 yards on nine catches at Ole Miss on Nov. 28.
- The last Bulldog with three consecutive 100-yard receiving games was Fred Ross in 2015 (Four straight: at Missouri, Alabama, at Arkansas, Ole Miss).
- Now has 42 catches, which ranks second all-time among MSU freshmen behind teammate RB Jo'quavious Marks (53).
- Returned a kickoff 65 yards in the fourth quarter.
- Marked Mississippi State's longest kick return since Brandon Holloway returned one 69 yards at Missouri (Nov. 5, 2015).
- Matched his career high with three receptions for a career-high 16 yards.
- Became the 12th Bulldog in program history with 100 career catches.
- Caught three passes for 27 yards and now has 101 catches in his career.
- Matched his single-season career-high with his third touchdown catch of the year.
- Made the 300th tackle of his career, making him the first Bulldog to reach the milestone since Mario Haggan (1999-2002, 359).
- Finished the night with a team-high 11 tackles and 302 for his career.
LB Aaron Brule
- Had MSU's lone tackle for loss, giving him a team-leading 8.0 for the season.
- Has had at least one tackle for loss in each of the last four games.
- Boasts an active streak of 111 consecutive extra points made in his career.
- Downed a punt at the 5-yard line in the fourth quarter for his 12th career punt inside the 20-yard line and his third inside the 10-yard line.
- First two punts inside the 10-yard line came against Vanderbilt this season.
Players Mentioned
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