The 2020 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bulldogs played their home games at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi, and competed in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by first-year head coach Mike Leach.
In a season impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bulldogs compiled a 3–7 record in a 10-game all-SEC schedule. As the NCAA had waived bowl eligibility requirements for the season, the Bulldogs received an invitation to the Armed Forces Bowl where they defeated Tulsa, becoming one of the few bowl teams with a losing record to record a bowl victory and set the record for the worst winning percentage for a team that won a bowl game.
SEC Media Days In the preseason media poll, Mississippi State was predicted to finish in a tie for fifth place in the West Division.
Schedule Mississippi State announced its 2020 football schedule on August 7, 2019. The 2020 schedule consisted of 7 home and 5 away games in the regular season.
The Bulldogs had games scheduled against Alabama A&M, New Mexico, NC State, and Tulane, but were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The game between Auburn and Mississippi State was postponed due to an outbreak of COVID-19 on the Mississippi State team. The game was originally scheduled for November 14. Schedule source:
Rankings
Game summaries
At No. 6 LSU
Sources:
Statistics MSSTLSU First downs 24 25 Total yards 632 425 Rushing yards 9 80 Passing yards 623 345 Turnovers 4 2 Time of possession 30:28 29:32 Team Category Player StatisticsMississippi State Passing K. J. Costello 36/60, 623 yards, 5 TD, 2 INT Rushing Kylin Hill 7 carries, 34 yards Receiving Osirus Mitchell 7 receptions, 183 yards, 2 TDLSU Passing Myles Brennan 27/46, 345 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT Rushing Chris Curry 9 carries, 47 yards Receiving Terrace Marshall Jr. 8 receptions, 122 yards, 2 TD
Arkansas
Statistics ARKMSST First downs 17 24 Total yards 275 400 Rushing yards 63 87 Passing yards 212 313 Turnovers 2 4 Time of possession 23:40 36:20 Team Category Player StatisticsArkansas Passing Feleipe Franks 20/28, 212 yards, 2 TD Rushing Trelon Smith 14 rushes, 48 yards Receiving De'Vion Warren 4 receptions, 100 yards, TDMississippi State Passing K. J. Costello 43/59, 313 yards, TD, 3 INT Rushing Dillon Johnson 9 rushes, 39 yards, TD Receiving Osirus Mitchell 5 receptions, 61 yards
At Kentucky
Statistics MSSTUK First downs 18 10 Total yards 295 157 Rushing yards 20 84 Passing yards 275 73 Turnovers 6 1 Time of possession 34:49 25:11 Team Category Player StatisticsMississippi State Passing K. J. Costello 36/55, 232 yards, 4 INT Rushing Kylin Hill 7 rushes, 17 yards Receiving Kylin Hill 15 receptions, 79 yardsKentucky Passing Terry Wilson 8/20, 73 yards, TD Rushing Terry Wilson 13 rushes, 50 yards Receiving Josh Ali 2 receptions, 22 yards
No. 11 Texas A&M
Statistics TAMUMSST First downs 17 15 Total yards 325 217 Rushing yards 186 -2 Passing yards 139 219 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 30:32 29:28 Team Category Player StatisticsTexas A&M Passing Kellen Mond 13/23, 139 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Isaiah Spiller 18 rushes, 114 yards, 2 TD Receiving Chase Lane 2 receptions, 70 yards, TDMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 15/18, 120 yards, TD Rushing Jo'Quavious Marks 7 rushes, 25 yards Receiving Malik Heath 5 receptions, 57 yards, TD
At No. 2 Alabama
Sources:
Statistics Statistics MSSTALA First downs 12 26 Total yards 200 499 Rushing yards 37 208 Passing yards 163 291 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 28:18 31:42 Team Category Player StatisticsMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 24/37, 147 yards, 2 INT Rushing Jo'Quavious Marks 9 rushes, 32 yards Receiving Jo'Quavious Marks 8 receptions, 38 yardsAlabama Passing Mac Jones 24/31, 291 yards, 4 TD Rushing Najee Harris 21 rushes, 119 yards Receiving DeVonta Smith 11 receptions, 203 yards, 4 TD
Vanderbilt
Statistics VANMSST First downs 30 14 Total yards 478 204 Rushing yards 142 -22 Passing yards 336 226 Turnovers 5 0 Time of possession 32:10 27:50 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Ken Seals 31/46, 336 yards, TD, 3 INT Rushing Keyon Henry-Brooks 20 rushes, 115 yards, TD Receiving Cam Johnson 10 receptions, 114 yardsMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 35/46, 226 yards, TD Rushing Jo'Quavious Marks 6 rushes, 10 yards, TD Receiving Malik Heath 9 receptions, 79 yards
At No. 13 Georgia
Statistics Statistics MSSTUGA First downs 20 18 Total yards 358 409 Rushing yards 22 8 Passing yards 336 401 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 32:07 27:53 Team Category Player StatisticsMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 41–52, 336 yards, TD Rushing Dillon Johnson 8 rushes, 19 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jaden Walley 7 receptions, 115 yards, TDGeorgia Passing J. T. Daniels 28–38, 401 yards, 4 TD Rushing Zamir White 11 rushes, 21 yards Receiving Jermaine Burton 8 receptions, 197 yards, 2 TD
At Ole Miss
Statistics Statistics MSSTMISS First downs 23 24 Total yards 479 550 Rushing yards 39 163 Passing yards 440 387 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 32:27 27:33 Team Category Player StatisticsMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 45–61, 440 yards, 3 TD Rushing Will Rogers 4 rushes, 26 yards Receiving Jaden Walley 9 receptions, 176 yardsOle Miss Passing Matt Corral 24–36, 385 yards, 2 TD Rushing Jerrion Ealy 18 rushes, 93 yards, TD Receiving Elijah Moore 12 receptions, 139 yards
Auburn
Statistics Statistics AUBMSST First downs 19 17 Total yards 343 240 Rushing yards 218 19 Passing yards 125 221 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 30:56 29:04 Team Category Player StatisticsAuburn Passing Bo Nix 15–32, 125 yards, TD Rushing Tank Bigsby 26 rushes, 192 yards Receiving Seth Williams 3 receptions, 57 yards, TDMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 30–51, 221 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Dillon Johnson 5 rushes, 30 yards Receiving Jaden Walley 8 receptions, 100 yards
Missouri
Statistics Statistics MIZMSST First downs 22 24 Total yards 342 446 Rushing yards 101 151 Passing yards 241 295 Turnovers 4 3 Time of possession 28:57 31:03 Team Category Player StatisticsMissouri Passing Connor Bazelak 22–38, 225 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT Rushing Larry Rountree III 25 rushes, 121 yards, 2 TD Receiving Keke Chism 6 receptions, 64 yards, TDMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 21–36, 295 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Jo'Quavious Marks 12 rushes, 70 yards, TD Receiving Jaden Walley 5 receptions, 129 yards, TD
Vs. No. 24 Tulsa (Armed Forces Bowl)
Statistics Statistics TLSAMSST First downs 27 16 Total yards 484 271 Rushing yards 137 123 Passing yards 347 148 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 31:19 28:41 Team Category Player StatisticsTulsa Passing Zach Smith 26–46, 347 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Corey Taylor II 20 rushes, 80 yards, TD Receiving Keylon Stokes 9 receptions, 117 yards, TDMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 19–30, 148 yards, TD Rushing Jo'Quavious Marks 11 rushes, 72 yards, TD Receiving Austin Williams 3 receptions, 42 yards
Players drafted into the NFL
7 253 Marquiss Spencer DE Denver Broncos 7 256 Kylin Hill RB Green Bay Packers
References