The anticipation going into this game was so thick, you couldn’t cut it with a razor blade. Arkansas was coming back home after two road losses to Ole Miss and Alabama. In total, they were coming back to homecoming after five straight losses. They desperately needed a win, if for no other reason than to stay out of the SEC West cellar. Mississippi State was 0-3 in SEC play and needed a win to have any momentum to continue conference play for the next three weeks. On top of that, the Bulldogs had a wounded starting quarterback in Will Rogers, their star running back Woody Marks, and a host of other key players. One team was going to leave the day in despair. As it turned out the Dawgs ruined the Hogs’ Homecoming winning 7-3. For Mississippi State, it was a transformative day, for the defense, the offense, and many injured players who returned to the game.
Mystery Solved
The Bulldogs were coming into Fayetteville fresh from a bye week that couldn’t have come at a better time. They entered that week with a slew of banged-up Dawgs, most of whom would return for this game. Understandably, head coach Zach Arnett kept the conditions of those a mystery, right up until game-day morning. The injured Marks was dressed out and ready to play. Also healthy was wide receiver Justin Robinson, who had contributed significantly prior to missing the past two games. Defensive end De’Monte Russell was back as well. His edge rushing was missing from the previous two games too. Kicker Kyle Ferrie also returned. His injury might have contributed to a missed field goal in this game.
But the biggest question on everyone’s minds was the condition of their veteran quarterback Rogers. He dressed out alright, only this day it would be in jeans and cowboy boots on the sideline. Rogers had started in 38 consecutive games up until Saturday. That streak ended to make way for a new look in the offense, led by the Vanderbilt transfer quarterback Mike Wright.
The Wright Offense
This would be Wright’s first start for State and although only one touchdown was scored, he seemed to bring a spark that made a difference. During his time at Vandy, he had 11 starts in three years. Most notably, he was team captain last year and led the team to wins over Florida and Kentucky. This day his performance in the stats wasn’t all that impressive, but it was enough. Wright passed 8 for 12 (66%), 85 yards and one touchdown. He did have one interception on the second play of the game. But he led the Dawgs’ rushing, carrying 11 times for 60 yards. That’s something a little different from the other offense.
Arnett soft-peddled his performance a little. In his post-game press conference, he said there is room for improvement. “He managed the game well enough,” Arnett said. “We have to find a way to create some more plays in the pass game, convert some third downs, and keep the ball going down the field. This game is decided on points. It’s why you don’t see many 7-3 games anymore. We know we’ll have to play better than this to continue to win games. But winning is always good.”
In the tough-guy category, Marks muscled through another injury, a hamstring issue this time. Still, he would limp off, go to the tent, and return to make another great run. It was Marks who took a Wright pass and scored the sole touchdown.
The return of Robinson from injury saw him leading in receiving, along with Zavion Thomas. State hadn’t utilized him much in prior games.
The New and Improved Defense
Whatever transpired over the bye week, defensive coordinator Matt Brock should continue doing it. The Dawg defense had the most impressive performance of the entire season. The usually elusive KJ Jefferson was pretty much contained, as the Bulldog defense was able to sack him four times. Safety Shawn Preston Jr. intercepted him and had three tackles, one solo, and one for a loss.
The dynamic linebacking duo did not disappoint as usual. This time it was Bookie Watson who led the Bulldogs in tackles with 14, five solo, two sacks, and two for a loss. His running mate Jett Johnson was right behind him with 11 tackles, five solo, and one for a loss.
Arnett attributed the defense’s performance to hard work and coaching. “We really didn’t do anything preparation-wise,” Arnett said. “We’ve got a lot of competitors on that side of the ball, in our program. We’ve seen the stats and the results. They’re not up to our satisfaction. They went to work in the bye week. That’s what you do. There’s no magic formula. You put in the work and take a critical eye on areas where you failed to perform, and you go about correcting them. I give all the credit to those guys for being man enough to be coached in the bye week. Now, they see the fruits of their labor.”
Somebody Up There Likes the Dawgs
In the fourth quarter, it was fourth and one for State. For some reason, offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay had Wright in the shotgun and he couldn’t handle the snap. Razorback defensive back Al Walcott scooped it up and ran for a touchdown. However, Bulldog wide receiver Thomas was in motion, so the play was dead from the start. The crowd was so loud, the whistle was missed. Arkansas fans were stunned and obviously upset. That would have put them ahead. This time, an error by the Dawgs was a blessing.
These phrases may be trite, but in the case of this game, they are quite true. It wasn’t pretty, but a win is a win. After this one, Mississippi State has a 9-3 record in the last 12 games against the Hawgs. That includes a 5-1 record in games played in Fayetteville or Little Rock. Will that momentum carry over as the Bulldogs head to the Plains of Auburn next week? We’ll just have to wait and see what State brings to the table then.
