Mississippi State’s bye week comes at the right time, because the Bulldogs have more to sort through than just the 56-23 loss to Alabama.
Yes, the injuries matter. Quarterback Kamario Taylor is still day-to-day after Jeff Lebby’s postgame update.
Running back Fluff Bothwell finished Saturday in a walking boot. Linebacker Jalen Smith also exited hurt.
But with Mississippi State sitting at 4-1 and headed to LSU next, the open week is also a chance to figure out who else can help if those situations linger.
A few Bulldogs made a case against Alabama for more than just spot duty.
Parker Puckett got the first real crack at quarterback relief work when Taylor left, and the redshirt freshman didn’t waste the opportunity. He went 3 of 6 for 26 yards and kept one late drive alive with a 9-yard completion on third down.
That sequence came after Alabama had already seized control, so it doesn’t tell the whole story about how he’d handle a start. Even so, it gave the staff something to work with while Taylor’s status stays unsettled.
“It will be day to day for him,” Lebby said of Taylor, according to Carion Ledger reporter Sam Sklar. Lebby also pointed to the LSU game week injury report, due Oct. 14, for a clearer picture.
The backfield needs attention, too. Kolin Wilson led Mississippi State on the ground with 27 yards on 10 carries, including a 13-yard run.
With Bothwell leaving after just one carry, Wilson’s work became even more important on a day when the run game never really got going. Xavier Gayten added 10 yards on 10 carries, and Wilson finished with more yards than the rest of the Bulldogs’ running backs combined.
His 2.7-yard average shows there’s plenty to clean up, but the bye gives Mississippi State time to build a plan without assuming Bothwell will be unavailable in Baton Rouge.
At tight end, Joeseph Skipworth quietly helped keep the offense moving. He caught three passes for 26 yards, and two of those receptions came on third down.
One 10-yard catch on third and 16 forced fourth and 6, and Anthony Evans III turned that into a 45-yard touchdown on the next play. Skipworth later picked up another third down with a 9-yard catch from Puckett on third and 4.
For an offense dealing with uncertainty at quarterback, those are the kinds of snaps that can earn a bigger role.
On defense, Kendel Dolby also flashed enough to merit a longer look. The Oklahoma transfer, who arrived with 68 tackles, eight tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions on his resume, made four tackles against Alabama and recovered the fumble forced by Jaray Bledsoe. That takeaway led to a touchdown on the next snap while Mississippi State was still trying to close the gap.
Mississippi State gave up 483 yards, so the defensive rotation is going to be part of the conversation during the break as well. The injury list and the depth chart both need a review before the Bulldogs head to Baton Rouge.
In Other News...
LSUs Injury Problem Just Got Harder To Ignore In SEC Play
Lane Kiffins latest update on LSUs injury situation only sharpened the concern around a roster already being tested by SEC play. At a press conference, he confirmed that two players are done for the season and that two more are expected to miss significant time, a development that hits especially hard with linebacker Whit Weeks and tight end Trey'Dez Green among the unavailable pieces. Both have been important not just on the field, but in the way they help set the tone for the group.
For LSU, the timing makes the issue even tougher to shrug off. Kiffin made clear his frustration with how many injuries the Tigers have had to absorb, noting the effect it has had on performance and leadership as the schedule stiffens. With a difficult stretch of SEC games ahead, LSU is now trying to manage depth concerns while also replacing some of the voices and production that held the team together. [Read more 🡒]
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Leavitt said he expects to be fully healthy for Kentucky, which could give LSU another layer to work with if he looks like himself again. The injury forced him to focus more on passing, but a healthier version of Leavitt could change the way the Tigers attack the Wildcats and restore some of the dual-threat element that makes their offense tougher to defend. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Offense Faces A Brutal SEC Test It May Not Be Ready For
LSUs offense finally looked like itself in a lopsided win over McNeese State, a welcome sight after the uneven showing at Ole Miss that reminded everyone how quickly a road game in the SEC can expose flaws. The numbers still look strong on paper, with the Tigers near the top of the league in points and yards per game, but the next stretch is going to ask for more than eye-catching production against overmatched opponents.
The challenge now is the kind of seven-game SEC run that can define a season, with four ranked opponents and four road trips built into the slate. For LSU, the margin for error shrinks fast when turnovers and red zone execution have already been issues, and that combination makes the coming weeks less about what the offense has done so far and more about whether it can hold up when the competition gets much less forgiving. [Read more 🡒]