LIVE DRIVE: Mississippi State vs. ETSU

Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics

LIVE DRIVE: Mississippi State vs. ETSU

November 19, 2022 | Football, Joel Coleman

Your headquarters for updates as the Bulldogs take on the Buccaneers. Refresh your browser for the latest updates.

By: Joel Coleman, Senior Writer

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State plays its final home game of 2022 as MSU hosts East Tennessee State on Saturday. The Bulldogs and Buccaneers square off in an 11 a.m. game at Davis Wade Stadium. The game is set to be streamed via ESPN+/SEC Network+.

However, you can also keep it right here for the latest updates from Starkville including highlights, exclusive photos and commentary. Updates are posted in reverse chronological order, so the newest updates can be found first. Refresh your page for the very latest.

Mississippi State vs. ETSU Updates

- FINAL: Mississippi State 56, ETSU 7 - More soon on HailState.com!

- WIth 8:07 left, ETSU gets on the board as the Buccaneers block a State punt and take it back for a TD. Extra point is good. MSU still up 56-7 over ETSU.

- TOUCHDOWN MSU! With 13:05 left and Chance Lovertich now playing QB, Lovertich with a two-yard pass to J.J. Jernighan. PAT is good. MSU leads ETSU 56-0.

- END OF THE THIRD QUARTER: Mississippi State 49, ETSU 0

- ETSU drive starts at its own 33.

- TOUCHDOWN MSU! Eight-play, 65-yard drive capped by a fantasitc Justin Robinson catch of a Will Rogers TD toss. Robinson hauled it in and just barely got his foot down in the end zone. PAT is good. MSU leads ETSU 49-0 with 1:13 left in the third quarter.

No question about it, Touchdown @4Ljrob!#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/FY1njvOlVq
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) November 19, 2022

- Buccaneers ultimately forced to punt. State takes over at its own 35.

- ETSU drive starts at its own 15.

- TOUCHDOWN MSU! Nine play, 58-yard drive. Will Rogers with a five-yard TD pass to Austin Williams for the score. PAT is good. MSU leads ETSU 42-0 with 9:06 left in the third quarter.

First score of the second half belongs to @auss_10_ #HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/iKKDI6U0ol
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) November 19, 2022

- Will Rogers has now hit another milestone, cracking the 10,000 career passing yards mark.

𝗠𝗿. 𝟭𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 🤩#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/Boz4bpPceY
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) November 19, 2022

- INTERCEPTION MSU! Jackie Matthews with a pick. State now with the ball at its own 42.

.@Chosen1jm_ starting the 3rd quarter with the INT 😤#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/5G8T7RmsbC
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) November 19, 2022

- Back to action. ETSU starts the second half with the football at its own 34.

- While we wait on the second half to start, enjoy Emmanuel Forbes' record-breaking pick-six that gives him more career pick-sixes than anyone else in SEC or FBS history:

𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐤-𝟔 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 👑#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/N167DYUtBw
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) November 19, 2022

- HALFTIME: Mississippi State 35, ETSU 0

Halftime stats: pic.twitter.com/YJq8dYmdfe
— Logan Lowery (@loganlowery) November 19, 2022

- ETSU takes over and runs one play. That'll take us to the break.

- MSU gets to the ETSU 31 and attempts a 49-yard field goal, but it's no good.

- Dawgs force an ETSU punt. Sherman Timbs with a sack on Senior Day to bring up 4th down. After the punt, State starts at its own 47.

- ETSU drive starts at its own 25.

- TOUCHDOWN MISSISSIPPI STATE! Dawgs in the end zone once more. Four plays, 53 yards. Jo'quavious Marks with a 22-yard TD run. PAT is good. MSU leads ETSU 35-0 with 6:18 left until halftime.

.@Wrogers__2 to @JoquaviousMarks for 22-yards and the score!

State is up 35-0 with 6:18 to play in the second#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/bjiLv5qvKd
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) November 19, 2022

- Dawg defense forces another three-and-out. Buccaneers punt. State takes over at its own 47. 7:54 left in the second quarter.

- ETSU drive starts at its own 30.

- TOUCHDOWN MISSISSIPPI STATE! Yep, you read that right. Emmanuel Forbes just set the SEC and FBS records for career pick-sixes as he intercepts a pass off the body of the ETSU defender and returns it 76 yards to the house! Forbes' sixth career pick-six. PAT is good. MSU leads ETSU 28-0 with 9:00 left in the second quarter.

𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐇𝐚𝐢𝐥, @emmanuelforbes7 👑

Sixth career pick six, an SEC AND FBS RECORD#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/x7Gvqo0fcj
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) November 19, 2022

- MSU gets into a 4th and 1 situation at its own 47, goes for it and not only doesn't get it, but loses 23 yards on the play on an intentional grounding call. ETSU takes over at the MSU 24.

- Dawg D forces a three-and-out. ETSU punts. Dawgs to start drive at their own 38.

- ETSU drive starts at its own 25.

- TOUCHDOWN MISSISSIPPI STATE! Seven plays, 73 yards. Will Rogers with a six-yard TD pass to Lideatrick Griffin (looked more like a jet sweep, but will count as a pass). PAT is good. MSU leads ETSU 21-0 with 12:51 left in the first quarter.

.@TuluuuuuG for 6, AGAIN!

State leads ETSU 21-0#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/r4DvCyKXPC
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) November 19, 2022

- END OF THE FIRST QUARTER: Mississippi State 14, ETSU 0

- ETSU drives to the MSU 27 and ultimately attempts a 44-yard field goal, but it's no good! Dawgs take over at their own 27 in the final seconds of the first quarter.

- ETSU drive starts at its own 31.

- TOUCHDOWN MISSISSPPI STATE! Nine plays. 61 yards. Will Rogers to Rara Thomas on an eight-yard TD pass for the score. PAT is good. MSU leads ETSU 14-0 with 6:14 left in the first quarter.

Rogers to Thomas for the score and the lead grows to 14!

That is @rodarius_thomas' sixth score of the season and 11th of his career #HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/MPtP0yoGwY
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) November 19, 2022

- Buccaneers drive past midfield, but the Dawgs end the drive with a Jalen Green interception. MSU now starts at its own 39. 9:05 left in the first quarter. State still up 7-0.

.@jaygreen__ with his second pick of the year, and fourth of his career#HailState🐶 | 📺 » https://t.co/YhbBuevLac pic.twitter.com/JHBhQ138fr
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) November 19, 2022

- ETSU drive to start at its own 25.

- TOUCHDOWN MISSISSIPPI STATE! The Dawgs march quickly into the end zone. Three plays. 41 yards. 12-yard pass from Will Rogers to Lideatrick Griffin for the score. Massimo Biscardi PAT is good. MSU leads ETSU 7-0 with 13:25 left in the first quarter.

𝙊𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙤𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙄𝙣 𝘼 𝙃𝙪𝙧𝙧𝙮#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/Ur6t82RsbG
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) November 19, 2022

- State's Lideatrick Griffin with a 52-yard kickoff return all the way to the ETSU 41 to start this one.

- Almost time to get going in Starkville! Dawgs have won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kick.

- Today is also Senior Day for State. Check out a few words from some of those that'll be honored pregame:

𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦.#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/9I6I8N2ssU
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) November 18, 2022

- If you missed the big reveal on Friday, the Dawgs are set to sport some new lids today. The State script returns, this time on maroon helmets:

uSTARKVILLE, MS - November 17, 2022 - Mississippi State Equipment Fellow Charlie Latham during the Maroon Script State helmet photoshoot at the Holliman Athletic Center at Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS. Photo By Kevin Snyder

uSTARKVILLE, MS - November 17, 2022 - Mississippi State Equipment Fellow Charlie Latham during the Maroon Script State helmet photoshoot at the Holliman Athletic Center at Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS. Photo By Kevin Snyder

- Check out a few of today's storylines headed into the game:

Mississippi State is looking for its first six-win season at home since 2018. The Bulldogs have won at least six home games four times in program history (2018, 2014, 2012, 1999).
MSU is 5-1 at home this season and is outscoring opponents 234-156 in Davis Wade Stadium. That's an average final score of 39-26.
In 2022, MSU is outscoring opponents 76-21 in the first quarter. The Bulldogs are 13-4 when scoring first under Mike Leach.
WR Zavion Thomas scored his first career touchdown on a 63-yard punt return against No. 1 Georgia. His return makes MSU one of four FBS teams with both a punt return and kick return touchdown this season.
WR Lideatrick Griffin leads the nation in yards per kick return (31.2), and WR Zavion Thomas is fifth in yards per punt return (14.2). Griffin's career average (32.8) is tops among active FBS players and would exceed the school record by 6.1 yards.
Mississippi State has scored on 28-of-31 red zone opportunities (90.3 percent), which ranks third in the SEC. MSU is third in the FBS in points per red zone drive (5.03) and second in red zone passing touchdown percentage (51.61 percent). The Bulldogs are sixth nationally in red zone touchdown percentage (77.42 percent).
QB Will Rogers is one 200-yard passing game from matching Dak Prescott's (2012-15) school record of 29 in his career.
Bulldog RBs Jo'quavious Marks and Dillon Johnson have both caught 40 passes, which is tied for the SEC lead among running backs.
Marks has caught a pass in 33 consecutive games, which is the second-longest active streak in the SEC and tied for No. 12 nationally. He has at least one reception in every game of his collegiate career. The MSU school record is 35 games set by Fred Ross (2013-16).
WR Austin Williams was named one of 12 finalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy. He is MSU's fifth finalist and the only finalist this season with a perfect 4.0 GPA every year of his career. The last Bulldog finalist was Taveze Calhoun (2015), who now serves on staff as a graduate assistant.
MSU is bowl eligible and will play in a postseason game for the 13th straight season, which is a program record. Entering the season, only eight schools had active streaks of at least 12 seasons and only Alabama, Georgia and Texas A&M joined MSU from the SEC.
Mike Leach will now have taken 19 of his 21 teams to bowl games, including eight straight seasons.
Rogers has thrown for 300-plus yards and at least three touchdowns in 15 of his 32 career games, which is tied for 14th in the FBS since 2000.
State already has 25 runs of 10-plus yards through 10 games after posting just 23 in 13 games last year and 20 in 11 games in 2020.
Three State receivers have caught at least 40 balls. Tennessee is the only other SEC schools with more than one.
WRs Austin Williams (78) and Jaden Walley (77) are the SEC's active career leaders in first-down receptions.
Walley made a season-long 47-yard reception against No. 1 Georgia (Nov. 12) that stands as the longest of his career since a 51-yard catch also against the Bulldogs in 2020.
WR Caleb Ducking is one of four SEC players to turn in multiple receiving touchdowns in multiple games this season. He has caught a touchdown in six games, which is tied for 11th in the FBS. His eight receiving touchdowns are tied for second in the SEC and tied for 19th nationally this season.
Four current Bulldogs are now among the top 10 in MSU career history for total receptions: RB Jo'quavious Marks (2nd, 183), WR Austin Williams (6th, 142), RB Dillon Johnson (7th, 141) and WR Jaden Walley (10th, 131).
The Bulldogs are leading the nation with a 90.6 special teams grade from PFF.
The Bulldogs have collected at least one takeaway in 27 of 34 games under defensive coordinator Zach Arnett with 51 total takeaways in that span. State has forced multiple turnovers 13 times in that span, going 10-3 when doing so.
State posted its 10th multi-interception game under Arnett against No. 1 Georgia (Nov. 12). The Bulldogs have 33 total interceptions in 34 games since 2020.
MSU's 17 turnovers forced in 2022 are third in the SEC.
LB Nathaniel Watson made 16 tackles against No. 1 Georgia (Nov. 12), giving him an SEC-leading 94 stops this season. It was his third career game with 16-plus tackles, which is tied for second in MSU history (since 1988). Watson has led State in tackles six times this year and has eight career double-digit tackle games.
Watson now has eight career double-digit tackle games, which is the ninth-most by a Bulldog since 1988. Johnson boasts six career games with 10 or more tackles, which ranks 12th.
CB Emmanuel Forbes is second in the nation with five interceptions and is second in the SEC with 11 total passes defended. He boasts the No. 8 coverage grade (83.9) in the conference per PFF, and his 81.5 overall defensive grade ranks 15th.
S Collin Duncan boasts the No. 2 coverage grade (87.0) in the SEC per PFF, and CB Decamerion Richardson's 83.3 tackling grade is 12th.
LB Tyrus Wheat is tied for eighth in the SEC with 5.0 sacks and now has 17.5 career sacks, which is ninth in MSU history. His 0.56 career sacks per game mark ranks 13th among active players.
Under Mike Leach, the Bulldogs are 13-0 when scoring at least 30 points.