The first Bulldog-Braves match up since 2013 had the same result on Saturday night that it did back then: a complete blowout. 

The Alcorn State Braves traveled to Starkville for the first time in 12 years just to have a sorrowful drive back to Lorman. Not only did they fail to put up any points, but they had opportunities like a pick in the second quarter which they threw away. Head Coach Jeff Lebby saw something that the rest of the Southeastern Conference didn’t see in his team: potential.

“We have better athletes and we understand what the expectation is, so we’ve gotten better,” Lebby said in an interview during Spring practice. 

MSU ended the game with 63 points on the board, a collaboration process between the “better athletes” that Lebby said the team gained. Nine touchdowns were scored by eight different players to secure the win over the Braves. 

Blake Shapen started the game with a 75-yard touchdown to Jordan Mosley on the second play of the game, setting the momentum for the rest of the evening. Alcorn then got the ball and was forced to punt it off, landing in Anthony Evans III hands for a 41-yard return. 

Fluff Bothwell got the energy moving and scored his first touchdown of the night off of Evans’ punt return. 

“It felt good getting fed early,” Bothwell said.

The motto around town is that Dawgs must eat, and that is exactly what State did on Saturday night.

Thompson, a transfer from the University of Oklahoma, and Evans, from the University of Georgia, have both brought power to MSU’s roster and helped rack up the points in this game. 

“All we needed was a chance, a shot to go out there and be able to showcase our school and I feel like we’re getting those chances here,” Evans said. 

Shapen ended the first quarter with himself in the end zone creating a 28 point lead over the Braves. 

The second quarter had a rocky beginning, with Shapen throwing an interception, but it was not long until Alcorn fumbled the ball, allowing Nic Mitchell to recover it and end that drive with a touchdown from Evans. Bothwell ended the first half with his second touchdown of the night, leaving the score at 42–0.

At the completion of half-time, officials announced that both head coaches agreed to play 10 minute quarters for the second half. 

Xavier Gayten, a true sophomore from Brookhaven, scored the sole touchdown in the third quarter, followed by Florida State transfer Luke Kromenhoek making his way to the end zone at the beginning of the fourth.

The game seemed to have been wrapped up at this point until Seth Davis scored the final six points of the night. During the 2023 EggBowl, Davis tore his ACL, causing him to be out for the 2024 season, but being able to score against the Braves meant the world to not just him, but to everyone on the sidelines. 

“I’ve never been around a young man that is a better teammate than Seth Davis,” said Lebby, “He is exactly what the game of football is about.”

The second half of the game was a chance to allow everyone to perform on Scott Field, not just the starters. 

“It doesn’t matter who’s in — one’s, two’s and three’s, he wants us to be able to go in and execute,” Brumfield said.

Sept. 13 marked the first 3-0 start for the Bulldogs since 2018, and just as invigorating, State now has more wins in the last three weeks than they did all of the 2024 season. The Dawgs are also currently ranked 29th in the AP College Poll. 

The Northern Illinois Huskies will make their way to Starkville on Sept. 20, followed by a fourth home game against the University of Tennessee on Sept. 27. 

It has now become clear to all of college football that Mississippi State Football is back, and they are hungrier than ever.