The Mississippi State football team began the Jeff Lebby era with a dominating 56-7 win over Eastern Kentucky on Saturday.
While game one under Lebby lived up to the first-year head coach’s offseason promise that the Bulldogs were going to be fun to watch, the former Oklahoma offensive coordinator wasted no time in the postgame press conference noting more work needs to be done to rebuild the historic program.
“We’re definitely going to need to play better and play cleaner,” Lebby said. “Our guys understand that, and we’re going to have fun doing that.”
With many fans expecting and receiving a high-powered offense under Lebby – scoring more points on Saturday than in any game in 2023 – the Bulldog defense was what Lebby was most impressed with. Apart from allowing a 14-play drive before halftime that resulted in Eastern Kentucky’s lone trip to the end zone, the unit shut down any Colonels’ attempt to score – totaling two sacks, four tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and one interception while allowing less than 300 yards.
“Our defensive guys played with great intent, and you have to do that the entire game,” Lebby said. “Our defense is what I am most proud of and how we performed in the second half.”
Lebby was not the only one who noticed a turn in the tide on the defensive side of the ball. Former Bulldog and now-Tennessee Titans star Jefferey Simmons went to social media to tout the new-look culture.
The energy is different in Starkvegas. I’m trying to tell you! Love the culture that Coach Lebby has built and continues to build!
— Jeffery Simmons (@GrindSimmons94) September 1, 2024
On offense, Mississippi State leaked inconsistency at times but still scored at will against a lesser opponent with 450 total yards.
Baylor transfer quarterback Blake Shapen found wideout Jordan Mosley for a 65-yard touchdown on the opening drive before Shapen used his legs to get into the end zone on the following possession.
Three possessions in the second quarter turned into touchdowns as Creed Whitmore scampered in from 41 yards on a jet sweep, Kevin Coleman caught a 23-yard back-corner pass, and Mario Craver hauled in a 54-yard Shapen bomb. The Bulldogs kept scoring in the third quarter before putting the game out of reach in the fourth.
Shapen finished with 291 total yards and four touchdowns on 15 of 20 passing. Mosely’s 104 yards led the receiving corps, while Davon Booth added 39 rushing yards with one touchdown on the ground. Isaac Smith tallied a team-best 11 tackles.
While the buzz in Starkville is louder than it has been since the team went 9-4 in Mike Leach’s final season as coach in 2022, the first real test of the season will be on Sept. 7 when the Bulldogs travel to Big 12 opponent Arizona State. Kickoff in Tempe is set for 9:30 p.m. CT.
