Mississippi State is heading into SEC play with some real momentum, but South Carolina brings the kind of early-season test that can expose a lot in a hurry.
The Bulldogs and Gamecocks both sit at 2-0, and they’ll meet Sept. 19 at 3:15 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
Mississippi State comes in after beating Louisiana-Monroe and Minnesota, while South Carolina has handled Kent State and Towson. A win would give MSU its first non-Arkansas conference victory since 2022, and the Bulldogs also received votes in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll.
The matchup has a lot of overlap on paper, starting at quarterback. Kamario Taylor and LaNorris Sellers are both dual-threat playmakers, and that makes this one feel like a game where one big scramble or one broken play could swing the night. South Carolina’s offense is now under Kendal Briles, who is Jeff Lebby’s brother-in-law and comes from the same coaching tree, adding another layer to a game that already has a familiar feel.
Mississippi State’s biggest selling point is how efficiently Taylor has played. He has thrown eight touchdowns in two games, and the Bulldogs’ offense has looked explosive from the start.
Against Minnesota, they turned what was expected to be a close game into a 38-13 blowout. Fluff Bothwell added 113 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and the offensive line held up well enough to let the Bulldogs keep attacking.
The numbers back up how sharp MSU has been. The Bulldogs are averaging 620.5 yards per game, which ranks second nationally.
They’ve scored on 14 of 17 drives with Taylor at quarterback and have punted only once. Anthony Evans III has been another major weapon, ranking 11th nationally and first in the SEC with 239 receiving yards.
The defense has done its part too. Mississippi State has allowed only one touchdown, and it held Minnesota to just 13 rushing yards. South Carolina has been just as stingy, giving up only nine points, which is tied for the fewest in the country.
Still, the Gamecocks have a few things going for them. Sellers can be dangerous, even if his play has been uneven over the last two seasons, and South Carolina believes its offensive line is better than it was before. Nyck Harbor gives them a receiver who can challenge Mississippi State cornerback Kelley Jones, and Vicari Swain’s special teams burst last game - two punt returns for touchdowns - is another weapon the Bulldogs have to account for.
There’s also the question of Dylan Stewart, who has not played this season but could return against Mississippi State. South Carolina’s defense has allowed only one touchdown, and defensive lineman Tomiwa Durojaiye leads the team with seven tackles and two tackles for loss, while also sharing the team lead with one sack.
One more hurdle sits in Mississippi State’s path: Williams-Brice Stadium. The Bulldogs have lost five straight there and haven’t won in Columbia since 1998.
As of the Sept. 16 injury report, Mississippi State lists Diesel Moye and Ayden Williams as out, Zakari Tillman as questionable, and Kelley Jones as probable. South Carolina’s report includes Lucian Anderson III, Jalewis Solomon, Jayden Sellers, AJ Holloway and Josiah Thompson as out, Carter Miller as questionable, and Stewart and Jacarrius Peak as probable.
In Other News...
Jeff Lebby's Coaching Tree Could Soon Add Another Rising SEC Name
Jeff Lebby has spent enough time around the SEC to know how quickly a staff can become a proving ground for future head coaches, and Tennessee has been one of the leagues most productive launching pads. Two former Josh Heupel assistants, Alex Golesh and Jerry Mack, have already moved on to head jobs at Auburn and Kennesaw State, a reminder that the Volunteers sideline has become a place where rising coaches can build a rsum and cash in on the next opportunity. For Mississippi State, that kind of coaching churn matters because Lebby is trying to establish his own identity in a conference where staff continuity and constant turnover often go hand in hand.
Now the attention turns to the current Tennessee assistants, a group that includes Joey Halzle and Anthony Poindexter among others, all of them working in roles that could someday attract head coaching interest. Their paths are being watched closely not just because of where they coach, but because of the balance they have to strike between chasing a top job and staying in a comfortable, high-paying assistant role. In a league like the SEC, that decision can shape both careers and coaching trees, and it is exactly the sort of subplot Mississippi State fans will want to keep in mind as Lebby keeps building around the conference landscape. [Read more 🡒]
Mississippi State Could Expose The Truth About South Carolina Fast
South Carolinas opening two games have looked every bit like the kind of start that builds early-season buzz, with the Gamecocks piling up points while barely giving anything away. But the next step is a different kind of test. Mississippi State comes in off a convincing win over Minnesota, and that alone suggests the Bulldogs are more than just the next name on the schedule for a team that has cruised through its first week of work.
For South Carolina, this is the kind of matchup that can clarify where the ceiling really is before the calendar turns harsher. Alabama, Kentucky and Florida are all waiting before the bye week, so there is little margin for a soft landing if Mississippi State turns this into a real game. If the Gamecocks are going to keep the momentum they have built, they will need to answer a sturdier challenge now rather than later. [Read more 🡒]
Mississippi State Faces An Awkward SEC Test For Lebbys Offense
Mississippi States SEC opener brings an unusual sideline subplot, with Jeff Lebby lining up against South Carolina offensive coordinator Kendal Briles. The two are brothers-in-law and have crossed paths before on Baylors staff, which adds a personal layer to a game both sides know will be handled the same way any conference matchup is handled: with a full week of preparation and a businesslike approach once kickoff arrives.
For Lebby, though, the familiarity does sharpen the intrigue around how his offense will look against a South Carolina staff that knows his tendencies and has seen him operate up close. The broader stakes are bigger than the family tie, of course, with both programs trying to establish themselves early in SEC play and each side carrying recent offensive and defensive numbers that help frame just how much is on the line in the opener. [Read more 🡒]