Tough, Gritty and Sticking to It: Mississippi State Powering Through Ahead of Georgia

Mississippi State got the outcome it wanted in the 39-33 win over Auburn, but it was no easy task.

The Mississippi State Bulldogs' improved record to 6-3 didn't come easy in Saturday night's 39-33 overtime victory over the Auburn Tigers.

MSU got off to a strong start, putting together 10 points in the first quarter and a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter with an electric 92-yard kickoff return by wide receiver Lideatrick "Tulu" Griffin marking the perhaps the biggest play of the game.

The Bulldogs headed into the locker room at halftime with all of the momentum and a strong, 24-6 lead over the Tigers in a contest that had largely played out the way it was drawn up to that point.

But unlike last year's matchup between these two teams, it was Auburn that forged the strong comeback effort this time. The Tigers scored 27 points in the second half, overcoming a 21-point deficit and forcing the game to overtime.

The Bulldogs ultimately answered the call when it mattered most with a 5-yard rushing touchdown by running back Jo'quavious "Woody" Marks to secure the win after regulation.

As has been a theme, head coach Mike Leach preached consistency and playing as complete game after the contest. That's something the Bulldogs struggled with last season as they broke the program comeback record more than one time and it has been an issue at certain points in 2022 despite the overall improvement the team has displayed.

"Good at the end. Good at the beginning," head coach Mike Leach said of the win. "In between, bounced on and off the rails. Defense, I thought, kept us in it. Then we helped ourselves offensively getting back in it."

While it wasn't pretty and there are certainly some plays the Bulldogs would like to have back, a victory is just that, and it takes fighting for in any game.

"Wins are hard, no matter who you are. Sometimes there’s games like that," Leach said.

It's the pure grit and willpower of this team that has gotten it as far as it has come since Leach has been with the program. But there is still fixing to do in multiple areas within a team whose head coach says needs to "learn to enjoy prosperity a little bit more."

"The toughest team sticks in there and battles through it and wins," Leach said. "And I do think that was the case. We have some things to address. We can’t start fast and then fall asleep at the wheel in the middle... We’ve got to learn to enjoy prosperity a little more. You enjoy prosperity by doing all the stuff that got you there in the first place. All the little things."

The Bulldogs have a good deal of talent within the roster and the right overall mindset and have certainly taken the nation by surprise with some upset victories in the Leach era, it's just a matter of putting it all together and keeping their foot on the gas on an every game basis for all four quarter.

"We’re tough, gritty and we’ll stick to it," Leach said.

"We never surrender. We’ve got to not let our emotions affect us in between, which we did some... I don’t know why anybody is looking for it to be easy. They knock the hell out of each other and then it’s supposed to be easy."

The Bulldogs will look to stay on the right side of the win column as they face a tough task in the No. 1-ranked Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday in Davis Wade Stadium.