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Rapid Reaction: Mississippi St. pulls huge upset over No. 8 LSU in Death Valley
By Ethan Levine
Published:
The Mississippi State Bulldogs made history Saturday night by upsetting No. 8 LSU 34-29 under the lights in Death Valley. The Bulldogs beat a ranked opponent for the first time since 2010, beat LSU for the first time since 1999 and won in Baton Rouge for the first time since 1991.
Dak Prescott had a career night, completing 15-24 passes for 268 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a spectacular 74-yard touchdown pass to Jameon Lewis in the third quarter. Prescott also rushed 22 times for 105 yards and 1 touchdown, including a 56-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter to make up for a fumble to open the half. It marked the third straight week Prescott threw for at least 200 yards and ran for at least 100 yards.
The Bulldogs out-gained LSU by 140 total yards, and Mississippi State even made its first two field goals of the season in the win.
Here are a couple of thoughts on the game:
What it means: The win means Mississippi State is officially a part of the SEC West race. The Bulldogs are now 4-0 and just recorded their biggest win of the season to open SEC play. They will almost certainly be ranked in tomorrow’s updated polls, making them the sixth SEC West team to enter the rankings. After the upcoming bye week, Mississippi State will have back-to-back games against top 10 foes Texas A&M and Auburn, both of which will have to travel to Starkville to play the Bulldogs. If Mississippi State can follow up its performance against LSU with similar performances against A&M and Auburn, it will have a realistic chance to compete for the SEC West division crown.
What I liked: I liked, nay, I loved the way Prescott responded to an early fumble in the second half with back-to-back scoring drives to extend the Bulldogs lead to 21 points. Prescott fumbled on Mississippi State’s first play of the second half, and LSU defensive end Danielle Hunter scooped up the loose ball and ran it back for a touchdown to cut the MSU lead at the time to 17-10. Prescott responded with an explosive 56-yard touchdown run and a thrilling 74-yard touchdown pass to Lewis to extend the lead to 31-10 and swing the momentum back in the Bulldogs’ favor. Past Mississippi State teams would have allowed the fumble to derail the entire team, eliminating any chance of a tough road upset. However, this veteran bunch of Bulldogs, led by Prescott, remained resilient despite the adversity, and actually extended its lead in Death Valley. That resiliency is a big reason why Mississippi State can compete all year in the tough SEC West.
Who’s the man: Prescott is an easy choice here, but for the sake of keeping things fresh let’s show tailback Josh Robinson the love he deserves. Robinson played like a powerful downhill runner against a fierce LSU defense, adding a few shifty moves in the open field to turn moderate gains into big plays. He carried the ball 16 times for 197 yards and 1 touchdown, and also played a role in pass protection, providing Prescott the time to pick LSU apart through the air. Robinson made perhaps the most important play of the game late in the first half when it appeared Prescott had made a fatal error. The junior quarterback was wrapped up and on the verge of being sacked, and seemingly out of panic flipped the ball up in the air to avoid the loss. It appeared the LSU defensive back in the area would grab the ball out of the air and run it back for a touchdown just before the half, but Robinson got his hand in and knocked the ball away, resulting in a simple incompletion. That subtle deflection by the ever-aware Robinson may have saved Mississippi State heading into the break.
Key play: Prescott’s 56-yard touchdown run was the key play of the game following his fumble to open the half that LSU returned for a touchdown. Mississippi State led 17-10 at the time of Prescott’s run, and the offense faced a third and 3 at its own 44 yard line, the second third down of the drive. Despite converting just 1-of-5 third downs in the first half, Prescott ran straight up the middle on the play to earn the Bulldogs’ second third down conversion in a row. However, once he got through the trenches on his feet, Prescott had plenty of green grass in front of him, and after a few stellar moves in the open field, he was standing in the end zone for six points. The play not only put Prescott’s athleticism on display, but it also showed his field awareness and his confidence to follow a bad turnover with a huge touchdown at the other end.
What’s next: The Bulldogs are rewarded for their monumental upset with a bye week next week, giving the team two weeks to reflect on its biggest win since last year’s comeback in the Egg Bowl. Mississippi State will also use the week off to prepare for its consecutive games against A&M and Auburn on Oct. 4 and 11. Those two games could be the defining stretch of the season, as even a 1-1 split would keep MSU right in the thick of the chase for an SEC West crown.
A former newspaper reporter who has roamed the southeastern United States for years covering football and eating way too many barbecue ribs, if there is such a thing.
