Mississippi State had its shot to force overtime against Vanderbilt, and Jeff Lebby almost burned his final timeout before the decisive two-point try.
He backed off after liking what he saw in the alignment, but the play never got close to working. AJ Swann’s throw sailed over Marquis Johnson in the back of the end zone, and the Bulldogs fell 25-23 at Davis Wade Stadium on Nov. 7.
“I was about to use the timeout, and then I saw the picture and I loved the picture for the play,” he said. “I thought we had exactly what we wanted.
Obviously, I haven’t seen the replay of it yet, but it’s exactly what we wanted. Didn’t end up making the play.”
The miss capped a comeback that still ended in disappointment for Mississippi State (4-5, 2-5 SEC), which has now dropped five straight since star quarterback Kamario Taylor was injured. Vanderbilt improved to 4-5, 1-5.
The Bulldogs’ offense never really found a rhythm for most of the afternoon. One of the team’s touchdowns came from the defense, when Will Whitson scooped up a Jared Curtis fumble and returned it 14 yards for a score in the third quarter. Mississippi State still managed 23 points, but that number hid how rough things looked for long stretches.
Vanderbilt led 16-0 at halftime, and Mississippi State’s late push came almost entirely at the end. The Bulldogs finished with 297 total yards, but 150 of them came on the final two drives, when they added a field goal and then scored on a 30-yard Swann-to-Sanfrisco Magee touchdown.
Swann, who was not available for interviews after the game, finished 23-for-36 for 254 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Before the fourth quarter, he had gone 10-for-21 for 113 yards, one touchdown and one pick. He was also facing one of his former teams.
Lebby pointed to the need for more consistency from his quarterback and offense.
“I’ve got to do a better job of coaching (Swann) Sunday through Saturday and create some predictable outcomes for us,” Lebby said. “I’ve talked about that a thousand times.
When I call play, I expect to know what’s going to happen, one of about two or three things. That has to show up for us.
AJ gives us the best chance to go win and play as good as we play offensively to help our defense, who is playing their butt off right now.”
Earlier in the game, Mississippi State had another chance to set a tone on its opening drive and let it slip away. The Bulldogs were moving the ball, then faced fourth-and-1 from their own 49. Rather than hand it to Fluff Bothwell, who had already converted a third-and-1 on the drive, Swann threw incomplete to Anthony Evans III.
Vanderbilt took over and went three-and-out, but Mississippi State never recovered the momentum. The Bulldogs then had four straight three-and-outs and later threw an interception on their final possession before halftime.
“The ball could’ve gotten handed to Fluff and it would’ve been really good,” Lebby said. “We had a good call.
It came up two other times in the game, we handed it off, and it was really, really good. Frustrating moment.
We should’ve gotten the first down on third down.
“Those are the things I’m talking about where we can’t keep overcoming third-and-2, not getting the first down when we got the play blocked really, really well. We got to go get the first down there to take the stress off the fourth-and-1.
It’s all over the tape. It’s frustrating, but our guys are going to respond the right way.”
In Other News...
Jeff Lebby Points To Why Mississippi State's Offense Keeps Stalling
Jeff Lebby spent the aftermath of Mississippi States 25-23 loss to Vanderbilt pointing to a familiar problem for the Bulldogs: an offense that keeps getting stuck on the kinds of plays it should be able to finish. After a strong start to the season, the scoring has dropped off over the last four games, and the coach said the bigger issue has been the inability to turn routine snaps into sustained drives. Injuries have also thinned out the lineup, making it harder for the Bulldogs to find any rhythm.
Lebbys focus was on early-down execution, the sort of detail that can decide whether a series stays on schedule or turns into another punt. Mississippi State has had to navigate the absence of key players while trying to keep the offense moving, and the recent slide has made every missed chance feel more costly. For a team still looking for answers, the challenge now is less about inventing something new than getting back to the basics that made the offense work in the first place. [Read more 🡒]
Mississippi State Is Still Fighting To Keep Kamario Taylor
Kamario Taylors season is already over after foot surgery, but Mississippi State is still working to make sure his time in Starkville is not. Jeff Lebby confirmed the program has been in ongoing discussions to keep the quarterback around for next season, and Taylor has stayed involved with the team while he works through his recovery.
The situation leaves the Bulldogs in a familiar modern college football spot, trying to hold onto a young quarterback whose next move matters more for the programs future than the present. Taylor is not eligible for the NFL draft until 2028, which means his choices are limited to staying at Mississippi State or entering the transfer portal, and the next step will say plenty about how the Bulldogs view his place in their plans. [Read more 🡒]
Mississippi States Final SEC Home Game Carries More Pressure Than Ever
Mississippi States final SEC home game of the season arrives with more weight than the calendar alone would suggest. Auburn comes to Davis Wade Stadium on Nov. 14 for an 11 a.m. kickoff, and the Bulldogs are trying to steady themselves after a five-game losing streak that has defined the stretch since quarterback Kamario Taylor went down with an injury that ended his season.
There is still a chance for fans to get in the building, with tickets and parking passes available for purchase. For a team looking to finish its home SEC slate on a better note, the atmosphere in Starkville could matter as much as the matchup itself, especially with the Bulldogs still searching for a way to halt the slide. [Read more 🡒]