The Mississippi State University Bulldogs walked away with an eye-opening victory over the Western Michigan Broncos Saturday morning in Davis Wade Stadium.
The crisp morning air leading up to kick-off showed signs of fall making its way to Starkville, but the sparsely filled stadium and muted sound of cowbells showed only a discouraged fanbase. While Bulldogs fans are known to be loud and proud, Saturday’s early game against the Broncos made for a small drought in spirit.
Nevertheless, the Mississippi State Bulldogs pulled off a 41-28 win over Western Michigan in what started out as a seemingly slow game.
The first quarter offered MSU fans a sigh of relief as the Bulldogs quickly took the lead 10-0. Freshman kicker Kyle Ferrie put the first points on the board for MSU with a 31-yard field goal. Will Rogers secured a 15-yard touchdown pass to redshirt sophomore Jordan Mosley, adding to the Bulldogs’ lead and securing Mosley’s first touchdown pass of his career.
However, collective sighs of relief quickly turned to sighs of worry as Jo’Quavious “Woody” Marks limped to the sideline and did not return to the field for the remainder of the game. Marks has since been seen wearing a boot, but there has not yet been any confirmation of injury.
Time trickled down in the first half, and MSU was up 17-0. The Bulldogs grew a bit too comfortable in their high momentum and allowed Western Michigan to enter the endzone just before halftime.
Mississippi State headed to the locker room with a 10-point lead going into the second half.
Bulldogs’ head coach Zach Arnett said that football is a game of momentum and consistency. As the teams took on the second half of the game, Western Michigan was able to shake up the Bulldogs and get them out of their groove.
“The momentum flipped on us and we had trouble getting it back there until the end of the game,” Arnett said.
Quarterback Mike Wright hopped in the game as the third quarter began and quickly secured a three-yard rushing touchdown. Wright recorded the most snaps he has had all season in the game against the Broncos and was 7 of 10 for 57 yards with 24 rushing yards. Head coach Arnett said that there are many Bulldogs on the roster who are true team players, and Mike Wright is certainly one of them.
“Every time his number has been called, he’s answered the call,” Arnett said. “And he’s provided a spark for our offense.”
Although Mississippi State’s offense continued to rack points, defense began to shudder. The game quickly became a back-and-forth contest of who would get points on the scoreboard next.
The Bulldogs surrendered over 400 yards to the Broncos throughout the game. However, the Bulldogs never trailed the Broncos and made sure to keep a safe distance to remain ahead.
As the fourth quarter rolled around, the Bulldogs still held only a 10-point lead over Western Michigan. MSU was in dire need of a wake up call, as the point difference grew too close for comfort for the end of the game.
Will Rogers left the game after Mississippi State’s second drive of the quarter, but luckily the Bulldogs were still able to pull off the victory even with two vital players missing. Head coach Arnett did not provide any information on Rogers’ or running back Jo’Quavious Marks’ injuries but did emphasize their hard work and grit.
“Those guys are warriors; they didn’t want to come out. That’s why I appreciate coaching guys like that,” Arnett said. “They’re ‘Bulldog mentality’ guys.”
The score sat at 38-28 when quarterback Mike Wright took Rogers’ place on the field. With around only four minutes left on the clock, senior kicker Nick Barr-Mira secured another three points with a 49-yard field goal.
The scoreboard showed favor toward the Bulldogs at 41-28, but the ball was now in the hands of Western Michigan with plenty of time to turn the game around. Thankfully, graduate safety Shawn Preston Jr. sealed the deal for the Bulldogs with an interception as the game came to a close.
Mississippi State slid by with a victory, but head coach Arnett and the Bulldogs are not content with their performance against the Broncos.
“Obviously we’re not satisfied,” Arnett said. “The players aren’t satisfied and we’re going to utilize this bye week to really highlight the ways in which we need to improve because we’re facing a lot of really good teams in this second half and it’s time to make our run.”
The Broncos bucked harder than Mississippi State expected, but the Bulldogs knew to bite back.
Mississippi State now holds a 3-3 overall record and will be on the road after the upcoming bye week to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks Oct. 21. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.