Mississippi State arrives in Baton Rouge with a résumé that looks a lot different from the one it carried into Jeff Lebby’s first two seasons.
The Bulldogs are 4-1 and already own two SEC wins, a sharp turn from a stretch that produced seven total victories across Lebby’s first two years. On Saturday, No.
22 LSU will host No. 16 Mississippi State at 11 a.m.
CT on ESPN in Tiger Stadium, in a series the teams last played in 2023.
The question for Mississippi State is whether this early momentum can survive another step up in class. Lebby’s program has already flashed signs of real progress: road wins at Minnesota and South Carolina, then a 31-24 win over then-No.
19 Missouri. That gave the Bulldogs more SEC victories than they managed combined in his first two seasons.
At the same time, the 56-23 loss to Alabama was a reminder that the climb is not finished. Saturday gives Mississippi State another test of whether it can answer that kind of defeat with a sharp performance in a difficult road environment.
A lot of that hinges on quarterback Kamario Taylor, who has been the engine of the offense through five games. He’s thrown for 1,450 yards and 17 touchdowns with four interceptions, while adding 159 rushing yards and a score on the ground.
His status is the biggest unknown heading into the game. Taylor left the Alabama loss in the fourth quarter and was seen in a boot on his right foot afterward. Lebby said Monday that the team would wait for Wednesday’s SEC availability report before giving an official update.
“Wednesday is going to do all the talking,” Lebby said.
If Taylor can’t go, Lebby said Billy Puckett and AJ Swann would be the options under center. Swann, of course, previously spent a season at LSU.
Taylor’s health matters even if he does suit up, because his running ability changes how LSU has to defend the Bulldogs. Mississippi State needs him functional enough to keep the offense moving; LSU needs to make sure he can’t create extra plays with his legs.
The Bulldogs have plenty of firepower around him. Anthony Evans III leads the receiving corps with 40 catches for 574 yards and five touchdowns, while Sanfrisco Magee has chipped in 259 receiving yards and five scores of his own. In the backfield, Fluff Bothwell has 403 rushing yards and three touchdowns, averaging 5.4 yards per carry, though his health is also worth watching after he was injured against Alabama.
As a group, Mississippi State is averaging 39 points and 487 yards per game. That sets up a clear assignment for LSU’s defense: limit Evans’ big-play chances, prevent the Bulldogs from getting comfortable in the run game and force them to work for every yard.
The other side of the matchup offers a different kind of pressure test. Alabama rolled up 483 yards and seven offensive touchdowns against Mississippi State, and Lebby pointed to tackling issues and missed chances to get off the field during Monday’s press conference. LSU’s offense now gets the chance to see whether any of that has been cleaned up over the open week.
The teams’ most recent meeting came on Sept. 16, 2023, when LSU won 41-14 in Starkville. Jayden Daniels completed 30 of 34 passes for 361 yards and four total touchdowns, and Malik Nabers hauled in 13 catches for 239 yards and two touchdowns.
Their last matchup with both teams ranked came on Oct. 20, 2018, when No. 5 LSU beat No.
22 Mississippi State 19-3 in Tiger Stadium. Nick Fitzgerald was intercepted four times, Grant Delpit had two of those picks, and Cole Tracy kicked four field goals.
Now the series returns with both teams ranked again, and Mississippi State bringing more belief than it has in a while. For LSU, the task is straightforward: slow the passing game, hold up against the Bulldogs’ balance and make them earn it every step of the way.
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