The 2021 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University in the 2021 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 second-year head coach Mike Leach.
Coaching staff Staff from 2021. Name Position Mike Leach Head coach Tony Hughes Associate head coach & Nickelbacks Coach Zach Arnett Defensive coordinator & Linebackers coach Matt Brock Special teams coordinator & Outside Linebackers Coach Darcel McBath Cornerbacks coach Eric Mele Running backs coach Mason Miller Offensive line coach Dave Nichol Inside receivers coach Jeff Phelps Defensive line coach Steve Spurrier Jr. Outside receivers coach Jason Washington Safeties coach Tyson Brown Head strength and conditioning coach
SEC Media Days In the preseason media poll, Mississippi State was predicted to finish last in the West Division.
Schedule
Game summaries
Louisiana Tech
Sources:
Statistics LA TechMSU First downs 14 22 Total yards 369 436 Rushing yards 101 66 Passing yards 268 371 Turnovers 2 4 Time of possession 27:40 32:20 Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Tech Passing Austin Kendall 20/36, 269 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT Rushing Austin Kendall 5 carries, 68 yards, 1 TD Receiving Bub Means 2 receptions, 94 yards, 1 TDMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 39/47, 370 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT Rushing Jo'Quavious Marks 12 carries, 71 yards, 2 TD’S Receiving Jamire Calvin 3 receptions, 67 yards, 1 TD
NC State
Sources:
Statistics NC StateMSU First downs 16 15 Total yards 335 316 Rushing yards 32 22 Passing yards 303 294 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 28:54 31:06 Team Category Player StatisticsNC State Passing Devin Leary 30/49, 303 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Zonovan Knight 8 carries, 31 yards Receiving Emeka Emezie 6 receptions, 92 yardsMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 33/49, 294 yards, 2 TD's Rushing Dillon Johnson 6 carries, 18 yards Receiving Dillon Johnson 6 receptions, 70 yards
At Memphis
Sources:
Statistics MSUMemphis First downs 26 12 Total yards 468 246 Rushing yards 49 87 Passing yards 419 159 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 40:33 19:27 Team Category Player StatisticsMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 50/67, 419 yards, 3 TD Rushing Dillon Johnson 7 carries, 49 yards, 1 TD Receiving Makai Polk 11 receptions, 136 yards, 1 TDMemphis Passing Seth Henigan 16/28, 159 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT Rushing Brandon Thomas 16 carries, 86 yards Receiving Calvin Austin 9 receptions, 105 yards, 2 TD
LSU
Sources:
Statistics LSUMSU First downs 15 29 Total yards 343 486 Rushing yards 63 115 Passing yards 280 371 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 24:52 35:08 Team Category Player StatisticsLSU Passing Max Johnson 17/27, 280 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT Rushing Tyrion Davis-Price 13 carries, 51 yards Receiving Kayshon Boutte 4 receptions, 85 yards, 2 TDMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 47/62, 371 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT Rushing Dillon Johnson 8 carries, 51 yards Receiving Makai Polk 8 receptions, 78 yards, 1 TD
At No. 15 Texas A&M
Sources:
Statistics MSUTexas A&M First downs 27 15 Total yards 438 297 Rushing yards 30 162 Passing yards 408 135 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 35:06 24:54 Team Category Player StatisticsMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 46/59, 408 yards, 3 TD Rushing Dillon Johnson 6 carries, 19 yards Receiving Makai Polk 13 receptions, 126 yards, 2 TDTexas A&M Passing Zach Calzada 12/20, 135 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Isaiah Spiller 16 carries, 100 yards Receiving Jalen Preston 2 receptions, 49 yards
No. 5 Alabama
Sources:
Statistics AlabamaMSU First downs 22 24 Total yards 543 299 Rushing yards 195 -1 Passing yards 348 300 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 29:53 30:07 Team Category Player StatisticsAlabama Passing Bryce Young 20/28, 348 yards, 4 TD Rushing Roydell Williams 11 carries, 78 yards Receiving John Metchie III 7 receptions, 117 yards, 1 TDMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 35/55, 300 yards, 3 INT Rushing Dillon Johnson 7 carries, 24 yards Receiving Jaden Walley 6 receptions, 64 yards
At Vanderbilt
Sources:
Statistics MSUVanderbilt First downs 29 5 Total yards 522 155 Rushing yards 61 9 Passing yards 461 146 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 39:02 20:58 Team Category Player StatisticsMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 41/57, 384 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT Rushing Dillon Johnson 7 carries, 34 yards Receiving Jaden Walley 5 receptions, 72 yardsVanderbilt Passing Mike Wright 12/17, 122 yards, 1 INT Rushing Rocko Griffin 7 carries, 12 yards Receiving Devin Boddie Jr. 4 receptions, 69 yards
No. 12 Kentucky
Sources:
Statistics KentuckyMSU First downs 14 27 Total yards 216 438 Rushing yards 66 94 Passing yards 150 344 Turnovers 4 0 Time of possession 18:50 41:10 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Will Levis 17/28, 150 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT Rushing Chris Rodriguez Jr. 8 carries, 34 yards Receiving Wan'Dale Robinson 9 receptions, 79 yardsMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 36/39, 344 yards, 1 TD Rushing Jo’Quavious Marks 20 carries, 58 yards, 1 TD Receiving Jaden Walley 6 receptions, 95 yards
At Arkansas
Sources:
Statistics MSUArkansas First downs 28 23 Total yards 486 393 Rushing yards 69 202 Passing yards 417 191 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 32:14 27:46 Team Category Player StatisticsMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 36/48, 417 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT Rushing Jo'Quavious Marks 11 carries, 40 yards Receiving Makai Polk 8 receptions, 117 yardsArkansas Passing KJ Jefferson 19/23, 191 yards, 1 TD Rushing Dominique Johnson 17 carries, 107 yards, 2 TD Receiving Treylon Burks 6 receptions, 82 yards, 1 TD
At No. 17 Auburn
Sources:
Statistics MSUAuburn First downs 31 22 Total yards 487 483 Rushing yards 72 106 Passing yards 415 377 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 35:01 24:59 Team Category Player StatisticsMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 44/55, 415 yards, 6 TD Rushing Dillon Johnson 8 carries, 62 yards Receiving Jaden Walley 7 receptions, 87 yardsAuburn Passing Bo Nix 27/41, 377 yards, 2 TD Rushing Ja'Varrius Johnson 1 carries, 57 yards, 1 TD Receiving Kobe Hudson 8 receptions, 107 yards, 1 TD
Tennessee State
Sources:
Statistics Tenn StateMSU First downs 14 23 Total yards 205 600 Rushing yards 35 107 Passing yards 170 493 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 35:20 24:40 Team Category Player StatisticsTennessee State Passing Deveon Bryant 9/11, 128 yards Rushing Devon Starling 11 carries, 33 yards Receiving Cam Wyche 4 receptions, 88 yardsMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 28/34, 391 yards, 5 TD Rushing Dillon Johnson 5 carries, 56 yards, 1 TD Receiving Makai Polk 9 receptions, 110 yards, 1 TD
No. 9 Ole Miss
Sources:
Statistics Ole MissMSU First downs 23 30 Total yards 388 420 Rushing yards 154 84 Passing yards 234 336 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 30:16 29:44 Team Category Player StatisticsOle Miss Passing Matt Corral 26/34, 234 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Jerrion Ealy 16 carries, 60 yards Receiving Dontario Drummond 14 receptions, 138 yardsMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 38/58, 336 yards, 1 TD Rushing Jo'Quavious Marks 8 carries, 45 yards, 1 TD Receiving Makai Polk 10 receptions, 98 yards
Vs. Texas Tech
Sources:
Statistics TTUMSU First downs 24 21 Total yards 512 344 Rushing yards 260 54 Passing yards 252 290 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 30:57 28:41 Team Category Player StatisticsTexas Tech Passing Donovan Smith 15/28, 252 yards, 1 TD Rushing Tahj Brooks 16 rushes, 107 yards, 1 TD Receiving Myles Price 3 receptions, 72 yardsMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 32/53, 290 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Dillon Johnson 9 rushes, 62 yards Receiving Austin Williams 5 receptions, 74 yards
Rankings
Statistics
Scoring
Scores by quarter (non-conference opponents)
Scores by quarter (SEC opponents)
Team statistics Team Statistics Opponents Mississippi State Total Points 303 371 Points per game 25.6 30.9 Rushing yards per game 101 64 Passing yards per game 230.1 385.8
Players drafted into the NFL Mississippi State had two players selected in the 2022 NFL draft.
1 9 Charles Cross OT Seattle Seahawks 3 68 Martin Emerson CB Cleveland Browns
References