Mississippi State’s Storylines vs. LSU

STARKVILLE – Southeastern Conference play has arrived for Mississippi State.

After a 2-0 start to the 2022 season, MSU faces LSU in Baton Rouge on Saturday night in what is both teams' SEC opener. Kickoff time is set for 5 p.m. CT. The game will be televised by ESPN with Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analyst) and Katie George (reporter) calling the action. Fans can also listen for free online by CLICKING HERE.

Mississippi State's Storylines vs. LSU

The Bulldogs defeated the then-reigning national champions LSU in their last trip to Baton Rouge in 2020. That game was also Mike Leach's debut as the Mississippi State head coach.
Mississippi State has played LSU 115 times dating back to 1896, which is more than any other SEC opponent besides Ole Miss.
The Bulldogs and LSU boast the most-experienced receiving corps in the SEC. State returns 72.2 percent of its receptions from a year ago, which trails only LSU (72.5 percent) in the league.
The Bulldogs and Tigers are tied for the second-highest scoring offense in the SEC, averaging 44.0 points per game. That trails only Tennessee (46.5).
Six different Bulldogs have caught a touchdown this season. Only North Carolina (7), Wake Forest (7) and North Texas (7) have had more receivers score.
Three Bulldogs boast streaks of 20 or more consecutive games with a reception. There are just 22 players nationally in the FBS with active streaks of 20 or more games and none other than State's trio in the SEC.
Last time out, WR Austin Williams caught five passes, including two touchdowns. He is now tied for eighth in MSU career history with 122 receptions and tied for sixth with 14 touchdown catches.
Williams also tied the school record with 52 career games played. Only 31 Bulldogs have ever played in 50 games, and Williams is one of eight to play 52.
State recorded 12 pass defenses (3 INT, 9 PBU) at Arizona last week. That stands as the second-highest total by the Bulldogs since 2000. It also marked MSU's fourth three-interception game since 2020.
The Bulldogs have 16 pass defenses this year, which is tied for sixth in the FBS and leads the SEC. Only seven SEC players have three or more pass defenses in 2022, and MSU boasts a trio with three: S Jalen Green, CB Emmanuel Forbes and CB Decamerion Richardson.
The Bulldogs rank second nationally in time of possession, averaging 39:04 on offense through two games. Since Mike Leach arrived in 2020, Mississippi State ranks sixth nationally in time of possession, averaging 34:24 per game.
According to ESPN's FPI, MSU will play the second-toughest schedule in the nation in 2022. The Bulldogs play all six SEC teams that were ranked in the preseason AP poll.
Last fall, MSU was the only school in the country that faced six teams ranked in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 and was one of four teams with three wins against teams ranked in the final poll.
Mike Leach became the first MSU head coach, at least in the modern era, to beat three teams in one season who finished ranked in a final poll.
Over the last five seasons, Mike Leach's teams have defeated nine opponents ranked inside the AP Top 25. Only two current SEC head coaches have more such wins in that span.
Under Mike Leach, the Bulldogs are 9-0 when scoring at least 30 points and 9-2 when scoring first.
The Bulldogs were one of four teams to rank inside the top 25 nationally in both total offense and total defense during the 2021 regular season, joining Alabama, Michigan and Coastal Carolina.
Following the 2021 regular season, MSU was the third most improved scoring offense in the SEC and 10th most improved nationally at +9.5 from 2020 (21.4 ppg to 30.9 ppg).
Mississippi State has ranked among the top five Power Five teams in the nation in yards after catch in back-to-back seasons under head coach Mike Leach, and State is currently third nationally. The Bulldogs led the nation in yards after catch in 2021, and State ranked second in the SEC and third nationally in 2020.
QB Will Rogers leads the nation in completions per game (38.5), is second in passing touchdowns (9) and third in passing yards per game (381.5).
WR Caleb Ducking is tied for ninth in the FBS and second in the SEC with three touchdown catches.
WR Rara Thomas has had a career-high-tying five catches in consecutive games. He is sixth in receiving in the SEC with 72.0 yards per game.
WR Lideatrick Griffin has returned two kickoffs this year, averaging 33.5 yards, and his career average is now 34.2 yards.
MSU is one of the most-experienced teams in college football this fall, with a total of 16 starters returning on offense and defense.
MSU returns 79.1 percent of its defensive snaps from 2021. Of the 22 players on the defensive side of the two-deep, 17 have been playing for the past two years under defensive coordinator Zach Arnett. Three more have at least played a season in Arnett's system.
MSU picked off three passes at Arizona with two returned for 29 and 51 yards. State has 12 multi-interception games since the start of 2018 going 11-1 in those.
LB Tyrus Wheat (83.6) and DT Nathan Pickering (82.3) are both among PFF's top 10 in run defense grade in the SEC among defensive linemen. S Collin Duncan boasts the No. 5 coverage grade (83.4) in the conference among safeties and corners.
Since 2020, MSU has allowed fewer than 150 rushing yards in 17 games, which trails only Alabama (28) and Georgia (26) in the SEC during that span. MSU is holding its opponents to just 108.8 rushing yards per game, which ranks third in the SEC during that span.

Mississippi State University Athletics

Mississippi State’s Storylines vs. LSU

Players Mentioned

Caleb Ducking

Collin Duncan

Emmanuel Forbes

Jalen Green

Lideatrick Griffin

Nathan Pickering

Decamerion Richardson

Will Rogers

Rara Thomas

Tyrus Wheat

Austin Williams

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