(RB Jeffrey Pittman – 247Sports)
Key Players Returning:
WR Jaden Walley, DE Deonte Anderson, LB JP Purvis, BS Corey Ellington, and PK Kyle Ferrie.
Key Players Departing:
QB Will Rogers (Washington transfer), RB Jo’Quavious Marks, WR/KR Lideatrick Griffin, WR Justin Robinson (West Virginia transfer), WR/RS Zavion Thomas (LSU transfer), OC Cole Smith, OG Nick Jones, OG Steven Losoya III (Vanderbilt transfer) OT Kwatrivous Johnson, OT Kameron Jones, DE Jaden Crumedy (Panthers R6), NT Nathan Pickering, LB Jett Johnson, LB DeShawn Page, LB Nathaniel Watson (Browns R6), CB DeCarlos Nicholson, CB Decamerion Richardson (Raiders R4), NB Shawn Preston Jr., BS Marcus Banks, and PT Keelan Crimmins (Purdue transfer).
(TE Cameron Ball – 247Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: TE Cameron Ball (Buffalo transfer), WR Mario Craver (Pinson, Alabama), OT Jimothy Lewis (Bradenton, Florida), ATH Braylon Burnside (Starkville, Mississippi), and WR JJ Harrell (Sardis, Mississippi).
3 Star Recruits: QB Michael Van Buren (Baltimore, Maryland), WR Sanfrisco Magee (McComb, Mississippi), LB Stone Blanton (South Carolina transfer), WR Kevin Coleman (Louisville transfer), and OL Ethan Miner (North Texas transfer).
2023 Results:
G01 SE LOUISIANA W 48-7
G02 ARIZONA W (OT) 31-24
G03 #14 LSU L 14-41
G04 @ South Carolina L 30-37
G05 #12 ALABAMA L 17-40
G06 WESTERN MICHIGAN W 41-28
G07 @ Arkansas W 7-3
G08 @ Auburn L 13-27
G09 KENTUCKY L 3-24
G10 @ Texas A&M L 10-51
G11 SOUTHERN MISS W 41-20
G12 #12 OLE MISS L 7-17
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 5-7 (6th in SEC West)
Home: 4-4
Away: 1-3
Neutral: 0-0
SEC: 1-7
Non-SEC: 4-0
Head Coach: Jeff Lebby
Mississippi State: 0-0
Career: 0-0
Bowls: 0-0
(SS Corey Ellington – 247 Sports)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Chris Parson (11-26, 103 yards, 42.3 avg., 4.0 avg., 0 TD, 3 INT)
Rushing: Jeffery Pittman (54 car., 268 yards, 5.0 avg., 1 TD)
Receiving: Antonio Harmon (14 rec., 98 yards, 7.0 avg., 1 TD)
TD’s Scored: Jeffery Pittman/Creed Whittemore (3)
Sacks: Corey Ellington (2)
Tackles: Corey Ellington (66)
Interceptions: None
Pass Deflections: Deonte Anderson (4)
Tackles For Loss: Corey Ellington/Donterry Russell (4)
Forced Fumbles: Deonte Anderson/Corey Ellington (1)
Kick Returns: Jeffrey Pittman (1 ret., 10 yards, 10.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Jaden Walley (2 ret., 15 yards, 7.5 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Kyle Ferrie (16-22 fg-fga., 73%, 27-27 xp-xpa., 75 pts.)
Punting: Keelan Crimmins (49 punts, 2003 yards, 40.9 avg., 13 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 2 Blake Shapen (RS SR/TR)
RB: 21 Davon Booth (SR/TR)
WR: 6 Jordan Mosley (RS JR/TR)
WR: 14 Trent Hudson (JR/TR)
WR: 3 Kevin Coleman (JR/TR)
TE: 18 Seydou Traore (SR/TR)
LT: 66 Makylan Pounders (RS JR/TR)
LG: 75 Jacoby Jackson (RS JR/TR)
OC: 67 Ethan Miner (RS SR/TR)
RG: 70 Marlon Martinez (SR/TR)
RT: 76 Albert Reese IV (RS JR)
KR: 21 Davon Booth (SR/TR)
PK: 80 Kyle Ferrie (SO)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 9 De’Monte Russell (RS SR)
NT: 22 Kedrick Bingley-Jones (RS JR/TR)
DE: 8 Sulaiman Kpaka (RS SR/TR)
LB: 44 Branden Jennings (RS JR/TR)
LB: 7 Stone Blanton (JR/TR)
LB: 40 Nic Mitchell (RS JR)
NB: 3 Brylan Lanier (RS JR/TR)
CB: 6 Traveon Wright (RS FR/TR)
CB: 14 Brice Pollock (SO)
FS: 2 Isaac Smith (SO)
SS: 21 Hunter Washington (RS JR/TR)
PR: 6 Kevin Coleman (JR/TR)
PT: 82 Nick Barr-Mira (RS SR/TR)
(DE De’Monte Russell/LB Donterry Russell – Getty Images)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: C
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: B
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/31 EASTERN KENTUCKY COLONELS | First meeting between schools.
09/07 @ Arizona State Sun Devils | First meeting between schools.
09/14 TOLEDO ROCKETS | First meeting between schools.
09/21 FLORIDA GATORS | Mississippi State trails the series 19-34-2. The Bulldogs lost (6-13) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
09/28 @ Texas Longhorns | The series is tied 2-2. The Bulldogs lost (11-38) the last meeting between schools in 1998.
10/12 @ Georgia Bulldogs | Mississippi State trails the series 6-20. The Bulldogs lost (19-45) the last meeting between schools in 2022, and their last series win (24-12) dates back to 2010.
10/19 TEXAS A&M AGGIES | Mississippi State leads the series 9-8. The Bulldogs are 4-6 since 2014, and their last series win (42-24) was in 2022.
10/26 ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS | Mississippi State trails the series 15-18-1. The Bulldogs are 7-3 since 2014, and their last series loss (28-31) was in 2021.
11/02 UMASS MINUTEMEN | Mississippi State leads the series 2-0. The Bulldogs won (34-23) the last meeting between schools in 2017, and they won (47-35) the inaugural meeting in 2016.
11/09 @ Tennessee Volunteers | Mississippi State trails the series 16-29-1. The Bulldogs lost (10-20) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
11/23 MISSOURI TIGERS | The series is tied 2-2. The Bulldogs won (51-32) the last meeting between schools in 2020.
11/29 @ Ole Miss Rebels | Mississippi State trails the series 47-65-6. The Bulldogs are 4-6 since 2014, and their last series win (24-22) was in 2022.
Predictions:
Home: 2-5
Away: 1-4
Neutral: 0-0
SEC: 1-7
Non-SEC: 2-2
Overall: 3-9 (14th in SEC)
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