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What To Expect: 2025 Mississippi State Football
Mississippi State is entering year two of the Jeff Lebby era after a less than memorable first year in Starkville. However, Coach Lebby and the Bulldogs have been working to build a team and culture that will bring winning to Davis Wade Stadium.
The 2024 Season
In the 2024 college football campaign, State finished 2-10 with wins against Eastern Kentucky and UMass, both at home. The Bulldogs had a completely new squad and had to play one of the most difficult schedules in the country, facing four teams that ended up in the 2024 College Football 12-team Playoff.
State landed Baylor transfer quarterback Blake Shapen for the 2024 season, but Shapen only started in four games before missing the rest of the year due to injury. Shapen returns to the roster this season where he will compete with Florida State transfer Luke Kromenhoek and true freshman Kamario Taylor for the starting spot.
In 2024, the major issues for State were the defensive side of the ball and the offensive line. They allowed 34.1 points per game, which ranked 118th in the nation. As a result, the Bulldogs went out and made several portal additions to hopefully rejuvenate a defense that is normally above average in Starkville.
Coach Lebby was an offensive coordinator at multiple different Power 5 schools prior to arriving in Starkville and looks to continue building an offensive force. State added standout transfer running back Fluff Bothwell from South Alabama, who put up 832 yards and 13 touchdowns in the 2024 season on 7.5 yards a carry. Bothwell will make an immediate impact on offense along with the new offensive line.
Schedule Preview
Mississippi State opens up its 2025 campaign on the road as they face in-state foe Southern Miss in Hattiesburg on Aug. 30. The Golden Eagles went 1-11 last season and are also looking to improve and shake off the rust. State will then follow up with four consecutive home games against Arizona State, Alcorn State, and Northern Illinois before beginning an eight consecutive SEC game stretch with Tennessee. Both Arizona State and Tennessee made appearances in the CFP last season and will again be tough opponents for the Bulldogs.
State will then travel to College Station and face Texas A&M before heading to Gainesville to face the Florida Gators in the Swamp. Florida will be led by quarterback DJ Lagway, a rising star who led the Gators to 8-5 last year as a freshman after they were widely projected to miss a bowl game. The Bulldogs will round out October with a battle in Davis Wade against Texas, a CFP Semifinal team in 2024.
The Bulldogs will begin November with a trip to Fayetteville to square off against the Arkansas Razorbacks before returning home to face the Georgia Bulldogs, another CFP team in 2024. After, State will face Missouri in Columbia before returning home for the Egg Bowl against in-state rival Ole Miss. Last season the Rebels won the Egg Bowl 26-14, and the Bulldogs will fight to bring the golden egg back to Starkville.
Overall, State will have another challenging schedule ahead of them, but Lebby and the Dawgs will most definitely see improvement from year one as they continue to build a new culture and team around Mississippi State football. The Bulldog faithful have a lot to be excited about when the season begins in August.
