Three Takeaways from Mississippi State's 49-23 Win Over Memphis

Mississippi State had a successful night on both sides of the ball against Memphis, ultimately taming the Tigers in a late-night victory on Saturday.

State jumped out to an early lead and never let control completely slip away. Between long drives resulting in MSU touchdowns and key plays to keep Memphis from advancing down the field, many things went in the home team's favor all night long. The Bulldogs have plenty of momentum that will carry them to face the Arizona Wildcats next weekend.

Here are three takeaways from Mississippi State's first victory of the 2022 college football season.

1. Will Rogers is shaping up to have another incredible year.

Rogers was one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC last season, and it's already looking like this year could feature more of the same. The junior went 38-of-49 passing for 450 yards with five touchdowns and one interception. What's more, he put up those numbers after a two-hour lightning delay in somewhat unfavorable conditions. Surrounded by a talented group of wide receivers, Rogers will surely be able to match or outdo his numbers from last season.

2. Mississippi State's defense could be better than it has been in years.

Midway through the third quarter of action, MSU's defense had given up less than 40 yards to a Memphis offense known for speed and electric plays. Linebacker Jett Johnson led the charge for his Bulldogs with 13 total tackles, and Nathan Pickering had a crucial sack. Overall, 22 separate Bulldogs recorded at least one tackle for the team. Many of those student-athletes are veterans who have seen a fair amount of playing time over the years. The incredible success that Mississippi State had defensively is largely due to how efficient and unified each of the players are as a whole after seasons of working together.

3. The Bulldogs' trio of top-notch running backs will take the team far.

Mike Leach is well known for his Air Raid offense, but the storied head coach has a running backs room that is far too talented to overlook. Dillon Johnson, Jo’quavious Marks and Simeon Price combined for 30 carries and 113 rushing yards over the weekend. Marks added two touchdowns on the ground for the Bulldogs. Despite being true running backs, the trio has proven that they can each be dependable receivers as well. In fact, Johnson had a team-high six receptions for 38 yards against Memphis. Price had one 20-yard catch, while Marks hauled in two receptions for a total of 21 yards.

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