Previewing Texas Longhorns vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs Week 9 Matchup

The Texas Longhorns will look to rebound on offense as they travel to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs

Oct 18, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive back Michael Taaffe (16) celebrates after the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The Texas Longhorns have experienced a rollercoaster the last two weekends. A dominant win over the top-10 ranked Oklahoma Sooners was followed by an overtime win against the Kentucky Wildcats, where they were able to sneak out of Lexington with a win, and the beginning of a streak.

Now, though, they will look to build upon their last two victories as they travel to Starkville to take on the 4-3 Mississippi State Bulldogs. For the Longhorns this will mark their third straight week away from home, while the Bulldogs will look to win their first conference game in over two years.

With that said, though, it won't be as easy a matchup as it appears on paper. The Bulldogs took down the Arizona State Sun Devils early this season in a thrilling win, and if the Longhorns struggle to establish their offense, it could get interesting.

Bulldogs Offense

Sep 28, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. (0) throws a pass in the second half against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Jeff Lebby's offense will be led by quarterback Blake Shapen who has 1,525 passing yards on the season with nine touchdowns to five interceptions. More impressively though, he has a completion percentage of 67 percent which is 32nd in the country.

In the ground game, they feature a two-headed backfield of Fluff Bothwell and Davon Booth, both of which are the only two players on the team with more than 20 carries. Bothwell has 465 yards on the season with an average of 5.5 yards per carry, while Booth has 371 yards for 4.6 yards per carry respectively.

For their receivers, it's again a two-man show primarily, featuring Brenen Thompson and Anthony Evans III, both of which are the only two with more than 15 receptions on the year. Thompson, a former Longhorn, is the explosive option, with 533 yards and an average of 18.4 yards per catch, while Evans leads the team with 42 reception, but trails in yards with 471.

The offensive line however, have been their biggest struggle, allowing 20 sacks to their opponents on the year, which ranks 14th in the SEC. For comparison, even with the Longhorns struggles this season, they have only allowed 13 on the year. The battle for the trenches will be a big deciding factor for both teams.

Mississippi State's Defense

Sep 28, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns running back Quintrevion Wisner (26) tries to fend off Mississippi State Bulldogs safety Corey Ellington (10) in the second half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

The Bulldogs defense has been mediocre on the season, ranking 11th in opponents points per game (20.29), and 12th in opponents yards per game (351.29) in the SEC. The story remains the same in the trenches, as they are tied for 13th in the conference with 10 sacks on the season.

Safety Jahron Manning paces the teams in tackles on the season with 46 total, and is third with 12 solo tackles. Defensive lineman DJ Reed and Will Whitson are tied for the team lead with two sacks each. The Bulldogs are yet to have a defensive touchdown on the year.

The Longhorns will take on the Bulldogs on Oct. 25 at 3:15 p.m. CT