First-And-10 To Know: State vs. Arizona State

STARKVILLE – For the first time in the head coach Jeff Lebby era, Mississippi State is taking its show on the road.

The Dawgs are in the desert, all set for a 9:30 p.m. CT kickoff against Arizona State at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe. MSU is looking for a 2-0 start before returning to Starkville for two straight home games in the weeks to follow.

That much you know. However, there are several things you might not.

So, let's have a look at 10 items to be aware of headed into State's showdown against the Sun Devils:

For the second straight week, Mississippi State will be staring down a first-time opponent. Just as the Bulldogs had never faced Eastern Kentucky on the gridiron before topping the Colonels 56-7 last Saturday, MSU and Arizona State have never locked horns. In fact, Mississippi State is beginning this season facing three consecutive first-time foes. When the Dawgs return home to face Toledo on Sept. 14, it'll also be the two programs' initial matchup.
Arizona State enters Saturday's game having never defeated an opponent from the Southeastern Conference. It does bear noting the Sun Devils have three all-time wins over Missouri and one over Oklahoma, but that all came before those schools were a part of the SEC.
Mississippi State is looking to extend its winning streak in non-conference games. The Bulldogs have won 10 straight contests against competition from outside the SEC. The streak started with a home win over Memphis to kick off the 2022 season and also includes the 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl triumph over Illinois. State is 26-5 in non-conference play dating back to the 2017 season.
MSU quarterback Blake Shapen's Bulldog career got off to a fast start last week as he threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 44 yards and a score in his State debut. And while it was the first time the Maroon and White faithful got to enjoy Shapen's talents, it was a continuation of what started during his time at Baylor. Shapen enters play against the Sun Devils with a touchdown pass in 12 straight games. He's also thrown for 200 or more yards in eight of his last nine outings.
Shapen isn't the only Bulldog looking to build on an outstanding start at State. Receiver/returner Kevin Coleman Jr. was electric in the season opener and hopes to carry that success out west. Against Eastern Kentucky, Coleman racked up 205 all-purpose yards and enters this week as one of only eight FBS players that have eclipsed the 200-yard mark in all-purpose yardage. Coleman had 88 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Colonels, while also racking up 117 yards on punt returns. It was the most punt return yardage in a single game by a Bulldog since State great Kevin Prentiss totaled 152 punt return yards in the 1998 SEC Championship game.
If the opener was any indication, it'll be a true team effort for Mississippi State this season. While several Bulldog veterans continued their careers, a whopping 41 players made their MSU debuts last week. Of those 41 players, 18 were freshmen (15 of which were true freshmen) and 23 were transfers. It also bears noting that seven different Bulldogs scored touchdowns last week and eight MSU players accounted for points.
Speaking of touchdowns, six of MSU's eight touchdowns last week were scored by the offense as the unit put on display what Lebby's Showtime at State mantra is all about. It's fast. It's quick. It's explosive. And it was all illustrated by how five of the Dawgs' six offensive touchdowns were scored on drives of five plays or fewer. State's time of possession averaged just 1:38 on scoring drives. Only two scoring drives eclipsed the two-minute mark.
While the Bulldogs come into play Saturday feeling good about themselves after all they did in their opener, Arizona State also enters this week's game with momentum. The Sun Devils rolled to a 48-7 triumph over Wyoming a week ago. It was a dominant showing as Arizona State racked up 499 yards of total offense while limiting Wyoming to just 118 yards.
It's frequently the case, but tackling will be of the utmost importance for MSU against Arizona State. The Sun Devils ran for 241 yards against Wyoming and 83.6 percent of their running backs' yardage came after contact. That percentage ranked inside the Top 15 in the FBS last week.
If Mississippi State can top Arizona State, it would mark the fourth straight season and seventh time in eight years that the Bulldogs have started 2-0.

Mississippi State University Athletics

First-And-10 To Know: State vs. Arizona State

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