Cowbell Corner

What Went Right? Mississippi States Tops UMass

If the Bulldogs want to win a third game, they'll need to capitalize on the successful things they did Saturday afternoon at Davis Wade Stadium.

Taylor Hodges

Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. (0) celebrates with teammates after a game against the Massachusetts Minutemen at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field.
Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. (0) celebrates with teammates after a game against the Massachusetts Minutemen at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. / Matt Bush-Imagn Images
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STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State got its second win of the Jeff Lebby-era in a 45-20 victory against UMass. Unfortunately, if the sportsbooks and prognosticators are correct, it’ll be the Bulldogs’ last win of the season.

The Bulldogs will be underdogs in their final three games against No. 7 Tennessee, No. 25 Missouri and No. 19 Ole Miss. But if the Bulldogs can capitalize what they did well against the Minutemen, they may be able to get a third win and one of the year’s most-impactful wins.

Here are some things that went right for Mississippi State against UMass:

Mississippi State Offense: What went right?

Run game. UMass came to Davis Wade Stadium with a, surprisingly highly-ranked defense in total yards at No. 36 with 328 yards allowed per game and No. 6 passing defense. The Minutemen, however, rank No. 100 in rushing defense and the Bulldogs exploited that weakness to the tune of 241 yards and 5 touchdowns.  

Mississippi State Defense: What went right?

Negative plays. The Bulldogs’ defense hadn’t recorded a sack their Sept. 28 game against then-No. 1 Texas. That was five weeks and four games ago, but that streak ended Saturday against UMass. Deonte Anderson and Kai McClendon combined for the defense’s first sack against the Minutemen and Ty Cooper got a solo sack later in the game.

Mississippi State Special Teams: What went right?

Kick returns. Davon Booth deserves a lot of credit for helping Mississippi State overcome the 10-0 deficit it faced after the first quarter. Booth took both of the kickoffs following UMass’s touchdown and field goal and put Bulldogs’ offense in good field position. The Bulldogs may still have been able to overcome the deficit, but Booth certainly made it easier.

Read More Mississippi State Bulldogs On SI:

5 Key Stats From Mississippi State's Win Over UMass: Bulldogs Bounce Back After Early Struggle

Mississippi State Starts Slow, Ends With Win vs. UMass

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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