Mississippi State football endured a seventh consecutive defeat on Saturday, suffering a heavy 58-25 loss at home to the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Despite showing signs of improvement in recent weeks, the Bulldogs delivered their worst defensive performance of the season in a game that laid bare their vulnerabilities.
In recent outings, Mississippi State had made strides offensively, and the defense had shown flashes of promise.
However, head coach Jeff Lebby expressed deep disappointment in his team’s defensive collapse against Arkansas during his post-match press conference.
“Disappointed today. I thought we had made real progress, gotten better… We did some things on third down, but we couldn’t get them in enough third downs,” said Lebby.
The statistics told a damning story. Arkansas amassed a staggering 673 yards of total offense, averaging 10.2 yards per play.
Mississippi State did manage to prevent the Razorbacks from converting on third down, with Arkansas going 0-7 in those situations.
But the issue lay elsewhere—Arkansas simply didn’t need many third downs. They consistently moved the chains on first and second down, leaving the Bulldogs scrambling.
A key factor in Mississippi State’s undoing was Arkansas’s relentless ground game. Despite missing their starting running back, the Razorbacks ran riot, racking up 359 rushing yards.
Backup running back Braylen Russell led the charge with 175 yards, while Rashod Dubinion added 98 yards. Even quarterback Taylen Green, who had recorded -9 rushing yards across his previous three games combined, broke loose for 79 yards.
Lebby was blunt in his post-game assessment, pinpointing the Bulldogs’ inability to stop the run as a primary issue.
“We have to play better against the run. That’s first and foremost. And we have to find ways to get the back on the ground when we make contact. That’s where it starts,” he said.
The result has intensified scrutiny on defensive coordinator Coleman Hutzler, with many Mississippi State fans demanding changes.
While Lebby refrained from commenting directly on his coordinator’s future, he acknowledged the need for the entire coaching staff to do more.
“We’ve got to find ways to get our guys to play at a better speed, a better physicality, at a better level. We’ve got to get every ounce out of them we can. We have to,” Lebby said.
The bigger concern now is whether the Bulldogs have hit a breaking point. After three competitive performances against strong opponents, the defeat to Arkansas has abruptly halted their momentum. With confidence shaken, it’s unclear if Mississippi State can regain their footing for the remainder of the season.