Cowbell Corner

Mississippi State Football: The Blueprint to Get Back on Track

What must Mississippi State do to keep progressing under Jeff Lebby? 

Jacob Bain

Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby walks off the field after defeating the Eastern Kentucky Colonels at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field.
Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby walks off the field after defeating the Eastern Kentucky Colonels at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. / Matt Bush-Imagn Images
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Mississippi State football suffered its first defeat at Arizona State 30-23. First-year head coach Jeff Lebby had a chance early to rally the fan base but failed. 

However, not all hope is lost. After all, it was only the second career game for Lebby as a head coach. 

Mississippi State’s path to a bowl game has been severed, and it is unpopular to say, but this program would take serious strides with just five if done correctly. This football program is at a low it has not seen since 2008, but what things could this team show that could give Bulldog fans hope moving forward? 

Constant Improvement 

It is unfair to expect a team with a first-time head coach not have any backslides. . It is part of college football. The fans want instant results, which is understandable, but the key is to avoid a snowball effect. 

Arizona State bullied Mississippi State on the line of scrimmage, and the Bulldogs were not crisp on either side of the ball early. While this is a huge issue, it will give fans optimism if Mississippi State can improve in the areas throughout the season. 

Now, expecting Mississippi State to dominate the trenches is unreasonable. However, if it can be crisper on offense, get better at the line of scrimmage, and avoid dragging its feet to start the game from here on out, it will show Lebby can make improvements week to week, which is crucial moving forward.

Underdog Mentality 

Mississippi State will be the underdog several times this year, especially on the road at Texas, Ole Miss, Georgia, and Tennessee. Despite the long odds, can Lebby bring his team into a hostile environment against a top-10 team and make the game competitive in the fourth quarter? 

Expecting Mississippi State to steal a game on the road is unreasonable, but putting a scare into them would generate buzz among the fan base and recruiting. Lebby has a high-flying offense, and hanging 40 points on Texas would create much excitement for the season ahead. 

Resiliency 

Mississippi State will inevitably face more adversity this season. The first loss always stings the most, but Mississippi State needs to come out and dominate Toledo this weekend to put the Arizona State loss behind them. 

They must carry that over throughout the season because former MSU head coach Zach Arnett let adversity knock and keep his team down. Lebby must avoid letting one loss affect his squad for two weeks.

Read More:

Mississippi State’s Path Forward Mirrors Sun Devils' Journey After Loss

SEC Week 2 Power Rankings: Which Teams Are Contenders or Pretenders?

WATCH: Mississippi State's Bowl Hopes Take a Hit with Arizona State Defeat


Mississippi State Crumbles in the Trenches: What Went Wrong Against Arizona State?

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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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