Ranking Mississippi State's Top 10 SEC Games Since The Introduction Of The College Football Playoff
It's been a series of ups and downs for Mississippi State football over recent history, though the team looks to be on the upswing under head coach Mike Leach, sitting at 3-2 following a 26-22 upset win over the formerly No. 15-ranked Texas A&M Aggies on the road.
In the past seven seasons, the Bulldogs have had record-breaking performances, multiple coaching changes and big victories.
Looking back through MSU's best showings, here's a look into how State's biggest SEC victories since the introduction of the College Football Playoff in 2014 stack up.
10. Mississippi State 51, Arkansas 50 (2015)
This road win at the end of Prescott's career was one to remember, to say the least. He threw for 508 yards-- the most in his college career-- and five touchdowns. However, the game came down to a spectacular defensive play. Linebacker Beniquez Brown blocked a field goal to prevent Arkansas from taking the lead with less than a minute remaining. This game did not have a major effect on either team, but it did give the Bulldogs their eighth win of the season.
9. Mississippi State 21, Ole Miss 20 (2019)
The Bulldogs did not have an outstanding performance in the 2019 Egg Bowl, but the irony of the victory over the rival Rebels made the game memorable.
Quarterback Garrett Shrader ran for two of MSU's scores. The Bulldogs were leading 21-14 heading into the last few minutes of the game when Ole Miss scored on a short touchdown pass with four seconds remaining. Rebels wide receiver Elijah Moore was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after his excessive celebration in the end zone after the play, and pushed back an extra point attempt that would have tied the game.
OIe Miss kicker Like Logan missed the PAT, and MSU pulled off the win in front of a rowdy Davis Wade Stadium Crowd. The win guaranteed that State would play in the postseason, while the Rebels went home with a losing record.
8. Mississippi State 37, LSU 7 (2017)
State didn't just beat the Tigers, they destroyed them in front of a near-capacity crowd. LSU entered the game as the 12th ranked team in the nation and was favored to win. Each team traded touchdowns early in the first quarter, but it was all Bulldogs from there. Quarterback Nick Fitzgerald threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more, and kicker Jace Christmann made three field goals. LSU could not do anything against the tough MSU defense, which only gave up 270 total yards.
7. Mississippi State 23, Auburn 9 (2018)
Fitzgerald's 195-yard rushing game broke former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow's record for the most rushing yards by a quarterback in SEC history, and the Bulldogs defeated the 8th ranked Tigers. Fitzgerald rushed for the team's only two touchdowns, including a crucial one that put MSU ahead by two scores with only two minutes remaining in the game. This win was also State's first in the SEC after two consecutive losses.
6. Mississippi State 48, Texas A&M 31 (2014)
This game sometimes gets lost between the LSU and Auburn games of the 2014 season, but it was a great all-around performance for MSU. Dak Prescott accounted for five of the team's seven touchdowns, including two in the air and three on the ground. Running back Josh Robinson added State's other two scores. On defense, Richie Brown picked off A&M's Kenny Hill three times. The Bulldogs outscored the Aggies in every quarter except the fourth quarter, and proved that they were a legitimate team to be reckoned with.
5. Mississippi State 55, Ole Miss 20 (2016)
Fitzgerald had one of his best games in Maroon and White in this one, and it came at a perfect time.
He threw for 109 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 258 yards and two touchdowns. State only had a 27-20 lead heading into halftime, but the defense showed out in the second half. They shut out the Rebels completely for the rest of the game, while the offense added 28 points to turn a close game into a blowout. The fact that the win came in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium made it even sweeter.
4. Mississippi State 35, Ole Miss 3 (2018)
The Bulldogs were the No. 18-ranked team in the country and played against a Rebels team with only one SEC win on the season.
That doesn't take away from just how impressive the 32-point blowout was. MSU jumped out to a 14-point lead early in the second quarter to set the tone. Aside from a 32-yard field goal made by Luke Logan with 6:46 left before halftime, the Mississippi State defense did not give Ole Miss a chance to score. Fitzgerald ran for two touchdowns and threw for a third. Running backs Aeris Williams and Kylin Hill also added one touchdown on the ground each. State finished the regular season 8-4 and made it to the Outback Bowl.
3. Mississippi State 34, LSU 29 (2014)
This was the starting point for MSU's rise to the top in 2014. The LSU Tigers were the No. 8 team in the country and looked unbeatable. But that didn't stop the Bulldogs from scoring 14 unanswered points to start the contest.
Prescott threw two touchdown passes, but one of the most memorable plays of the game came on his 56-yard rushing touchdown right after halftime. He wove through -- and even stiff-armed -- some defenders before diving over the goal-line to make it a 24-10 game. MSU extended the lead to 34-10 at the start of the fourth quarter, but the Tigers caught back up with two touchdowns in less than a minute with two minutes until the end of the game. But State had played such a good game up to that point that it did not affect anything in the end.
2. Mississippi State 44, LSU 34 (2020)
Mike Leach's first game as a Bulldog was impressive, but KJ Costello's performance was even more impressive. Costello, a graduate transfer quarterback from Stanford, set the SEC record for pass yards in a single game with 623 passing yards. He also accounted for five passing touchdowns.
The Tigers entered the game confidently as the defending national champions, but found themselves in a back-and-forth battle with the Bulldogs. In the game, there were six lead changes and two ties. The Bulldogs did not break away until wide receiver Osirus Mitchell caught a 24-yard touchdown pass with 3:39 remaining in the game. State's defense kept the Tigers from striking again, and Leach got his first victory in the SEC as a head coach. It's safe to say the Tigers left Death Valley humbled on that day.
1. Mississippi State 38, Auburn 23 (2014)
Without a doubt, this was the biggest game in MSU football history. It was a battle between No. 2 and No. 3 to see who would claim the top spot in the nation. College Gameday was in town, the stadium was filled beyond capacity and the game was aired on CBS's coveted afternoon slot.
The Bulldogs, led by Prescott, jumped out to a 21-0 lead only halfway through the first quarter. Prescott finished the day with one passing touchdown and two rushing touchdowns. Running back Josh Robinson ran for the team's other two touchdowns. The closest the Tigers ever got to catching up was when they cut the lead to eight twice in the game-- once midway through the second quarter and again in the third quarter.
After the victory, players celebrated with fans in the stand, and the masses of fans watching outside the stadium rushed through the gates to join the party. The next day, Mississippi State became No. 1 in the AP Poll for the first time in program history, and Prescott became a frontrunner in the Heisman race.
