THE MATCHUP: GAME 3 BROADCAST INFORMATION MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS (1-1) TV: SEC NETWORK Play-by-Play: Tom Hart vs Analysts: Jordan Rodgers Reporter: Cole Cubelic KENTUCKY WILDCATS (0-2) October 10, 2020 · 6:30 p.m. CT · Lexington, Ky. · Kroger Field (61,000 - limited to 25 percent) RADIO: MSU SPORTS RADIO NETWORK Play-by-Play: Neil Price STORYLINES Analyst: Matt Wyatt Sideline: Jay Perry • Mississippi State is looking to bounce back from a 21-14 loss to Arkansas last week, marking just its second loss to the Razorbacks in the last nine meetings. SIRIUS XM RADIO • The Bulldogs and the Wildcats have one of the most even series in the SEC. MSU currently holds a 24-23 edge in the all-time MSU Broadcast Channel: 81 series. State won six in a row to tie the series in 2014, and the teams have traded victories since with the home team winning each of the last three meetings. TEAM INFORMATION • A Bulldog victory would mark the first time the road team has won in the series since 2014 when MSU claimed a 45-31 victory. MISSISSIPPI STATE The home team has won 28 of the 47 previous meetings. Head Coach: Mike Leach (BYU, 1983) Rankings: RV (AP) / RV (Coaches) • MSU has held consecutive opponents to fewer than 100 rushing yards, through two weeks of SEC play. The Bulldogs Overall Record: 140-91 (19th season) have not held three straight SEC opponents below the century mark on the ground, since at least 2005. However, in 2009, the Mississippi State Record: 1-1 (first season) Bulldogs did manage to keep four conference teams to fewer than 100 rushing yards, doing so in back-to-back games twice. KENTUCKY • K.J. Costello set a school record for completions with 43 against Arkansas. He also completed 36 passes at LSU. That marked Head Coach: Mark Stoops (Iowa, 1989) the second time in school history that an MSU quarterback completed 30 or more passes in consecutive games. Dak Prescott Rankings: NR (AP) / RV (Coaches) completed 38 passes at Arkansas (Nov. 21, 2015) and 31 against Ole Miss (Nov. 28, 2015). Overall Record: 44-46 (eighth season) • The Bulldogs are 64 yards shy of cracking 1,000 passing yards already this season. Should MSU reach the milestone against the Kentucky Record: 44-46 (eighth season) Wildcats, it would mark the fewest number of games needed to do so in school history. State’s highest passing total on record through its first three games is 964 yards in 2003. 2020 MISSISSIPPI STATE SCHEDULE • MSU has thrown for 300 or more yards in both games this season. The last time the Bulldogs threw for 300 yards in consecutive Overall: 1-1 | H: 0-1 | A: 1-0 | N: 0-0 games came on Nov. 14, 2015 (304 vs. Alabama) and Nov. 21, 2015 (508 at Arkansas). SEPTEMBER (1-0) • State’s pair of scoring drives against Arkansas last Saturday were their two longest drives of the season. The first was the longest 26 at No. 6/5 LSU * CBS 21,124 W, 44-34 in terms of plays (15) and time (7:45). The second was the Bulldogs’ longest by yardage, covering 76 yards in 14 plays and 7:21. OCTOBER (0-1) • MSU has attempted 60 passes in each of its first two games. Entering the season, the school record was 54 attempts set on Sept. 3 Arkansas SECN Alt. 13,564 L, 14-21 12, 2015, against LSU. Since that game, State had attempted more than 40 passes just seven times, all in 2015. 10 at Kentucky SEC Network 6:30 p.m. 17 Texas A&M SEC Network 3 p.m. • returns to Kentucky for the first time since he was the offensive coordinator in 1997 and 1998. The Kentucky offense Mike Leach 31 at Alabama ESPN 6 p.m. set six NCAA records, 41 SEC records and 116 school records in just 22 games under Leach. Of those, 39 offensive school records still stand today (23 individual, 16 team). NOVEMBER (0-0) • A two-time national coach of the year, Mike Leach was hired as the 34th head coach in program history on Jan. 6, 2020. He has 7 Vanderbilt SECN 3 p.m. won 140 games in 19 seasons as a head coach highlighted by two 11-win seasons, five 9-win seasons, and five 8-win seasons. 14 Auburn TBA TBA He’s the only active Power 5 head coach to produce an 11-win season at two different programs since 2008. 21 at Georgia TBA TBA 28 at Ole Miss TBA TBA • Since 2005, Mike Leach’s offenses have passed for 500+ yards in 27 games, which is No. 1 in the nation among active FBS head coaches and 16 more than the next head coach during that time frame. His offense has totaled 600+ offensive yards in 26 DECEMBER (0-0) different games, which ranks third among active FBS head coaches during that span. 5 Missouri TBA TBA NUMBERS TO KNOW MISSISSIPPI STATE COACHING STAFF Mike Leach, head coach (1st) MSU is one of four FBS teams who ranks in MSU leads the SEC and ranks tied for No. 3 *Tony Hughes, associate head coach/nickelbacks (9th, 2nd stint) the top 10 in total offense (No. 7) and top 20 4 5 in the FBS with 5.0 sacks per game. Zach Arnett, defensive coordinator/linebackers (1st) in total defense (No. 19). Matt Brock, special teams coordinator/outside LBs (1st) Darcel McBath, conerbacks (1st) MSU is one of three SEC teams and seven *Eric Mele, running backs (1st) MSU ranks No. 3 in the SEC and No. 14 in the FBS teams that hasn’t allowed a rushing Mason Miller, offensive line (1st) FBS in yards per play allowed. 4.7 0 touchdown this season. Dave Nichol, inside receivers (1st) *Jeff Phelps, defensive line (1st) MSU leads the SEC in 20+ yard plays from *Steve Spurrier Jr., outside receivers (1st) Osirus Mitchell leads the SEC and ranks tied for scrimmage. K.J. Costello’s 16 20+ yard passes Jason Washington, safeties (1st) No. 3 in the FBS with seven catches for 20+ yards. 16 lead the SEC and are tied for No. 4 in the FBS. 7 * - denotes in the booth MISSISSIPPI STATE DEPTH CHART OFFENSE DEFENSE WR (X) 4 Malik Heath 6-3 215 Jr.-JC DE 52 Kobe Jones 6-4 260 Sr.-2L -or- 18 Cameron Gardner 6-4 220 So.-1L 15 Jack Harris 6-3 250 RFr.-RS 81 Lideatrick Griffin 5-10 175 Fr.-HS NT 94 Jaden Crumedy 6-5 300 So.-1L WR (H) 0 JaVonta Payton 6-1 180 Sr.-1L 22 Nathan Pickering 6-4 310 So.-1L 11 Geor’quarius Spivey 6-5 240 So.-1L -or- 6 Garrett Shrader 6-4 215 So.-1L DT 42 Marquiss Spencer 6-4 300 Sr.-3L 17 Aaron Odom 6-3 275 Jr.-1L LT 67 Charles Cross 6-5 290 RFr.-RS 58 Kameron Jones 6-5 305 So.-SQ SAM 2 Tyrus Wheat 6-2 260 Jr.-JC 6 Jordan Davis 6-4 260 Jr.-JC LG 55 Greg Eiland 6-8 335 Sr.-3L 63 LaQuinston Sharp 6-3 300 Sr.-1L MIKE 40 Erroll Thompson 6-1 250 Sr.-3L 14 Nathaniel Watson 6-2 250 So.-1L C 57 Cole Smith 6-3 305 So.-SQ 71 James Jackson 6-3 330 Jr.-2L WILL 3 Aaron Brule 6-1 230 So.-1L 44 Jett Johnson 6-2 235 So.-SQ RG 56 Dareuan Parker 6-4 355 Sr.-3L -or- 54 Rodney Groce Jr. 6-2 245 Fr.-HS 72 Brandon Cunningham 6-4 300 RFr.-RS CB 1 Martin Emerson 6-2 195 So.-1L RT 69 Kwatrivous Johnson 6-7 315 So.-SQ 30 Decamerion Richardson 6-2 180 Fr.-HS 78 Scott Lashley 6-7 315 Sr.-GTR FS 38 Fred Peters 5-10 210 Sr.-1L WR (Y) 85 Austin Williams 6-3 200 Jr.-2L 19 Collin Duncan 6-0 205 So.-SQ 31 Jaden Walley 6-0 180 Fr.-HS BULLDOG 7 Marcus Murphy 6-1 200 Jr.-2L WR (Z) 9 Tyrell Shavers 6-6 200 Jr.-GTR 12 Shawn Preston Jr. 6-0 210 So.-1L 5 Osirus Mitchell 6-5 210 Sr.-3L -or- 17 Caleb Ducking 6-5 200 Jr.-JC SS 28 Londyn Craft 6-0 200 Jr.-SQ -or- 84 Dontea Jones 6-4 230 Sr.-3L 24 Dylan Lawrence 6-4 195 RFr.-RS QB 3 K.J. Costello 6-5 225 Sr.-GTR CB 27 Esaias Furdge 6-0 185 So.-SQ -or- 2 Will Rogers 6-2 205 Fr.-HS 13 Emmanuel Forbes 6-0 180 Fr.-HS RB 8 Kylin Hill 5-11 210 Sr.-3L 21 Jo’quavious Marks 5-10 195 Fr.-HS SPECIALISTS -or- 23 Dillon Johnson 6-0 215 Fr.-HS -or- 22 Lee Witherspoon 5-10 195 So.-1L PK 8 Brandon Ruiz 5-10 180 Jr.-GTR 47 Jace Christmann 6-0 195 Sr.-3L -or- 91 Nolan McCord 6-0 170 Fr.-HS KO 8 Brandon Ruiz 5-10 180 Jr.-GTR 48 Scott Goodman 5-10 200 Jr.-2L -or- 37 Tucker Day 6-0 210 Jr.-2L P 37 Tucker Day 6-0 210 Jr.-2L -or- 97 Reed Bowman 6-0 200 Sr.-SQ LS 43 Paul Blackwell 5-10 205 Sr.-1L 68 Hayes Hammond 5-10 190 Fr.-HS -or- 41 Colby Cox 6-1 240 Fr.-HS H 97 Reed Bowman 6-0 200 Sr.-SQ 37 Tucker Day 6-0 210 Jr.-2L KR 0 JaVonta Payton 6-1 180 Sr.-1L -or- 21 Jo’quavious Marks 5-10 195 Fr.-HS PR 85 Austin Williams 6-3 200 Jr.-2L 22 Lee Witherspoon 5-10 195 So.-1L 2 HAILSTATE.COM First Season MIKE LEACH @Coach_Leach 34TH HEAD FOOTBALL COACH AT MISSISSIPPI STATE 2018 & 2008 NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR Mike Leach, a two-time national coach of the year, three-time and eight consecutive seasons of at least eight victories.