Mississippi State’s fast start has earned the Bulldogs a spot in the AP Top 25, but Jeff Lebby isn’t interested in the outside noise. Not after his team has already survived a pair of road tests and not with No. 19 Missouri coming to Starkville on Saturday night.
The Bulldogs are 3-0 after a 62-13 win over Louisiana-Monroe, a 25-point victory at Minnesota and a comeback at South Carolina last week. That stretch pushed Mississippi State into the rankings this week, but Lebby made it clear the number next to his team’s name means little at this stage.
"The ranking piece of it has absolutely zero bearing -- none at all," Lebby said. "We've got a huge road ahead. We've got an unbelievable test Saturday."
Mississippi State’s recent history in league play explains the caution. The Bulldogs opened last season 4-0 in nonconference games before dropping their first four SEC contests.
They later beat Arkansas 38-35 to end the skid, then lost their final three conference games. Across Lebby’s first two seasons, Mississippi State went 1-15 in SEC play.
The win at South Carolina moved him to 10-18 overall and 2-15 in conference games at Mississippi State.
"We're not even close to being where we've got a chance to be," Lebby said.
Saturday brings Missouri’s SEC opener and Mississippi State’s conference home opener. The Tigers are also 3-0, with wins over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, at Kansas and against Troy. But this trip to Starkville looks like Missouri’s toughest assignment so far.
Eliah Drinkwitz said he’s been impressed with what Lebby has built. He pointed to Mississippi State’s offense, led by mobile quarterback Kamario Taylor, who threw four touchdowns against South Carolina, and to a defense that has played with real force under coordinator Zach Arnett.
"You can tell," Drinkwitz said of Lebby's impact. "The foundations of his culture, and the foundation of his schemes, are in place."
Mississippi State’s defense drew league recognition for Amaree Williams, who was named the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week after posting 10 tackles and a sack. The Bulldogs also smothered South Carolina early in the second half, holding the Gamecocks to negative-15 yards on 10 plays over the first four drives after the break.
Lebby liked the way his team answered early trouble with explosive plays against South Carolina.
"That's where you see real growth," Lebby said.
Still, he stressed that big plays can’t be the only answer if Mississippi State wants to keep winning.
"The explosives got us out of a lot of really bad situations. You have to play cleaner," Lebby said.
Missouri has its own weapons on offense. Austin Simmons has completed 69.1% of his passes and thrown eight touchdowns without an interception through three games.
Against Troy, he went 10 of 19 for 91 yards, after piling up 544 yards and seven touchdowns over the first two games. The Tigers’ ground game has also been steady, with Jamal Roberts rushing for 300 yards and three scores.
Mississippi State’s size and physicality have caught the attention of Missouri left tackle Cayden Green.
"They're a lot bigger and a lot more physical than what we've dealt with the past couple weeks," Green said of MSU's defense. "So obviously, that's SEC play in a nutshell. The competition is just going to get ramped up this week."
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For Mississippi State, the timing adds a little extra buzz heading into a tough SEC test. Taylors national spotlight is arriving while the Bulldogs are still trying to turn early-season production into something more lasting, and any Heisman mention only increases the attention on what comes next. Whether that recognition sticks will depend on how he handles the weeks ahead, but for now the nod gives Mississippi State a legitimate reason to lean into the momentum. [Read more 🡒]