Cowbell Corner

Can Mississippi State Build on Strong Texas Performance to Secure an SEC Victory?

Mississippi State's performance against Texas was solid; could the Bulldogs steal an SEC win?

Jacob Bain

Sep 21, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby speaks with quarterback Blake Shapen (2) during the fourth quarter against the Florida Gators at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images
Sep 21, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby speaks with quarterback Blake Shapen (2) during the fourth quarter against the Florida Gators at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images / Matt Bush-Imagn Images
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Mississippi State football put together a tough performance against Texas but ultimately fell short 35-13. This season has been tough for Mississippi State under first-year head coach Jeff Lebby.

Last season, the Bulldogs missed the postseason for the first time since 2009, and the hope was that Lebby could get Mississippi State back into postseason play. That hope was bleak after Mississippi State dropped a game against Arizona State, and the hope was shattered when the Bulldogs were embarrassed by Toledo.

Mississippi State hosted Florida to open SEC play, and there were signs of improvement, but it did not matter, as Florida won 45-28. Starting quarterback Blake Shapen suffered a season-ending injury against the Gators, and all hope was lost for Mississippi State, which was heading to face the number-one team in the country with a true freshman signalcaller.

However, Mississippi State put together a strong performance against Texas thanks to an excellent game plan from Lebby and his coaching staff. The Longhorns pulled away late, but Mississippi State only trailed 14-6 halfway through the third quarter before finally running out of gas.

Lebby does not accept moral victories, nor should he, but Mississippi State's performance in Austin, Texas, opened the thoughts of the Bulldogs winning an SEC game, which seemed impossible 48 hours ago. The Bulldogs head into a BYE this week before heading to Athens to face Georgia.

It's a tall task to knock off Georgia and Kirby Smart, but after that game, Texas A&M, Arkansas, and Missouri come to Starkville. If Mississippi State can continue to improve, knocking off the Aggies and Razorbacks, who have not been overly impressive, is a real possibility.

Missouri is a good team, but the Bulldogs showed they can hold their own against a solid team. Also, the Egg Bowl is always unpredictable, and with Ole Miss dropping a game to Kentucky, that game is worth watching.

Making the postseason is a bit far-reaching for Mississippi State, but the Bulldogs could easily find one or two SEC wins, which seemed impossible days ago.

Read More Mississippi State Bulldogs on SI:

Mississippi State Football Exceeds Expectations In Loss: What Went Wrong?

Mississippi State Defense Shows Improvement vs No. 1 Texas, But Issues Remain

Resilient Mississippi State Offense Delivers Solid Performance Against Texas

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Jacob Bain
JACOB BAIN

Jacob Bain first joined Cowbell Corner as an intern, and was promoted to lead day-to-day coverage in Starkville of Mississippi State sports in 2023. His primary beats include football, baseball and basketball. He's originally from Fulton, Miss.

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