GAMEDAY: Mississippi State Hosts NC State

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State looks for its second straight win to start the 2021 season on Saturday as the Bulldogs host NC State at Davis Wade Stadium. The game will be televised at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2, with Anish Shroff (play-by-play), Mike Golic, Jr. (analyst), and Taylor McGregor (reporter) on the call. Fans can also listen for free on HailState.com/plus.

Gates open at 3:45 p.m. Mobile tickets should be downloaded prior to arriving at the stadium. For complete game day information, visit HailState.com/Gameday.

Mississippi State's Storylines vs. NC State

The Bulldogs are coming off their largest comeback victory in program history after erasing a 20-point deficit against Louisiana Tech in the season opener. MSU trailed 34-14 with 13:11 to play and scored 21 unanswered points to win. State's previous record came in a 18-16 victory at Auburn on Oct. 9, 1999 after trailing 16-0 with 0:56 left in the third quarter.
MSU leads the SEC and Power 5 and ranks second in the FBS in completion percentage (.830), trailing only Coastal Carolina (.833). The Bulldogs' 370 passing yards are second in the SEC (Kentucky, 419) and fourth nationally.
The Bulldogs also lead the SEC in kickoff return yardage, averaging 36.00 yards per return. That mark ranks seventh in the FBS.
State is one of 11 teams in the FBS with a 100.0 percent mark in the red zone this season. The Bulldogs lead the SEC with five red zone touchdowns.
DB Emmanuel Forbes is the nation's active career leader (FBS only) in interception return touchdowns (3) and the SEC's active career leader in defensive scores. He ranks eighth in the FBS in career interception return yards (183).
QB Will Rogers matched his career high with three touchdown passes against Louisiana Tech and has now thrown a touchdown pass in seven straight games with 13 touchdowns in that span.
WR Makai Polk leads the SEC and ranks fifth nationally with 10 receptions. His 81.5 hands/drop grade from PFF ranks second in the FBS.
State posted the second-highest run defense grade (92.1) among all FBS teams in Week 1 according to PFF. LB Aaron Brule (90.4) had the FBS' No. 11 grade in the running game and the third-highest in the SEC.
A two-time national coach of the year, Mike Leach has won 144 games in 19-plus seasons as a head coach highlighted by two 11-win seasons, five 9-win seasons, and five 8-win seasons. He's the only active Power 5 head coach to produce an 11-win season at two different programs since 2008.
Mike Leach's program returns 15 of 22 starters from last season (eight on offense and seven on defense). One of the youngest teams in college football last year, 26 Bulldogs made their first career start, tied for the FBS lead. Just over 50 percent of State's snaps were taken by first-time starters last season.
The 2020 season saw MSU claim victories over multiple AP-ranked opponents away from home for the first time since 1980. State defeated No. 6 LSU, 44-34, in Baton Rouge to open the season and No. 22 Tulsa, 28-26, in a neutral matchup at the Armed Forces Bowl. In 1980, the Bulldogs toppled No. 18 Miami (Fla.) on the road, 34-31, before defeating No. 1 Alabama, 6-3, on a neutral field.

Mississippi State University Athletics

GAMEDAY: Mississippi State Hosts NC State

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Players Mentioned

Aaron Brule

Emmanuel Forbes

Makai Polk

Will Rogers

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