Lone Star Statement
October 03, 2021 | Football, Joel Coleman
Mississippi State’s resiliency rewarded with big win and MSU is hungry for more.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Sporting his cowboy hat and boots, Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers exited the locker room headed to his postgame press conference on Saturday night looking like he was right at home in the state of Texas.
MSU had just topped No. 15 Texas A&M 26-22. Rogers had just completed arguably the best game of his career to lead the way. So it was perhaps a bit ironic Rogers could've passed for an Aggie, given his apparel choice.
Or maybe it was simply fitting. Because on this night, both Rogers and the Bulldogs gave a good ol' 'Howdy' to the college football world. It was an emphatic statement that the progress MSU displayed in the weeks prior to this one was no fluke, not to mention, it was a possible preview of even brighter days to come.
"Everybody's just as happy as can be," receiver Austin Williams said. "It's a special moment. These are the ones that you'll remember."
It's certainly possible that in the future, when folks look back at the 2021 season, Saturday night in College Station might be the turning point. People might point to it as the evening Rogers cemented himself as a Bulldog star with his stellar showing, throwing for 408 yards and matching a career high with three touchdown passes.
Was this Rogers' best performance of the year?
"Yeah, probably," State head coach Mike Leach said.
Or maybe it'll be recalled as the game Makai Polk solidified himself as one of the country's top receivers after setting new career highs in catches (13), receiving yards (126) and touchdowns (two).
"I think he's a polished guy," Leach said of Polk. "He was a polished receiver and route-runner when he got here. We were very lucky to get him."
To some, perhaps the most memorable occurrence from the night might be the MSU defense limiting Texas A&M to only 297 total yards and locking down the win with a safety in the closing minutes.
Yet perhaps the biggest takeaway should be that Saturday was no accident. It was another step forward. For two weeks in a row leading into Saturday, the Bulldogs were at the cusp of victories, only to come up short. Costly mistakes perhaps clouded some's view of the development that was becoming apparent week in and week out. The progress was there, but the disappointment of defeat made the growth not quite as obvious as it would have been otherwise.
Then came Saturday night when the Bulldogs put everything together. They avoided critical errors in key situations. The offensive line was stout throughout. Receivers held onto balls. There were no game-impacting penalties. It was as though, finally, Mississippi State was able to combine the growth of previous games, along with smart, focused football.
"We did a better job of not overthinking," Leach said. "It was an improvement. We're not there yet, and I don't know if you ever get there. We overthought less this game than any I can think of since I've been here perhaps."
In a way, Saturday night could also be a frustrating reminder of what might have been for MSU.
"I feel like we've been close the last two weeks," Rogers said. "We're two plays away from being 5-0."
Yet perhaps the Bulldogs wouldn't be the team they are now (and looked primed to be moving forward) if not for the early growing pains. The adversity seems to be shaping this bunch. Every Saturday, State walks into a fire and seemingly emerges with another lesson learned. Another building block put in place.
"I think we're doing special things," Rogers said. "Tonight was a huge step for that."
It was indeed a huge step, because now these young Bulldogs know they're capable of going up against the SEC's best and coming out on top. They don't have to be satisfied with couldas, shouldas, wouldas and almosts.
Seven regular season games remain for Mississippi State. Wins in three of them would get the Bulldogs to bowl eligibility. But now, the ceiling seems as though it could be higher than simply sneaking into a postseason game.
The MSU team that won at Texas A&M on Saturday night looked like a group that can punch with anyone. Now the Bulldogs just have to do what they've been doing – take the good from the last game, add to it, and move forward.
This season just got a whole lot more exciting and those in MSU Maroon and White leaving Kyle Field on Saturday night looked ready to say, 'Let's go!'
Or perhaps more fitting, given the setting and Rogers' wardrobe, 'Giddy-up!'
