Anthony Evans III Gave Mississippi State More Than a Bright Spot Against Alabama

Evans’s 166-yard performance against Alabama revealed a dependable connection, now needs more support

Mississippi State Wide Receiver Anthony Evans III (#3) during the game between the Missouri Tigers and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium Stadium in Columbia, MO. | Mississippi State Athletics

STARKVILLE — Anthony Evans III kept giving Mississippi State reasons to continue drives, and Alabama kept giving the Bulldogs reasons to chase the game.

That contrast explains both the value and the limits of Evans’s 12-catch, 166-yard afternoon in a 56–23 defeat.

Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby smiles while standing on the sideline during a college football game between Mississippi State and Alabama at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss., on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. Alabama defeated Mississippi State 56-23. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

His Production Came When State Needed It

Evans scored Mississippi State’s first touchdown and its last. The first was a two-yard reception that completed a 12-play, 75-yard drive and cut Alabama’s lead to 14–7. The second was a 45-yard reception on fourth-and-6 in the third quarter.

Those plays showed different forms of contribution. Evans finished a sustained possession near the goal line, then turned a difficult down into a long score.

His work between the touchdowns matters just as much. On the opening scoring drive, he gained 25 yards on third-and-8. Near halftime, he converted third-and-10 with an 18-yard reception during the possession that ended in Kyle Ferrie’s field goal.

Those were catches that kept State moving. They were not simply additions to a receiving total after the game had lost its competitive value.

Mississippi State Live Mascot Bully XXII during the game between the Missouri Tigers and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field in Starkville, MS. | Mississippi State Athletics

A Reliable Connection Needs Complementary Answers

Evans accounted for 166 of Kamario Taylor’s 258 passing yards. That share illustrates how much the receiver contributed, but it also raises an important question about the offense around him.

How can Mississippi State make that connection a strength without allowing it to become an excessive dependence?

The answer is not to reduce Evans’s opportunities. It is developing enough complementary production that a defense cannot concentrate on him without creating another useful opening.

Other receivers must finish their chances. The running game needs to provide support, and protection must allow passing concepts to develop. Evans’s effectiveness gives Lebby’s staff something to build around; it does not remove the need to improve everything surrounding it.

Mississippi State Wide Receiver Anthony Evans III (#3) during the game between the Florida Gators and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL. | Mississippi State Athletics

Preserve the Work, Broaden the Offense

Mississippi State scored 17 points before halftime and six afterward. Evans continued producing, but one receiver could not overcome the turnovers, negative plays and Alabama scoring drives.

That is the proper balance for the bye-week review. Recognize the performance without using it to soften the evaluation of the offense as a whole.

The LSU preparation offers time to identify which concepts created Evans’s opportunities and how other players can contribute within the same plan. His catches in the red zone, on third down, and on fourth down provide useful examples of execution that the Bulldogs should preserve.

Evans did more than supply a bright spot in a loss. He gave State a dependable connection at a time when the offense needed one. The next step is making sure that connection belongs to a more complete offense, rather than asking it to compensate for an incomplete one.

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