Postgame Notes: Mississippi State 29, Wake Forest 43
January 02, 2026 | Football
2025 Mississippi State Football Postgame Notes
Charlotte, N.C. // Bank of America Stadium
Mississippi State 29, Wake Forest 43
General Notes
- Mississippi State and Wake Forest met for the 2nd time in the series history with both meetings have been in bowl game. The previous meeting was in the 2011 Music City Bowl.
- The all-time series is tied, 1-1.
- Uniform Combo: Mississippi State wore a black helmet, black jersey and black pants. The helmet had the white Interlocking MSU logo on it.
- This was the first time ever that Mississippi State wore the interlocking logo on a black helmet.
- First time in program history that State has worn black uniforms more than once in a single season. State wore the all-black uniforms against Arizona State.
- 10th all-time game that Mississippi State has worn all black, first bowl game.
- Attendance: 29,328
- Mississippi State has scored in 69 consecutive games dating back to October 21, 2020.
Game Captains & Coin Toss
- Game Captains for State: #0 Brenen Thompson (WR), #22 Kedrick Bingley-Jones, #40 Nic Mitchell (LB)
- Mississippi State won the toss and elected to receive
- Mississippi State is 12-13 on the coin toss under Jeff Lebby.
Offensive Team Notes
- It was the seventh time this season having 400+ yards of total offense.
- Second straight game, fourth time this season, that Kamario Taylor led the team in rushing yards.
- The Bulldogs' 294 passing yards gave them a total of 3,135 passing yards on the season which is 7th most in program history.
- The Mississippi State offense had 5,189 total yards which was 9th most in a single season.
- Thompson and Evans finished the season with a combined 1,885 receiving yards which is the 2nd most for a receiving duo behind Fred Ross and De'Rynnya Wilson in 2015 with 1,925 yards.
Offensive Player Notes
- Made his second career & consecutive start
- Seven rushing touchdowns in the final five games of the season
- Has scored a touchdown, rushing or passing, in seven consecutive games
- First career 200+ yard passing game ... Ended the game with 241 yards
Brenen Thompson
- Had 4 receptions, which was the ninth time this season, having 3+ receptions.
- Surpassed the 1,000 receiving yard mark for the season with his second catch in the first quarter. Thompson becomes the fourth player in program history with a 1,000-yard receiving season, the first since Makai Polk in 2021 and the first player under Jeff Lebby.
- In the fourth quarter, Thompson set a Mississippi State single-season receiving yards record, passing Makai Polk with 1,054 yards
- This marked the fourth time this season that Thompson had 100+ receiving yards in the same game, and the 7th time overall that a wide receiver had 100+ yards.
Became the 12th player in MSU history to have 4+ 100+ yard receiving games in a single season, and the second under Lebby.
- Evans' four receptions in the game gave him 67 receptions this season, which is 7th most in a single season for the Bulldogs.
- Evans' had 100 all-purpose yards in the game which is the 5th time this season he had over 100 all-purpose yards.
Sanfrisco Magee
- Caught his first career touchdown in the fourth quarter on a 42-yard reception from Taylor ... Was also his first reception of the game.
- Had his first career reception for eight yards in the 4th quarter.
Defensive Team Notes
- State has recorded a sack in eleven of thirteen games this season.
- The Bulldawgs tallied an interception in the second quarter, making it the tenth game of the season with an interception.
- This was the seventh time this season an MSU player has recorded double digit tackles in a game.
- Isaac Smith (2), Jahron Manning(2), Nic Mitchell, Branden Jennings, Jalen Smith.
Defensive Player Notes
- Grabbed his 4th interception of the season, first INT since Oct. 18 at Florida.
- First career double-digit tackle game (12).
Special Teams Notes
Kyle Ferrie
- Ferrie was 1-1 in PATs, extending his streak to 72 straight makes … 44 straight makes this season.
- His 44 PAT makes set the single-season record for an MSU kicker.
- He is 109-for-110 in PATs in his career.
- Ferrie was 4-4 for FGs with makes of 33, 50, 23, and 36 yards.
- Ferrie now has 238 career points which is 4th place all-time, and 1st among kickers.
- Connected on his third career, 50-yard field goal and the third of the season. Made a 55-yarder at Southern Miss on Aug. 30 and a 51-yarder against Tennessee on Sept. 27.
- In his career, Ferrie is 3-4 on field goals of 50+ yards.
- His 4th field goal of the day tied Ferrie for 2nd all-time at State for made field goals with 43 career makes. He tied Brian Hazelwood (1995-98).
- Third career game, first this season, with at least three made field goals in a single game. It's the first time he's done it since 2023 against Southern Miss (4-4).
- Third straight game with 2+ made field goals.
- Dating back to Oct. 25, Ferrie has made 10 consecutive field goals ... (4-4 today)
- Scored 12 points, tied forth most in a bowl game for State.
- His 4 made field goals, and his 4 attempts, are the second-most in a bowl game in program history.
- His 17 made field goals this season is tied for the 2nd most in a single-season at Mississippi State.
- 10 straight games with a punt of 50+ yards.
- Finished the season with a average punt of 46.75 yards, which is the most in a single season for a MSU punter.
Explosive Plays (5)
(plays of 20+ yards)
- 51-yard reception from Taylor, first quarter
- 31-yard reception from Taylor, second quarter
- 21-yard reception from Taylor, first quarter
- 20-yard reception from Taylor, first quarter
- 39-yard reception from Kromenhoek, 3rd quarter
- Passing Yards – 241 yards
- Receiving yards – 47 yards
- Receiving Touchdowns – 1
- Longest Reception – 42 yards
- Tackles — 12
![Jacksonville Jaguars punter Logan Cooke (9) punts during the second quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Jets 48-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://images.sidearmdev.com/resize?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Fmsstate.sidearmsports.com%2Fimages%2F2026%2F1%2F1%2FUSATSI_27828199.jpg&height=340&type=webp)
Players Mentioned
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