Mississippi State Defense Impresses in 7-3 Win against Arkansas
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — In a hard-fought battle on Saturday, the Mississippi State Bulldogs’ defense came up big, shutting down the Arkansas Razorbacks and leading their team to a 7-3 victory. Mississippi State’s defensive coordinator-turned-head coach, Zach Arnett, had complete trust in his defense, even in the face of their struggles in previous SEC games. The Bulldogs utilized an open week to regroup and prepare, and the defense rose to the occasion, preventing the Razorbacks from reaching the end zone throughout the game.
Arnett acknowledged the team’s dissatisfaction with their defensive performance in past games, stating, We’ve seen the stats, we know the results were not to our satisfactory level. They went to work during the bye week. That’s what you do. There’s no magic formula. You put in the work, show up every day for practice, take a critical eye at situations that you failed to perform and go about correcting them.
The defensive showcase by MSU was crucial as their offense faced difficulties throughout the game. Quarterback Mike Wright, making his first start of the season in place of the injured Will Rogers, struggled early on with an interception on his first pass. However, the defense rallied behind Wright and the team, vowing to take ownership of the game and prevent any touchdowns by the Razorbacks.
After several punts from both teams, the Bulldogs managed to put together the only touchdown drive of the game, spanning the first and second quarters. A series of penalties by Arkansas coupled with strong rushing by Jo’Quavious Woody Marks helped MSU move the ball into the red zone. Wright connected with Zavion Thomas for a swing pass, bringing them close to the goal line, and then found Marks for a 2-yard touchdown pass.
Wright didn’t have an extensive passing game, only completing eight of his 12 attempts for 85 yards. However, he contributed significantly on the ground with 60 rushing yards on 11 carries. Wright’s focus was on instilling confidence in his team, stating, As a quarterback, you want to give as much confidence as you can to the team. The emphasis this week was focusing on ourselves. Focus on your job, focus on your assignment, and by any means necessary go out there and get a win.
The Bulldogs’ defense proved instrumental in containing the Arkansas offense, particularly in the first half. Although Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson found some success with his running game in the second half, the Bulldogs managed to halt their progress and secured an important stop on a fourth-and-1 play in the third quarter.
Linebacker Nathaniel Bookie Watson led the defensive charge with 14 tackles and two sacks, while Jett Johnson contributed 11 tackles despite playing through a bloody nose in the second half.
With this win, Mississippi State improves to 4-3 overall and 1-3 in SEC play. The road to bowl eligibility opens up for the Bulldogs, who have the opportunity to secure another road win next week against Auburn. Coach Arnett highlighted the significance of October for the program, saying, October was going to be a big month for our program. We have three games in the month of October, and we’re 2-0 right now and we’ve set ourselves up for a chance to go 3-0. We’ve got a great opportunity ahead of us as a program.
The Bulldogs’ victory is a testament to their resilient defense and the teamwork they exhibited on the field. Despite a challenging day for the offense, Mississippi State’s defense stepped up and delivered a commendable performance. As they continue their season, they will aim to build on this momentum and achieve further success in the SEC.
