Three reasons why Bulldogs can upset Arizona State in Week Two

STARKVILLE, Miss.

Second-year Bulldogs coach Jeff Lebby can earn his first signature victory early on in 2025 with a potential upset of Big 12 title contender Arizona State.

The Cinderella story that was Arizona State's 2024 season came to a halt in a thrilling College Football quarterfinal against Texas last season.

Third-year coach Kenny Dillingham has seen his star brighten as one of the hottest young coaches in college football, a must have in the current landscape.

Full Cowbell Mode But, it's hard to give the Sun Devils a presumed victory at Mississippi State in week two this fall with the Bulldogs rebuilt roster even after a 2-10 season.

From 2021-2023, Mississippi State was 16-10 at home and fans are desperate to pack Davis Wade Stadium and cause chaos with cowbells against Arizona State.

When things are going well, Mississippi State can be one of the loudest stadiums in the country.

Plus, the game doesn't start at high noon either which gives fans time to be fully liquidated and ready to go for a 6:30 p.m.

kickoff for one of the biggest game of Lebby's tenure to this point.

Life without Skattebo Obviously, Arizona State returns starting quarterback Sam Leavitt after tossing 16 touchdowns over the final month of the season enroute to a Big 12 Championship in its first season in the conference.

The hype for Leavitt is real as the redshirt sophomore is considered a darkhorse Heisman Trophy contender this fall.

He won't have all-everything athlete Cam Skattebo to toss the ball to this season which could benefit Mississippi State's case for an upset as the Sun Devils try to figure things out.

The Bulldogs defense surrendered 346 yards rushing yards to the Sun Devils in a 30-23 loss in Tempe last season, but Lebby made a concerted effort to improve the team's run defense.

Mississippi State added beef in the trenches with Colin Coates (Charlotte), Will Whitson (Coastal Caroliina), Raishein Thomas (Northern Illinois), Darron Reed, Jr.

(Auburn), Malick Sylla (Texas A&M), Jaray Bledsoe (Texas) and Redd Hibler (North Carolina State).

The linebacker room was upgraded with the additions of Jalen Smith (Tennessee) and Derion Gullette (Texas) to help out Bulldogs' hybrid defender Isaac Smith, who led the SEC with 127 tackles last season.

Arizona State's rushing attack isn't going away either with the combination of Kanye Udoh and Kyson Brown, which will test the Bulldogs' front seven Udoh was excellent in Army's option scheme, rushing for 1,117 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.

At wide receiver, Arizona State returns its top option in Jordyn Thomas after catching 75 passes for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns in a breakut junior season.

The duo of Leavitt and Tyson will test a newly reconfigured Bulldogs' pass defense led by Smith, former Alabama defensive back Tony Mitchell, NAIA transfer Dwight Lewis and Old Dominion's Jahron Manning.

Lebby showed confidence in Mitchell this spring as he became a steady option in the secondary.

Tony, really over the last five practices, has just started to hit his stride, Lebby said following the spring game.

A guy that had surgery at the end of the season leaving East [Mississippi Community College] and he gets here, and he was rehabbing early on as we were getting into winter workouts.

He's really just starting to get his legs underneath him.

Mitchell recorded four tackles and one sack, a solid day for someone still coming into their own after being injured.

Healthy quarterback gives Bulldogs Edge If Mississippi State can secure an upset Sept.

6, they're going to need Blake Shapen sharp and steady behind a rebuilt offensive line that gave up 38 sacks last season.

The offense wasn't much of an issue last season before Shapen suffered a shoulder injury against Florida, completing 69% of his attempts for 974 yards, eight touchdowns and only one interception.

The fifth-year senior has played in some big games during his career, including a Big 12 championship victory (2021) and an upset at Oklahoma (2022).

With a lot of new faces on the roster, Shapen felt good about his team following spring practice.

"Obviously we came a long ways from where we started [this spring], Shapen said after the Maroon and White Spring Game.

"A lot of new faces, a lot of new guys.

And I feel good.

We made a lot of progress in spring ball and I feel like guys have been very intentional coming in every day and working hard.".

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