Postgame Notes: Tennessee State at Mississippi State
November 20, 2021 | Football
GENERAL
- Mississippi State won the coin toss and deferred. Tennessee State received the opening kickoff.
- MSU's game captain was WR Austin Williams.
- Head coach Mike Leach recorded his 150th career victory.
- The Bulldogs have won 16 straight games against FCS opponents.
- MSU is 5-0 all-time against current members of the Ohio Valley Conference.Â
- The Bulldogs have beaten UT Martin, Murray State and now Tennessee State by a combined score of 262-49.
- Last FCS opponent: Abilene Christian (W, 45-7), in Starkville on Nov. 23, 2019.
- MSU is 5-0 all-time against current members of the Ohio Valley Conference.Â
- Mississippi State has won 15 of its last 17 non-conference games during the regular season and 46 of its last 55 non-conference games overall.
- Nine Bulldogs made their MSU debut: WR Carson Banks, CB William Hardrick, WR Antonio Harmon, WR Teddy Knox, K Aidan Martin, DL Matai Mata'afa, LB Nic Mitchell, CB Tre Phillips and OL JT Zakkak.Â
- Today's 55-point victory is State's largest margin of victory since a 46-point win on Nov. 17, 2018 against Arkansas (52-6).
OFFENSE
- Totaled 600 yards of offense, which ranks ninth in MSU history.
- Threw for 493 yards, which ranks third in MSU single-game history.
- Marks the 15th 400-yard passing game in program history and eighth under Mike Leach.
- MSU had just seven total 400-yard passing games prior to Leach's arrival.
- Today marked the 14th time State has passed for 300 or more yards under Leach.
- Completed passes to 10 different receivers, marking the sixth time this year that 10 or more receivers had a catch.
- State has broken the school record with 35 passing touchdowns this season.
- School record: 33 in 2015.
- MSU has now scored 50 points in at least one game in 11 straight seasons.
- State's 55 points are its highest scoring output since a 56-10 victory against Louisiana on Sept. 15, 2018.
- MSU has scored 50 or more points 19 times over the last 15 years, going 19-0 in those games.
- Scored touchdowns on two 50-plus-yard plays
- WR Malik Heath caught a 56-yard pass from QB Will Rogers, which was MSU's longest scoring play from scrimmage since Kylin Hill caught a 75-yard pass from K.J. Costello at No. 6 LSU on Sept. 26, 2020.
- WR Makai Polk also caught a 50-yard pass from Rogers.
- The Bulldog offense is now 45-for-50 (90.0 percent, 34 TD, 11 FG)in the red zone this season.
- 4-for-4 today (2 TD, 2 FG).
- MSU has broken the school record with 448 completions this season.
- Previous: 373 in 2020.
- MSU has broken the school record with 4,292Â passing yards this season.
- Previous: 4,113Â in 2015.
DEFENSE
- Held its sixth opponent of the year to less than 100 rushing yards.
- Six games below 100 yards is tied for second-most in a season in MSU history since 2000, trailing only the 2018 season's seven games.
- State now has a takeaway in 43 of its last 51 games with 82 takeaways in that span.
- S Dylan Lawrence forced a fumble that was recovered by LB Jett Johnson.
- Matched the team's season high with four sacks (NC State, Sept. 11; at Vanderbilt, Oct. 23).
- Recorded a season-high 12 tackles for loss.
- Had nine in the first half alone.
- Previous season high: 8, NC State, Sept. 11.
- Most since: 17, Stephen F. Austin, Sept. 1, 2018.
- 11 different Bulldogs had at least 0.5 tackles for loss.
- 27 different Bulldogs recorded at least one tackle.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
WR Caleb Ducking
- Made a career-high four receptions for 26 yards.Â
- Caught a 56-yard touchdown pass, which stands as MSU's longest play from scrimmage this season.
- Reception was the longest of his career.
- Touchdown was MSU's longest scoring play from scrimmage since Kylin Hill caught a 75-yard pass from K.J. Costello at No. 6 LSU on Sept. 26, 2020.
- Finished with 87 receiving yards, one shy of his career high set at Memphis (Sept. 18, 2021).
- Scored on a career-long 32-yard run, which was State's longest rush of the year.
- Run is MSU's longest under Mike Leach.
- Returned his first career kickoff for 31 yards.
- Has caught 73 passes this season, which is tied for fourth in MSU single-season history.
- No. 3: 74, David Smith (1970).
- Has now caught 133Â passes in his career, which is tied for sixth in MSU history with De'Runnya Wilson (2013-15).
- No. 5: 139, Justin Jenkins (2000-03).
- Holds the MSU career record for receptions by a running back.Â
- Has a reception in all 22 games of his career.
- Scored a touchdown on a 7-yard run.
- Tied the school record with 88 receptions this season.
- Previous: 88, Fred Ross (2015).
- Record-tying catch was a season-long 50-yard touchdown reception.
- Longest since a 52-yard catch at Oregon State (Nov. 21, 2020) while playing for California.
- Turned in his fourth 100-yard receiving game of the year with 110 yards on nine receptions.
- Four 100-yard receiving games in a season is tied for fourth in school history.
- Four career 100-yard receiving games is tied for ninth in MSU history.
- Now ranks 10th in MSU single-season history with 891 receiving yards.
- No. 9: 909, Sammy Milner, 1968.
- Tied for fourth in school history with nine touchdown receptions this year.
- No. 3: 10, De'Runnya Wilson, 2015.
- Passed for 391 yards with 28 completions on 34 attempts with five touchdowns.
- Holds MSU's single-season and career records for 300-yard passing games with 10 this year and 12 in his career.
- Has thrown for 300-plus yards in nine consecutive games, which is the nation's longest active streak.
- Since 2004, the only quarterbacks with a longer streak are Graham Harrell (16), Gardner Minshew (11) and Joe Burrow (10).
- Over that streak, has completed 76.2Â percent of his passes with 29 touchdowns.
- Has thrown for 300-plus yards in nine consecutive games, which is the nation's longest active streak.
- Posted his 11th 200-yard passing game this season, which is third in MSU single-season history.
- School record: 12, Dak Prescott (2015, 2014).
- Now has 16 career 200-yard passing games, which is second in MSU history.
- School record: 29, Dak Prescott (2012-15).
- Now holds the MSU single-season record with 4,113Â yards and is the seventh SEC passer to reach the 4,000-yard mark in a season.
- Previous: 3,793, Dak Prescott (2015).
- One of three passers in SEC history to pass for 4,000 yards in a season while completing at least 75.0 percent of his passes joining Alabama's Mac Jones (2020, 77.4 percent, 4,500 yards) and LSU's Joe Burrow (2019, 76.3 percent, 5,671 yards).
- Boasts 6,089Â career passing yards, which is fourth in MSU history.
- No. 3: 6,207, Nick Fitzgerald (2015-18).Â
- Holds the school record for single-season completions with 435 this year.
- Has 674Â career completions, which is second in MSU history.Â
- School record: 734, Dak Prescott (2012-15).
- Has 674Â career completions, which is second in MSU history.Â
- Now holds the MSU single-season record with 34 passing touchdowns this season.
- Previous: 29, Dak Prescott (2015).
- Has 45 career touchdown passes, which is tied for third in MSU history with Tyler Russell (2010-13).
- No. 2: 55, Nick Fitzgerald (2015-18).
- Posted a season-high 119 all-purpose yards.
- Returned four punts for 73 yards (18.25 average)
- Included a career-best 29-yard return, which is MSU's longest return of the season.
- Also hauled in a 25-yard reception.
- Made a career-long 40-yard reception.
- Turned in a career-high three touchdowns, which tied the school record.
- Fourth Bulldog with three receiving touchdowns in a game: Donald Gray, Samford (Oct. 26, 2016); Chad Bumphis, at Troy (Sept. 15, 2012); Sammy Milner, vs. Florida (Sept. 27, 1969).
- His first multi-touchdown game since Nov. 17, 2018 against Arkansas.
- Touchdowns were his first since the game against LSU (Sept. 25).
- First score came on a 21-yard reception.
- Third touchdown was a 30-yard catch.
- Now has a career-best four touchdowns this year.
- Now tied for 10th in MSU career history with 12 touchdowns.
- No. 8: 13, Jerry Bouldin (1987-90) and Mardye McDole (1977-80).
- Caught four passes for a career-high 75 yards.
- Previous: 72 yards, at Arkansas, Nov. 6, 2021.
- Matched his career high with two tackles.
- Also matched his career high with 1.0 tackle for loss.
- Recorded his fourth pass breakup of the year and eighth of his career.
- Recovered his second fumble of the year and returned it 12 yards.
- Tied for the team lead with eight tackles.Â
- Forced his first career fumble.
- Added a tackle for loss.Â
- Made a career-high and team-leading eight tackles with a career-high 1.5 tackles for loss.
- Posted a season-high two tackles for loss.
- Most since: 2.5, Abilene Christian, Nov. 23, 2019.
- Recorded a solo sack for a loss of 12 yards in the first quarter.
- Now has 8.0 for his career.
- Broke up his first pass of the season.
- Recorded his first pass breakup of the year and second of his career.
- Posted a career-high 3.0 tackles for loss and matched his career high with 2.0 sacks.
- Previous sacks: 2.0 at Vanderbilt, Oct. 23, 2021.
- Previous tackles for loss: 2.0 at Vanderbilt, Oct. 23, 2021.
- Now has 7.0 sacks this year and 12.0 for his career.
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