Postgame Notes: Tulsa vs. Mississippi State
December 31, 2020 | Football
GENERAL
- Mississippi State won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff.

- MSU's game captain was LB Erroll Thompson.

- Today's attendance was 9,000.

- Five Bulldogs played in their fourth career bowl game today (K Jace Christmann, OL Greg Eiland, DE Kobe Jones, LB Erroll Thompson and OL Dareuan Parker).

- All four of MSU's touchdowns (2 rush, 1 pass, 1 interception) were scored by true freshmen.

- Mike Leach is the first first-year head coach in program history to win a bowl game.Â
- His record in bowl games is now 8-8.

- MSU recorded its first bowl victory since the 2017 TaxSlayer Bowl (31-27 vs. Louisville) and improved its all-time bowl record to 14-10.

- The Bulldogs have played in a bowl game in 11 consecutive years, with a 7-4 bowl record in that span.

- MSU claimed its first win over a ranked opponent in a bowl game since 1940 when State defeated then-No. 13 Georgetown, 14-7.Â
- Today's win marks the first time that MSU has defeated two AP ranked opponents away from home in the same season since 1980.

- W, 34-31 at No. 18 Miami (Fla.), Oct. 18, 1980.

- W, 6-3 vs. No. 1 Alabama (Jackson, Miss.), Nov. 1, 1980.

- W, 44-34 at No. 6 LSU, Sept. 26, 2020.

- W, 28-26 vs. No. 22 Tulsa, Dec. 31, 2020.

- Today's temperature of 37 degrees is tied for the seventh-coldest game in program history.

- MSU is now 21-18 in games played in under 50-degree weather, including a 6-1 mark in bowl games.

- State is now 5-5 in games in under 40-degree weather, with it's previous most-recent win coming in a 51-50 victory at Arkansas on Nov. 21, 2015 (37 degrees).

- Weather data available dating back to 1976 and including the 1963 Liberty Bowl.

BOWL RECORDS
- DB Emmanuel Forbes' 90-yard interception return is a Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl and MSU Bowl record.

- Previous Armed Forces Bowl: 38 yards by Josh Jackson (Army, 2010). 

- Previous MSU: 46 yards by Willie Gay Jr. vs. Iowa (2019 Outback Bowl).

- Forbes' touchdown was the third interception return touchdown in Armed Forces Bowl history and the first since 2005.

- WR Lideatrick Griffin was named the 2020 Armed Forces Bowl MVP, marking MSU's 24th individual bowl game honoree and first since the 2017 TaxSlayer Bowl.

OFFENSE
- State saw two receivers reach the 50-catch milestone in the same season for just the third time in school history.

- RB Jo'quavious Marks - 60 receptions

- WR Jaden Walley - 52 receptions

- Previous: Fred Ross and De'Runnya Wilson (2015); Sammy Milner and David Smith (1969).

- One of four FBS teams and two in the Power Five with a pair of 50-catch receivers (Boston College, South Alabama, UCF).

- Moved into a tie for 10th in MSU single-season history with 17 touchdown passes (2017 and 1994).

- Rushed for 100 or more yards for the second time this season and second consecutive game.

- Rushed for 10 or more yards on six plays, a season high.

- Previous: 4 vs. Missouri on Dec. 19.

- Rushed for 10 or more yards on six plays, a season high.

- MSU completed a school-record 67.0 percent of its passes this season.

- Previous: 66.2 percent in 2015.

- Improved the single-season team completion record with 373 this season.

- Previous: 331 in 2015.

- Increased the single-season team passing attempts record with 557 this season.

- Previous: 500 in 2015.

DEFENSE
- MSU has at least one takeaway in 34 of its last 40 games.

- The Bulldogs have collected 68 takeaways in the 40-game span dating back to Nov. 18, 2017 at Arkansas.

- State has now forced multiple turnovers in 12 games since the start of 2019.

- MSU forced multiple turnovers in five games in 2020.

- MSU has intercepted a pass in 24 of the last 37 games with 33 total picks in that span.

- MSU has recorded multiple interceptions in four games this season.

- The Bulldog defense sacked Tulsa 5.0 times, its highest total in a bowl game since recording 6.0 in the 2011 Music City Bowl vs. Wake Forest and the 2017 TaxSlayer Bowl vs. Louisville.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Totaled 138 kickoff return yards.

- First Bulldog with more than 100 kick return yards since Keith Mixon (106 yards, 5 returns) vs. Arkansas on Nov. 19, 2016.

- Most kick return yards since Jameon Lewis (183 yards, 5 returns) at Ole Miss on Nov. 24, 2012.

- Returned the opening kickoff 53 yards.

- Averaged 35 yards per return on four kickoff returns.

- Named 2020 Armed Forces Bowl MVP
QB Will Rogers
- Scored the first rushing touchdown of his career on a 13-yard carry.

- Completed 239 passes this season, which is third in MSU single-season history.

- Finished the season with 1,976 passing yards, which ranks ninth in MSU single-season history.

- Matched the MSU freshman record with his 11th passing touchdown of the year.

- Previous: 11 by Wayne Madkin (1998).

- Improved his MSU freshman-record marks in passing yards (1,976), passing attempts (346) and completions (239).

- Finished the year ranked sixth in MSU single-season history with 346 pass attempts.

- Set a new MSU single-season record for completion percentage at 69.1 percent (239-of-346).

- Previous: 66.2 percent by Dak Prescott (316-of-477, 2015).

- Also MSU's current leader in career completion percentage.

- Previous: 62.8 percent by Dak Prescott (734-of-1,169, 2012-15).

- Now tied for ninth in MSU single-season history with 60 receptions along with De'Runnya Wilson (2015).

- Rushed for a career-high 72 yards.

- Scored on a career-long 28-yard touchdown run, which was MSU's longest running play of the season.

WR Jaden Walley
- Increased his MSU freshman-record receiving yards total to 718 this season.

- Became the first true freshman to lead MSU in receiving yardage since Chad Bumphis (375) in 2009.

- Set new career highs in rushing attempts (10) and rushing yards (57).

- Broke three runs of 10 yards or longer.

- Now ranks 11th in MSU career history with 107 receptions.

- Caught a pass for a season-long 24 yards in the second quarter.

- Intercepted his team-leading fifth pass of the year and returned it 90 yards for a touchdown.

- First Bulldog with five or more interceptions in a season since Mark McLaurin tied the school record with six in 2017.

- Five interceptions in 2020 are currently tied for third in the FBS, lead the SEC and are tied for eighth in school history.

- Forbes set the MSU single-season record and is tied for the career record for interception return touchdowns with three in 2020.

- Previous single-season record: 2 by seven different players.

- Career record: 3 by Johnthan Banks (2009-12), Corey Broomfield (2009-12) and Derek Pegues (2005-08).

- Play is tied for the sixth-longest interception return in school history with Anthony Derricks' 90-yard return against Auburn on Nov. 1, 1997.

- Tied for SEC active career lead in defensive touchdowns in 2020.

- Only MSU student-athlete on the field today to start four consecutive bowl games and one five Bulldogs on the roster to play in four bowl games.

- Picked up a sack on the opening drive.

- Now boasts 312 career tackles which ranks 16th in program history.

- First Bulldog with 300 career tackles since Mario Haggan (1999-2002, 359).

- Set a new single-season career high with a team-leading 95 tackles.

- Led MSU in total tackles in each of the past two seasons.

DE Aaron Odom
- Made his first career solo sack on a fourth down in the first quarter.

- Finished with a career-high 2.0 sacks.

- Made his first career sack.

LB Tyrus Wheat
- Recorded 0.5 sacks, giving him a team-leading 5.0 this season.

- Added a tackle for loss, giving him 6.0 this season.

- Intercepted the first pass of his career and returned it 23 yards.

- Led the team with a career-high nine tackles.

CB Jay Jimison
- Broke up the second pass of his career, swatting the ball in the end zone.

DE Jevon Banks
- Recorded his first career tackle for loss.

- Improved his school record for career kicking points to 223 (32 FG, 127 PAT).

- That mark ranks fourth in school history among all positions.

- Kicked four extra points today.

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![Jacksonville Jaguars punter Logan Cooke (9) punts during the second quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Jets 48-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://images.sidearmdev.com/resize?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Fmsstate.sidearmsports.com%2Fimages%2F2026%2F1%2F1%2FUSATSI_27828199.jpg&height=340&type=webp)
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