Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
First-And-10 To Know: State vs. No. 14 LSU
September 15, 2023 | Football, Joel Coleman
A quick look at 10 items of interest ahead of the Bulldogs’ battle against the Tigers.
STARKVILLE – It's the biggest game of the year up to this point. Saturday morning at 11 a.m., Mississippi State battles No. 14 LSU at Davis Wade Stadium to begin Southeastern Conference play. That much you know. However, there are several things you might not. So, let's have a look at 10 things to be aware of headed into the Bulldogs' showdown against the Tigers:
- Saturday's contest could be a day of record breaking and firsts, starting with the Mississippi State head man himself. If MSU can defeat LSU, Zach Arnett would move to a perfect 4-0 in his young head coaching career. It'd make Arnett the very first head coach in program history to start his MSU career with a 4-0 record.
- On the record-breaking front, running back Jo'Quavious Marks is set to make a little history of his own. Marks enters Saturday's tilt with 199 career receptions, tied with former Bulldog receiver Fred Ross atop the all-time chart. That of course means Marks needs only one more catch to set a new program high for career receptions.
- Speaking of Marks, he continues to make the most of Mississippi State's new offensive system under coordinator Kevin Barbay. Not only does he continue to do big things in the passing game, but he enters play Saturday as the leading rusher in the SEC. Marks tops the league with his 250 yards on the ground this season. He's also tied for the conference lead in rushing touchdowns with three.
- Quarterback Will Rogers has a shot to enter the top five in SEC career passing yardage in Saturday's game. MSU's senior signal caller needs only 124 more passing yards to pass Peyton Manning and take sole possession of fifth place on the list. In fact, Rogers has a legit shot to enter two different SEC career top-five lists on Saturday, as he needs only one more touchdown pass to tie for fifth for SEC career scoring tosses.
- Linebackers Jett Johnson and Nathaniel Watson just keep on keeping on. The SEC's two leading tacklers of a season ago have picked right up where they left off. Johnson is fresh off of maybe the best showing of his career as he recorded 11 tackles and a pair of interceptions last week against Arizona. He was awarded an SEC Defensive Player of the Week honor for his efforts. Watson had a pick of his own against the Wildcats to go along with his 10 tackles. Johnson and Watson enter this week sitting at the top of State's team tackling charts. Watson has 18 and Johnson is just one behind at 17. The duo is also again near the top of the SEC tackling charts with Watson sixth in the league and Johnson at 12th.
- Mississippi State and LSU have an incredibly long history together. Saturday will mark the 117th all-time meeting between the two schools. In fact, LSU has played State more than any other SEC opponent. MSU, meanwhile, has only played Ole Miss more than LSU. State and LSU first met way back in 1896.
- A pair of Bulldogs are very familiar with the Tigers as the duo began their collegiate careers in Baton Rouge before transferring to Starkville. State center Cole Smith and defensive back Ray'Darious Jones both used to be at LSU. Smith spent the 2018 season with the Tigers. Jones was in purple and gold from 2019 through 2022.
- While there are all kinds of ties and history between State and LSU, Tigers head coach Brian Kelly isn't quite as familiar with the Bulldogs – especially away from Baton Rouge. Saturday's game will be both Kelly's first game in Starkville and the very first time in his 32 total years as a head coach that he will coach a game played in the state of Mississippi.
- Perhaps a key for State's success in Saturday's game will be the Dawgs' continued ability to create turnovers. MSU enters the contest this weekend tied for the SEC lead and sixth in all the FBS in turnovers caused. State has forced six turnovers this year already – intercepting four passes and recovering two fumbles.
- Finally, Mississippi State certainly wouldn't mind a repeat of the last time the Bulldogs and Tigers met on a September 16. Back in 2017, then-No. 11 LSU rolled into Davis Wade Stadium on September 16 and the Bulldogs then rolled to a convincing 37-7 win. The victory was State's largest-ever triumph over LSU.
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