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What to watch for when Mississippi State football hosts the Arkansas Razorbacks

These are some key storylines to watch as the Bulldogs face the Razorbacks.

By Andrew Miller

Oct 19, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby stands on the sidelines during the fourth quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images
Oct 19, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby stands on the sidelines during the fourth quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images / Matt Bush-Imagn Images
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Mississippi State football plays an absolutely crucial game on Saturday vs the Razorbacks. Here's three things I'll be watching closely during the matchup...

Will Jeff Lebby have a better gameplan for attacking the Arkansas defense than Josh Heupel did?

Arkansas played its best defensive game of the year against Tennessee. They held the Vols to just 14 points, 332 yards, and had four sacks. They had a great gameplan for stopping Josh Heupel's Veer and Shoot offense, and you can expect them to take a similar approach against Jeff Lebby's offense on Saturday. Having seen what the Hogs did to Tennessee, I have to imagine Lebby has been constructing a gameplan designed precisely to take advantage of what the Hogs showed a few weeks ago.

Can the Mississippi State offensive line actually give Michael Van Buren enough time to throw?

Mississippi State has had an awful time trying to protect its QBs this season. They've allowed more than three sacks per game. Arkansas, unfortunately for State, has a very good defensive front, headlined by star DE Landon Jackson. This is a bad matchup on paper, and the Bulldog OL is going to have to step-up big time if State is going to get the win. If Michael Van Buren is under pressure all game, the chances of offensive success are low. They've got to give him time to operate.

Will the Bulldog defense finally make enough big plays for State to get a win?

Over these last three games, State's defense, in spite of their overall deficiencies, has managed to make just a few big plays each game to at least keep things competitive and give their offense a chance. Arkansas is a team prone to making mistakes on offense, committing turnovers and stalling out in the redzone. It's unrealistic to expect the Bulldog defense to suddenly become a lockdown unit, but can they finally make enough stops and big plays to propel MSU to a win? Those few plays weren't enough to take down Top-15 teams, but they might be enough against the Hogs.

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