Mississippi State football: Grading the Bulldogs after loss to LSU

Sep 16, 2023; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) runs the ball for a touchdown while defended by Mississippi State Bulldogs safety Isaac Smith (20) during the third quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 16, 2023; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) runs the ball for a touchdown while defended by Mississippi State Bulldogs safety Isaac Smith (20) during the third quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
2 of 5
Will Rogers #2 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs
STARKVILLE, MISSISSIPPI – SEPTEMBER 16: Will Rogers #2 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs warms up before the game against the LSU Tigers at Davis Wade Stadium on September 16, 2023 in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)

Mississippi State football offense vs. LSU Tigers: F

The offense was dreadful. Absolutely dreadful. Top to bottom, whole nine yards. All of it. Terrible. An abysmal thing to try and watch. It was bad! Very, very bad.

Will Rogers only managed to complete 11 of his 28 pass attempts for a meager total of 103 yards. On top of that, Rogers ended up getting sacked on four different occasions by the Tigers’ pass rushers.

He didn’t have much fun.

Woody Marks put up a pretty respectable showing, but he only had eight carries. Still, Marks ran for 75 yards (thanks in large part to a 52-yard run that he broke to give MSU a spark of life in the second quarter.

But that’s pretty much it. The offensive line was manhandled time and time again. The playcalling was odd. Rogers wasn’t exactly accurate. Marks didn’t have many carries and when he did get the ball, his running lanes were clogged with Tigers.

The offense wasn’t fun to watch at all. I miss the Air Raid. We could be raiding the air. We have chosen not to raid the air. And we’re not having fun right now trying to not raid the air with a roster that is assembled to raid the air.