Postgame Notes: Mississippi State vs. Southeastern Louisiana

Mississippi State 48, Southeastern Louisiana 7
Starkville, Miss. (Davis Wade Stadium)
Sat., Sept. 2, 2023
Kick: 3:01 p.m. CT | End: 6:01 p.m. CT
Attendance: 50,041

GENERAL

Coin Toss won by Southeastern Louisiana and they elected to defer.
MSU's game captains were QB Will Rogers, DT Jaden Crumedy, and LB Nathaniel Watson.
Mississippi State is 1-0 when wearing the Maroon/Maroon/White uniform combo.
Kyle Ferrie is the first true freshman since 2009 to score the first points of MSU's season (Chad Bumphis vs. Jackson State, 9/5/09).
MSU improved to 2-0 in the all-time series against Southeastern Louisiana.
Blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown for the first time since 2017 at Louisiana Tech (9/9/17).
Mississippi State had one total penalty against Southeastern Louisiana, which is the lowest total in a game since October 6, 2018 vs Auburn.

OFFENSE

The first touchdown of the year was punched in by Jo'Quavious Marks in the second quarter.
Creed Whittemore caught his first career touchdown on a 33-yard reception in the second quarter.
The Bulldogs had eight or more receivers record a reception in the game.
In the third quarter QB Mike Wright had the first rush of 50 or more yards by a Bulldog since Kylin Hill vs. Arkansas (11/2/19). Creed Whittemore matched Wright's rush with his own 53 yard rush in the fourth quarter.
Jaden Walley hauled in a 5-yard touchdown.
Jo'Quavious Marks rushed for 127 yards, the first 100 yard rush game for MSU since Kylin Hill against Ole Miss (11/28/19).
Creed Whittemore scampered into the endzone after a 53 yard rush for his second touchdown of the game.
MSU rushed for a total of 298 yards, the most in a game since against Abilene Christian (11/23/19).
MSU posted a total of 525 yards of total offense. The last time the Bulldogs recorded 500+ yards was against Arkansas (10/8/22).
The Bulldogs were three-for-three on red zone attempts.

DEFENSE

Nathaniel Watson caused the first turnover of the season as he forced Logan Jacob to fumble the ball. Watson also recovered the fumble.
At the start of the second half, Nathaniel Watson recorded the first sack of the 2023 campaign for a loss of 11 yards.
As a team, the Bulldogs tallied three sacks, five quarterback hurries, forced three fumbles and had a pair of pass breakups.
Held SLU to 208 yards of total offense, the fewest since the Bulldogs held ETSU to 154 yards of total offense (11/19/22).

SPECIAL TEAMS

A 47-yard field goal by Kyle Ferrie is good at the 4:02 mark in the first quarter. The first of his Bulldog career.
Ferrie's first kickoff wearing the Maroon and White goes for a touchback.
Kyle Ferrie nailed his second field goal of the game from 49-yards out to conclude the first half. This was the longest field goal made since Ben Raybon made a 53 yarder against Bowling Green (9/24/22).
Avery Sledge returned a John Lewis blocked punt for a touchdown to open up the fourth quarter.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

WR Jacoby Bellazar

First career catch in the third quarter for 13 yards.

RB Keyvone Lee

Recorded the first rush of his career late in the fourth quarter for a 4 yard gain

RB Jo'Quavious Marks

Marks has a reception each of his 37 career games. His 37 consecutive games with a reception is 5th most in the FBS.
With his four receptions against Southeastern Louisiana, he moved to 15th all-time on the SEC career receptions list with 195. He passed Derek Abney and Anthony White, who each had 194.
He set a career high with 127 yards rushing. He shattered his previous record of 76 rush yards at Ole Miss on Nov. 24, 2022. First time an MSU back has rushed for 100 or more yards since Kylin Hill against Ole Miss in 2019.
Marks recorded his second rush TD of the game with 9:20 left in the 4th quarter to add to his statline.
Tied his career-long with a 37 yard rush in the fourth quarter.
Tied his career high with two rushing touchdowns. Bringing his career total to 20 rushing touchdowns.

QB Will Rogers

Making his 33rd consecutive starts and has thrown a touchdown pass in six straight games.
His first touchdown pass of the 2023 season came on a 32-yard strike to Creed Whittemore. This was his 83rd touchdown pass of his career.
With his 227 passing yards, Will Rogers moved past Danny Wuerffel for 7th place on the all-time SEC Passing List. He is 238-yards away from moving into sixth place.
With two touchdown passes in the season-opener, Rogers has 84 career touchdown passes. He is three shy of tying Tua Tagovailoa on the SEC Career Passing Touchdown list.

WR Jaden Walley

Hauled in his first touchdown of the season on a five-yard reception. This is the 12th receiving touchdown of his career.
He finished the game with two receptions for nine yards.

WR Creed Whittemore

First touch as a Bulldog came on a 4-yard rush in the first quarter.
First career catch came in the second quarter and went for 14-yards.
First career touchdown came in the second quarter on a 33-yard reception.
Ripped a 53-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter.
He finished the game with 59-yards receiving and 57-yards rushing and two touchdowns.

QB Mike Wright

In his first game as a Bulldog, totaled five carries for 95-yards
Had a 53-yard scramble during the third quarter.

DE Deonte Anderson

Broke up a pass in the fourth quarter.

DT Jaden Crumedy

Split a sack alongside Nathaniel Watson.
His career total is 6.5 sacks.
Led the team with eight tackles.

LB Jett Johnson

In the first quarter, Johnson forced a fumble, his first forced fumble since Sept. 11, 2021 against NC State.
Recorded a sack and forced another fumble in the third quarter.
Has forced three fumbles in his career.

DT Nathan Pickering

Tallied a trio of quarterback hurries in the first half.

LB Nathaniel Watson

Watson forced a fumble at the start of the second quarter and recovered it. This was Watson's second forced fumble and first fumble recovered of his career.
Notched a quarterback hurry in the second quarter and followed up with a pass breakup on the next play.
Nathaniel Watson recorded the first sack of the 2023 campaign for a loss of 11 yards.
Finished with a career-high 1.5 sacks.
Career total is now 12.5 sacks.
Led the team with eight tackles.
Eclipsed 250 total tackles in his career.

LB John Lewis

Blocked a punt that was returned for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

LB Avery Sledge

Returned a blocked punt for a touchdown to open up the fourth quarter.

Mississippi State University Athletics

Postgame Notes: Mississippi State vs. Southeastern Louisiana

Players Mentioned

Deonte Anderson

Jacoby Bellazar

Jaden Crumedy

Kyle Ferrie

Jett Johnson

Keyvone Lee

John Lewis

Jo'Quavious Marks

Nathan Pickering

Ben Raybon

Will Rogers

Avery Sledge

Jaden Walley

Nathaniel Watson

Creed Whittemore

Mike Wright

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