2020 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team
American college football season
The 2020 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season . The Bulldogs played their home games at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi , and competed in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by first-year head coach Mike Leach .
In a season impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic , the Bulldogs compiled a 3–7 record in a 10-game all-SEC schedule. As the NCAA had waived bowl eligibility requirements for the season,[ 1] the Bulldogs received an invitation to the Armed Forces Bowl where they defeated Tulsa , becoming one of the few bowl teams with a losing record to record a bowl victory.
In the preseason media poll, Mississippi State was predicted to finish in a tie for fifth place in the West Division.[ 2]
Media poll (West Division)
Predicted finish
Team
Votes (1st place)
1
Alabama
660 (86)
2
LSU
489 (8)
3
Auburn
488
4
Texas A&M
454 (2)
T5
Ole Miss
238
T5
Mississippi State
238
7
Arkansas
121
Schedule
Mississippi State announced its 2020 football schedule on August 7, 2019.[ 3] The 2020 schedule consisted of 7 home and 5 away games in the regular season.
The Bulldogs had games scheduled against Alabama A&M , New Mexico , NC State , and Tulane , but were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic .[ 4] [ 5] [ 6]
Date Time Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance September 26 2:30 p.m. at No. 6 LSU CBS W 44–3421,124
October 3 6:30 p.m. Arkansas No. 16 SECN Alt. L 14–2113,564
October 10 6:30 p.m. at Kentucky SECN L 2–2412,000
October 17 3:00 p.m. No. 11 Texas A&M Davis Wade Stadium Starkville, MS ESPN L 14–2813,142
October 31 6:00 p.m. at No. 2 Alabama ESPN L 0–4119,424
November 7 2:30 p.m. Vanderbilt Davis Wade Stadium Starkville, MS SECN W 24–1712,888
November 21 6:30 p.m. at No. 13 Georgia SECN L 24–3120,524
November 28 3:00 p.m. at Ole Miss SECN L 24–3116,218
December 12[a] 6:30 p.m. Auburn Davis Wade Stadium Starkville, MS SECN L 10–2412,986
December 19 2:30 p.m. Missouri Davis Wade Stadium Starkville, MS SECN Alt. W 51–3211,748
December 31 11:00 a.m. vs. No. 24 Tulsa * ESPN W 28–269,000
^[a] The game between Auburn and Mississippi State was postponed due to an outbreak of COVID-19 on the Mississippi State team. The game was originally scheduled for November 14.
Schedule Source: [ 7]
Rankings
Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes Week Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Final AP RV RV RV RV 16 RV RV — Coaches RV RV RV RV 14 RV RV — CFP Not released Not released
Game summaries
At No. 6 LSU
1
2 3 4 Total
• Bulldogs
3
14 10 17
44
No. 6 Tigers
0
14 10 10
34
Statistics
MSST
LSU
First downs
24
25
Total yards
632
425
Rushing yards
9
80
Passing yards
623
345
Turnovers
4
2
Time of possession
30:28
29:32
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Mississippi State
Passing
K. J. Costello
36/60, 623 yards, 5 TD, 2 INT
Rushing
Kylin Hill
7 carries, 34 yards
Receiving
Osirus Mitchell
7 receptions, 183 yards, 2 TD
LSU
Passing
Myles Brennan
27/46, 345 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Rushing
Chris Curry
9 carries, 47 yards
Receiving
Terrace Marshall Jr.
8 receptions, 122 yards, 2 TD
Arkansas
1
2
3
4
Total
Razorbacks
7
7
7
0
21
No. 16 Bulldogs
7
0
7
0
14
Statistics
ARK
MSST
First downs
17
24
Total yards
275
400
Rushing yards
63
87
Passing yards
212
313
Turnovers
2
4
Time of possession
23:40
36:20
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Arkansas
Passing
Feleipe Franks
20/28, 212 yards, 2 TD
Rushing
Trelon Smith
14 rushes, 48 yards
Receiving
De'Vion Warren
4 receptions, 100 yards, TD
Mississippi State
Passing
K. J. Costello
43/59, 313 yards, TD, 3 INT
Rushing
Dillon Johnson
9 rushes, 39 yards, TD
Receiving
Osirus Mitchell
5 receptions, 61 yards
At Kentucky
1
2
3
4
Total
Bulldogs
0
0
2
0
2
Wildcats
0
14
0
10
24
Statistics
MSST
UK
First downs
18
10
Total yards
295
157
Rushing yards
20
84
Passing yards
275
73
Turnovers
6
1
Time of possession
34:49
25:11
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Mississippi State
Passing
K. J. Costello
36/55, 232 yards, 4 INT
Rushing
Kylin Hill
7 rushes, 17 yards
Receiving
Kylin Hill
15 receptions, 79 yards
Kentucky
Passing
Terry Wilson
8/20, 73 yards, TD
Rushing
Terry Wilson
13 rushes, 50 yards
Receiving
Josh Ali
2 receptions, 22 yards
No. 11 Texas A&M
1
2
3
4
Total
No. 11 Aggies
0
14
14
0
28
Bulldogs
0
0
7
7
14
Statistics
TAMU
MSST
First downs
17
15
Total yards
325
217
Rushing yards
186
-2
Passing yards
139
219
Turnovers
1
2
Time of possession
30:32
29:28
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Texas A&M
Passing
Kellen Mond
13/23, 139 yards, 2 TD, INT
Rushing
Isaiah Spiller
18 rushes, 114 yards, 2 TD
Receiving
Chase Lane
2 receptions, 70 yards, TD
Mississippi State
Passing
Will Rogers
15/18, 120 yards, TD
Rushing
Jo'Quavious Marks
7 rushes, 25 yards
Receiving
Malik Heath
5 receptions, 57 yards, TD
At No. 2 Alabama
1
2 3 4 Total
Bulldogs
0
0 0 0
0
• No. 2 Crimson Tide
17
10 0 14
41
Statistics
Statistics
MSST
ALA
First downs
12
26
Total yards
200
499
Rushing yards
37
208
Passing yards
163
291
Turnovers
3
1
Time of possession
28:18
31:42
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Mississippi State
Passing
Will Rogers
24/37, 147 yards, 2 INT
Rushing
Jo'Quavious Marks
9 rushes, 32 yards
Receiving
Jo'Quavious Marks
8 receptions, 38 yards
Alabama
Passing
Mac Jones
24/31, 291 yards, 4 TD
Rushing
Najee Harris
21 rushes, 119 yards
Receiving
DeVonta Smith
11 receptions, 203 yards, 4 TD
Vanderbilt
1
2
3
4
Total
Commodores
0
0
7
10
17
Bulldogs
14
3
0
7
24
Statistics
VAN
MSST
First downs
30
14
Total yards
478
204
Rushing yards
142
-22
Passing yards
336
226
Turnovers
5
0
Time of possession
32:10
27:50
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Vanderbilt
Passing
Ken Seals
31/46, 336 yards, TD, 3 INT
Rushing
Keyon Henry-Brooks
20 rushes, 115 yards, TD
Receiving
Cam Johnson
10 receptions, 114 yards
Mississippi State
Passing
Will Rogers
35/46, 226 yards, TD
Rushing
Jo'Quavious Marks
6 rushes, 10 yards, TD
Receiving
Malik Heath
9 receptions, 79 yards
At No. 13 Georgia
1
2
3
4
Total
Bulldogs
3
14
7
0
24
No. 13 Bulldogs
0
17
7
7
31
Statistics
Statistics
MSST
UGA
First downs
20
18
Total yards
358
409
Rushing yards
22
8
Passing yards
336
401
Turnovers
0
0
Time of possession
32:07
27:53
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Mississippi State
Passing
Will Rogers
41–52, 336 yards, TD
Rushing
Dillon Johnson
8 rushes, 19 yards, 2 TD
Receiving
Jaden Walley
7 receptions, 115 yards, TD
Georgia
Passing
J. T. Daniels
28–38, 401 yards, 4 TD
Rushing
Zamir White
11 rushes, 21 yards
Receiving
Jermaine Burton
8 receptions, 197 yards, 2 TD
At Ole Miss
1
2
3
4
Total
Bulldogs
0
14
0
10
24
Rebels
14
7
0
10
31
Over/under
Pregame line
Ole Miss –9.5
70.5
Statistics
Statistics
MSST
MISS
First downs
23
24
Total yards
479
550
Rushing yards
39
163
Passing yards
440
387
Turnovers
1
0
Time of possession
32:27
27:33
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Mississippi State
Passing
Will Rogers
45–61, 440 yards, 3 TD
Rushing
Will Rogers
4 rushes, 26 yards
Receiving
Jaden Walley
9 receptions, 176 yards
Ole Miss
Passing
Matt Corral
24–36, 385 yards, 2 TD
Rushing
Jerrion Ealy
18 rushes, 93 yards, TD
Receiving
Elijah Moore
12 receptions, 139 yards
Auburn
1
2
3
4
Total
Tigers
3
3
3
15
24
Bulldogs
0
3
0
7
10
Over/under
Pregame line
Auburn –6.5
74.6
Statistics
Statistics
AUB
MSST
First downs
19
17
Total yards
343
240
Rushing yards
218
19
Passing yards
125
221
Turnovers
0
2
Time of possession
30:56
29:04
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Auburn
Passing
Bo Nix
15–32, 125 yards, TD
Rushing
Tank Bigsby
26 rushes, 192 yards
Receiving
Seth Williams
3 receptions, 57 yards, TD
Mississippi State
Passing
Will Rogers
30–51, 221 yards, TD, 2 INT
Rushing
Dillon Johnson
5 rushes, 30 yards
Receiving
Jaden Walley
8 receptions, 100 yards
Missouri
1
2
3
4
Total
Tigers
7
3
8
14
32
Bulldogs
14
13
7
17
51
Statistics
Statistics
MIZ
MSST
First downs
22
24
Total yards
342
446
Rushing yards
101
151
Passing yards
241
295
Turnovers
4
3
Time of possession
28:57
31:03
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Missouri
Passing
Connor Bazelak
22–38, 225 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT
Rushing
Larry Rountree III
25 rushes, 121 yards, 2 TD
Receiving
Keke Chism
6 receptions, 64 yards, TD
Mississippi State
Passing
Will Rogers
21–36, 295 yards, 3 TD, INT
Rushing
Jo'Quavious Marks
12 rushes, 70 yards, TD
Receiving
Jaden Walley
5 receptions, 129 yards, TD
Vs. No. 24 Tulsa (Armed Forces Bowl)
1
2
3
4
Total
No. 24 Golden Hurricane
0
6
7
13
26
Bulldogs
7
0
14
7
28
Statistics
Statistics
TLSA
MSST
First downs
27
16
Total yards
484
271
Rushing yards
137
123
Passing yards
347
148
Turnovers
2
0
Time of possession
31:19
28:41
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Tulsa
Passing
Zach Smith
26–46, 347 yards, TD, 2 INT
Rushing
Corey Taylor II
20 rushes, 80 yards, TD
Receiving
Keylon Stokes
9 receptions, 117 yards, TD
Mississippi State
Passing
Will Rogers
19–30, 148 yards, TD
Rushing
Jo'Quavious Marks
11 rushes, 72 yards, TD
Receiving
Austin Williams
3 receptions, 42 yards
Players drafted into the NFL
References
^ "DI Council approves football bowl eligibility requirements waiver" . NCAA.org (Press release). October 14, 2020. Retrieved October 22, 2020 .
^ "Preseason SEC media poll, All-SEC Team announced" . SECSports.com . Southeastern Conference. September 23, 2020.
^ "2020 Football Schedule Announced" . Mississippi State University Department of Athletics. August 7, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2020 .
^ Talty, John (July 30, 2020). "SEC moves to conference-only 2020 schedule, pushes back start of season" . AL.com . Retrieved July 30, 2020 .
^ Visser, David (July 21, 2020). "SWAC Suspends Fall Football Season" . FBSchedules.com . Retrieved July 20, 2020 .
^ Dellenger, Ross. "Sources: SEC Adopts Conference-Only Schedule With Sept. 26 Start" . Sports Illustrated . Retrieved July 30, 2020 .
^ "2020 Mississippi State Bulldogs Football Schedule" . FB Schedules. Retrieved January 11, 2020 .
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