STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State football team’s defense is struggling significantly, with few arguments to the contrary.
The Bulldogs (1-6, 0-4 SEC) suffered a 34-24 defeat to No. 14 Texas A&M (6-1, 4-0) on Saturday, marking the sixth consecutive game in which they allowed at least 30 points. With an average of 33.3 points allowed per game, their defense ranks among the worst in power conference teams.
After the loss, head coach Jeff Lebby expressed pride in the team’s toughness and effort but acknowledged the need for improvement. “We’ve got to play better. I’ve got to coach better. That’s something that we will continue to do,” he stated.
Several alarming statistics highlight the issues plaguing Mississippi State’s defense.
First, the Bulldogs are tied for the fewest sacks in the nation, with just five sacks this season, including none in four games. Their total ranks them with Oregon State and Air Force for the lowest in the country, and those five sacks have only produced 16 yards lost for opponents, also the fewest nationwide. MSU’s 1.64% sack rate against FBS opponents is the lowest recorded.
Safety Isaac Smith commented, “Just play more physical and get back there. Keep practicing and working hard every week. Just get to the quarterback and try to get some pressure on him so our DBs won’t have to be in coverage as long.”
Additionally, Mississippi State’s defense is allowing the highest completion percentage in the country at 72.5%. This problem has persisted since last season, even with a change in defensive coordinators. Texas A&M quarterback Conner Weigman completed 60% of his passes on Saturday, contributing to this statistic.
This high completion percentage can be linked to cornerbacks playing deeper coverage rather than pressing the receiver. The defense’s difficulties with screen and swing passes combined with poor pass rush only exacerbate the issue.
On third downs, the Bulldogs are also struggling, with Texas A&M converting 9 out of 14 attempts, the worst performance this season. Opponents are converting third downs at a troubling 49.5% rate, ranking Mississippi State fourth worst in the nation.
Defensive lineman Sulaiman Kpaka highlighted the connection between improved pass rush and third-down effectiveness, noting, “As a defensive line, our job is to get back (to the quarterback). I feel like we need to continue to improve on that and we won’t have those issues.”
Despite these struggles, there is some glimmer of hope. The Bulldogs have forced multiple turnovers in three consecutive games, helping them stay competitive against top-15 teams such as Texas, Georgia, and Texas A&M. They also limited Georgia and Texas A&M to under 150 rushing yards, suggesting potential positive movement in their run defense, though they still allow 192.3 rushing yards per game, the second most among power conference teams.
Coach Lebby remarked on the run defense improvement, saying, “I was incredibly proud and encouraged of how we defended the run (Saturday). These guys had been running the ball incredibly well. To me, that’s what gave us a chance.”