Mississippi State football is trailing No. 5 Georgia, and beyond the scoreboard, the game is going poorly from an availability standpoint. Safety Jahron Manning was ejected for targeting in the second quarter after a hard hit on Georgia tight end Lawson Luckie. He had recorded six tackles and one tackle for loss prior to being ejected.
But was it really targeting? That seems to be a massive question every week, in nearly every game, in college football. And Mississippi State fans are not at all convinced the refs made the correct call.
I support the idea and purpose of targeting, but when plays like that are called targeting, you have to fix the rule.
— Justin M. Strawn (@JustinMStrawn) November 8, 2025
The targeting call has ruined the game of football.
— Left Field Lounger (@LFLatMSU) November 8, 2025
That's a BS targeting call. That's a clean hit
— Everything MS State (@msudawg04) November 8, 2025
Just take the helmets and the shoulder pads away from the game….. they have destroyed this game.
— C. M. (@tycade52) November 8, 2025
Hey refs Georgia doesn’t need help
— Tru Maroon Nation (@TruMaroonNation) November 8, 2025
It was certainly a call that could have gone either way, but the refs felt there was enough to warrant the ejection. And now Mississippi State has to go forward without one of their best defenders.
Mississippi State's safety depth now in bad shape vs Georgia
Jahron Manning isn't the only safety the Bulldogs are without in this game against Georgia. Isaac Smith left the first half with an injury that required him to be helped off the field and into the locker room. Presumably, he too is done for the game.
With two starters out at safety, Mississippi State is in bad shape at the position, and this is the last game where they would want that to happen. Georgia is an outstanding rushing team, and was running all over Mississippi State in the first half 109 yards at 5.7 yards per carry. State's safeties frequently are tasked with getting involved as run stoppers. With two starters off the field, it gets even tougher to expect MSU to limit the UGA ground game.
Georgia also loves to target pass-catchers that are primarily covered by safeties. UGA has an elite group of tight ends and an explosive slot receiver in Zachariah Branch, and they've already been torching Mississippi State throwing to that group in the first half. That will almost certainly continue in the second half, not at all what MSU wants to see.
Mississippi State is going to have to mount a massive comeback in the second half if they're going to pull off an upset of Georgia, but now they're going to have to do it shorthanded at an important position.