Improved defense wasn't dominating for Mississippi State but was improved

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State's defense finally gave fans some hope. Despite some struggles early, they managed to do what they needed to do on third down in the opening win over Southern Miss.

I will give them some credit because going on the road for some reason in an opening game against a non-Power 4 opponent is a little bit of a head-scratcher, but it wasn't really dominating.

Junior safety Isaac Smith doesn't exactly agree with that, he said in the adrenaline rush of relief after a difficult previous year.

“It was really, really fun,” Smith said. “I felt like we had a dominant game on defense. They scored late in the second half on fourth down, and it was like, man, I like to call it luck on their part, but we just have to get off the field there.”

Mississippi State’s defense ranked 4th in the nation per PFF RTG, & 2nd in the nation in PFF coverage against all FBS opponents

Despite inheriting a 10-3 Marshall team & staff, State held USM & the preseason Sunbelt POY to sub-200 yds & 10 pts until the starters were pulled 🔥 pic.twitter.com/GowjCUU1bz
— HailStateMuse (@HailStateMuse) August 31, 2025

Mississippi State, led by second-year defensive coordinator Coleman Hutzler, endured a disappointing 2024 season, but the opener against the Golden Eagles showed some improvement. The Bulldogs held Southern Miss to 113 rushing yards and 2.9 yards per carry, and forced a key interception in the second half.

The stat that jumped out to me is they kept Southern Miss from extending drives in the second half. Now they just need to figure out how to start that well.

Bulldogs coach Jeff Lebby said the defense’s effort in critical situations was important for the team’s confidence.

“The defense found a way to play really good football in the red zone,” Lebby said. “Also, we did a good job of getting off the field in crucial spots. I don’t like how that last scoring drive went down, but every defensive guy we brought today played, and that is big because we are trying to create depth.”

Mississippi State started quickly, forcing a punt after an early score. Southern Miss cut the lead to 10-7 after a pass narrowly avoided an interception by safety Hunter Washington, but Smith said the defense maintained its mindset.

“It was really just a mindset of getting the ball to our offense,” Smith said of the halftime adjustments. “We wanted them to get some momentum going and go score. It happened in the third quarter, we got off the field, and they scored.”

The defense forced stops on the first two Southern Miss drives of the third quarter, and Brylan Lanier’s interception helped Mississippi State extend its lead. The Bulldogs scored on three straight possessions, pushing the margin to 34-10.

“We had to find a way to make them one-dimensional,” Lebby said. “The quarterback made some plays scrambling and on some draws, but I think we did a good job of fitting their designed runs.”

The defensive line, bolstered by transfers, played a key role. Will Whitson, a transfer, finished with 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack. The secondary also contributed, with each starting cornerback recording two pass breakups.

“Our defensive line did a really good job today of getting after the quarterback and getting him off his spot,” Smith said. “The defensive line helps out the secondary, and the secondary helps out the defensive line. It is a team effort.”

The Bulldogs committed 14 penalties, an area Lebby said the team must address as the season progresses. Mississippi State will next face Arizona State.

“It felt good to see our defense dominate,” Smith said.

It's optimism to start the season. That's important after a 2-10 season and only hope for this season and even that was rather subdued.

The big test will come Saturday at home against Arizona State.

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