The 2024 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bulldogs were led by first-year head coach Jeff Lebby. The team played its home games at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville.
Schedule Mississippi State and the SEC announced the 2024 football schedule on December 13, 2023. The 2024 Bulldogs' schedule consisted of 7 home games and 5 away games for the regular season. Mississippi State hosted four SEC conference opponents Arkansas, Florida, Missouri and Texas A&M at home and travelled to four SEC opponents, Georgia, Ole Miss (Egg Bowl), Tennessee and Texas to close out the SEC regular season on the road. The Bulldogs’ bye weeks came in week 6 and 12 (October 5 and November 16, respectively).
As Texas was one of two new members of the SEC that joined in July 2024, the Bulldogs played the Longhorns for the first time since the 1998 season at the 1999 Cotton Bowl Classic. Mississippi State travelled to Austin, Texas for the first time since the 1992 season, which the Bulldogs won 28–10. Texas won the 2024 rematch 35-13.
With the two new teams to the SEC (Oklahoma and Texas) and the conference dropping divisions in a new scheduling format, Mississippi State in 2024 did not play notable SEC rivals for the first time in years; Alabama (1947), Auburn (1954), Kentucky (1989) and LSU (1943).
The 2024 season's out-of-conference opponents represented the Big 12, MAC and the United Athletic (UAC) conferences, along with an FBS independent team. The Bulldogs hosted three of their four non–conference games against FCS opponent Eastern Kentucky, Toledo from the MAC, and UMass, who was an FBS independent. The Bulldogs travelled to Arizona State for the first time in program history on September 7, 2024. The three other non-conference teams that Mississippi State faced in 2024 were also the first ever meetings in program history.
Personnel
Game summaries Eastern Kentucky (FCS)
Statistics EKUMSST First downs 16 19 Total yards 295 450 Rushing yards 126 203 Passing yards 169 247 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22–38–1 15–22–0 Time of possession 38:06 21:54 Team Category Player StatisticsEastern Kentucky Passing Matt Morrissey 22/38, 169 yards, TD, INT Rushing Joshua Carter 19 rushes, 75 yards Receiving Marcus Calwise Jr. 4 receptions, 45 yardsMississippi State Passing Blake Shapen 15/20, 247 yards, 3 TD Rushing Blake Shapen 7 rushes, 44 yards, TD Receiving Jordan Mosley 5 receptions, 104 yards, TD
at Arizona State
Statistics MSSTASU First downs 18 26 Total yards 292 415 Rushing yards 24 346 Passing yards 268 69 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18–28–0 10–20–0 Time of possession 19:47 40:13 Team Category Player StatisticsMississippi State Passing Blake Shapen 18/28, 268 yards, 2 TD Rushing Keyvone Lee 9 rushes, 35 yards, TD Receiving Kevin Coleman Jr. 4 receptions, 103 yards, TDArizona State Passing Sam Leavitt 10/20, 69 yards Rushing Cam Skattebo 33 rushes, 262 yards Receiving Cam Skattebo 3 receptions, 35 yards
Toledo
Statistics TOLMSST First downs 26 21 Total yards 454 385 Rushing yards 169 66 Passing yards 285 319 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 23–28–0 28–39–1 Time of possession 37:04 22:56 Team Category Player StatisticsToledo Passing Tucker Gleason 23/28, 285 yards, 3 TD Rushing Willie Shaw III 16 rushes, 62 yards, TD Receiving Junior Vanderos III 7 receptions, 73 yards, TDMississippi State Passing Blake Shapen 28/39, 319 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Johnnie Daniels 10 rushes, 59 yards Receiving Kevin Coleman Jr. 7 receptions, 77 yards, TD
Florida
Statistics UFMSST First downs 27 31 Total yards 503 480 Rushing yards 226 240 Passing yards 277 240 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 26–28–0 20–34–0 Time of possession 27:36 32:24 Team Category Player StatisticsFlorida Passing Graham Mertz 19/21, 201 yards, 3 TD Rushing Montrell Johnson Jr. 15 rushes, 68 yards Receiving Elijhah Badger 3 receptions, 45 yardsMississippi State Passing Blake Shapen 13/21, 140 yards, TD Rushing Johnnie Daniels 14 rushes, 77 yards, TD Receiving Mario Craver 3 receptions, 62 yards
Starting quarterback Blake Shapen suffered a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter and was replaced by true freshman Michael Van Buren Jr. for the rest of the game. Head coach Jeff Lebby later announced that Shapen would be out for the rest of the season.
at No. 1 Texas
Statistics MSSTTEX First downs 19 21 Total yards 294 522 Rushing yards 150 198 Passing yards 144 324 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 12–23–0 26–31–0 Time of possession 34:57 25:03 Team Category Player StatisticsMississippi State Passing Michael Van Buren Jr. 12/23, 144 yards Rushing Johnnie Daniels 15 rushes, 75 yards Receiving Kevin Coleman Jr. 6 receptions, 57 yardsTexas Passing Arch Manning 26/31, 324 yards, 2 TD Rushing Quintrevion Wisner 13 rushes, 88 yards Receiving DeAndre Moore Jr. 4 receptions, 103 yards, 2 TD
at No. 5 Georgia
Statistics MSSTUGA First downs 17 28 Total yards 385 605 Rushing yards 79 146 Passing yards 306 459 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 20–37–1 36–48–2 Time of possession 26:22 33:38 Team Category Player StatisticsMississippi State Passing Michael Van Buren Jr. 20/37, 306 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Davon Booth 10 rushes, 32 yards Receiving Kevin Coleman Jr. 8 receptions, 103 yardsGeorgia Passing Carson Beck 36/48, 459 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT Rushing Anthony Evans III 1 rush, 52 yards Receiving Arian Smith 5 receptions, 134 yards, TD
No. 14 Texas A&M
Statistics TAMUMSST First downs 17 22 Total yards 353 367 Rushing yards 136 125 Passing yards 217 242 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 15–25–2 22–41–1 Time of possession 30:08 29:52 Team Category Player StatisticsTexas A&M Passing Conner Weigman 15/25, 217 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Le'Veon Moss 17 carries, 65 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jabre Barber 6 receptions, 92 yardsMississippi State Passing Michael Van Buren Jr. 22/41, 242 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Davon Booth 12 carries, 79 yards Receiving Kevin Coleman Jr. 8 receptions, 89 yards, TD
Arkansas
Statistics ARKMSST First downs 29 24 Total yards 673 471 Rushing yards 359 162 Passing yards 314 309 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 23–29–1 22–31–2 Time of possession 31:15 28:45 Team Category Player StatisticsArkansas Passing Taylen Green 23/29, 314 yards, 5 TD, INT Rushing Braylen Russell 16 rushes, 175 yards Receiving Andrew Armstrong 4 receptions, 76 yardsMississippi State Passing Michael Van Buren Jr. 22/31, 309 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Davon Booth 17 rushes, 93 yards Receiving Kevin Coleman Jr. 8 receptions, 100 yards, TD
UMass
Statistics MASSMSST First downs 25 26 Total yards 335 463 Rushing yards 199 241 Passing yards 136 222 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–29–1 14–25–0 Time of possession 40:49 19:11 Team Category Player StatisticsUMass Passing A. J. Hairston 7/11, 62 yards, TD Rushing Brandon Campbell 10 rushes, 64 yards, TD Receiving Jakobie Keeney-James 4 receptions, 29 yards, TDMississippi State Passing Michael Van Buren Jr. 14/25, 222 yards, TD Rushing Johnnie Daniels 6 rushes, 92 yards, TD Receiving Jordan Mosley 4 receptions, 107 yards
at No. 7 Tennessee
Statistics MSSTTENN First downs 15 25 Total yards 271 452 Rushing yards 179 240 Passing yards 92 212 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 10–26–1 13–21–0 Time of possession 25:42 34:18 Team Category Player StatisticsMississippi State Passing Michael Van Buren Jr. 10/26, 92 yards, INT Rushing Davon Booth 20 carries, 125 yards, TD Receiving Kevin Coleman Jr. 5 receptions, 68 yardsTennessee Passing Nico Iamaleava 8/13, 174 yards, 2 TD Rushing Dylan Sampson 30 carries, 149 yards, TD Receiving Dont'e Thornton Jr. 3 receptions, 104 yards, TD
No. 23 Missouri
Statistics MIZZMSST First downs 24 16 Total yards 472 338 Rushing yards 204 147 Passing yards 268 191 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 15–20–0 16–28–0 Time of possession 41:51 18:09 Team Category Player StatisticsMissouri Passing Brady Cook 15/20, 268 yards, TD Rushing Nate Noel 25 carries, 95 yards Receiving Luther Burden III 7 receptions, 91 yards, TDMississippi State Passing Michael Van Buren Jr. 16/28, 191 yards, TD Rushing Davon Booth 12 carries, 124 yards, TD Receiving Kelly Akharaiyi 3 receptions, 64 yards
at No. 14 Ole Miss (Egg Bowl)
Statistics MSSTMISS First downs 16 21 Total yards 63–330 75–397 Rushing yards 30–39 51–254 Passing yards 291 143 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18–33–2 14–24–0 Time of possession 28:17 31:43 Team Category Player StatisticsMississippi State Passing Michael Van Buren, Jr. 17/32, 280 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Davon Booth 16 carries, 38 yards Receiving Kevin Coleman, Jr. 6 receptions, 118 yards, TDOle Miss Passing Jaxson Dart 14/24, 143 yards, TD Rushing Ulysses Bentley IV 20 carries, 136 yards, TD Receiving Caden Prieskorn 4 receptions, 53 yards, TD
References