Mississippi State Football Summer Series: Previewing LSU

NOTE: This series will preview each of  Mississippi State’s football’s 12 games ahead of the 2023-24 football season 

STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State football summer series rolls on, previewing the Bulldogs’ Week 3 game against LSU. 

MSU’s Southeastern Conference opener will be first-year head coach Zach Arnett’s first major test of the season, with LSU likely to be ranked somewhere in the top-10 when the Tigers come to Starkville 

It will be a big opportunity for the Bulldogs to change expectations for their season with an upset victory. 

Here is what to know about MSU’s Week 3 opponent: 

Game: LSU at Mississippi State 

When: Sept. 16

Where: Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville

Time/TV: 11 a.m. (ESPN) 

Series History: LSU leads the all-time series 77-36-3, and has won the last two meetings, including 2022’s 31-16 victory over MSU in Baton Rouge. MSU quarterback Will Rogers threw for 214 yards, one touchdown (to Rara Thomas) and one interception. Jo’quavious Marks added one touchdown and 50 rushing yards. 

LSU’s 2022 season: Brian Kelly’s first season in the SEC began in disaster, losing to Florida State on a missed extra point, then ended with an SEC championship game berth and bowl game win. The Tigers finished 10-4 in 2022, with wins against Southern, MSU, New Mexico, Auburn, Florida, No. 7 Ole Miss, No. 6 Alabama, Arkansas, UAB and Purdue in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. 

LSU finished the 2022 season 28th in college football in total offense (453.1 yards per game) and 41st in total defense, allowing 354.6 yards per game. 

Coaches: Head Coach, Brian Kelly (second season), Offensive Coordinator, Mike Denbrock (second season), Defensive Coordinator, Matt House (second season), Special Teams Coordinator, John Jancek (first season) 

LSU players to know: 

Jayden Daniels, QB: Daniels, an Arizona State transfer, was tremendous in his first season with LSU in 2022. Daniels completed 68.6% of his passes, throwing for 2,913 yards, 17 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also led the Tigers with 885 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. Daniels, who was a Davey O’Brien Award Semifinalist (given to college football’s best quarterback) is one of the early betting favorites to win the Heisman Trophy in 2023. 

Noah Cain, RB: Cain, a Penn State transfer, made an immediate impact for the Tigers in his first season in Baton Rouge. Cain rushed for 409 yards and 10 touchdowns on 76 carries last season. He also added 76 receiving yards on nine catches. His best game came in LSU’s 41-10 win over UAB, where he rushed for 76 yards and three touchdowns. He also added two scores in LSU’s bowl win over Purdue. 

Malik Nabers, WR : Nabers, a junior, was LSU’s most productive wide receiver in 2022. Nabers finished with a team-high 72 receptions for 1,017 yards and three touchdowns. Nabers finished with three 100-plus receiving yard games last year, doing it against UAB, No. 1 Georgia in the SEC Championship and Purdue in the Citrus Bowl, where he was named the game’s MVP. Nabers was one of only 30 Division I players to amass more than 1,000 receiving yards last season.

Greg Penn III, LB: Penn III, a junior, becomes LSU’s defensive leader after 2022’s leading tackler, Micah Baskerville, signed with the Chicago Bears after the Draft as an unrestricted free agent. Penn III was second on the team in tackles last year, finishing with 78, including six tackles for loss and three pass deflections. 

Justin Frommer is the Mississippi State sports reporter for The Dispatch.