No. 16 Mississippi State visits No. 22 LSU on Saturday morning in a matchup between two longtime SEC rivals.
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This will be the 118th meeting between the schools, making Mississippi State LSU’s most-played SEC opponent. The Tigers lead the series 78-36-3.
It’s only the fourth time both teams have been ranked when they meet, and just the ninth time Mississippi State enters the game with a higher ranking than LSU.
Despite being ranked lower, the Tigers are 15.5-point favorites. Mississippi State’s injury concerns are a big reason why.
Here are five things to watch when the Bulldogs and Tigers meet at 11 a.m. in Tiger Stadium.
1. The health of Kamario Taylor and Fluff Bothwell
Mississippi State’s chances of pulling off the upset could depend on the availability of its two biggest offensive weapons.
Quarterback Kamario Taylor and leading rusher Fluff Bothwell are both listed as questionable.
Taylor is dealing with a painful turf toe injury that severely limited his mobility in the Bulldogs’ 56-23 loss to Alabama. He threw for 258 yards and three touchdowns but also had two interceptions and finished with minus-26 rushing yards.
Bothwell injured his left foot on the first play against Alabama and is also questionable for Saturday.
If Taylor can’t play, former walk-on Parker Puckett would make his first college start. If Bothwell is unavailable, Kolin Wilson could see an expanded role. Wilson has rushed for just 131 yards this season.
2. Can Sam Leavitt avoid costly turnovers?
Mississippi State’s secondary could present a challenge for LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt, even though the Bulldogs haven’t generated many takeaways this season.
Mississippi State has just two interceptions and has forced two fumbles.
Cornerback Kelley Jones is considered a potential first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. Teammate Jett Jefferson is tied for the SEC lead with eight passes defended, while Jones also ranks among the conference leaders in that category.
Former LSU safety Jardin Gilbert is another key piece of the Bulldogs’ secondary. He ranks third on the team with 26 tackles and has forced a fumble.
Mississippi State will be without second-leading tackler Jalen Smith, who is out for the season with a torn ACL.
If the Bulldogs can create turnovers, they could make things uncomfortable for LSU. But the Tigers will have an opportunity to exploit a defense that hasn’t consistently taken the ball away.
3. Can LSU fix its red-zone problems?
LSU’s red-zone struggles were a factor in its one-point overtime loss to Kentucky.
The Tigers settled for two short field goals instead of touchdowns, leaving valuable points on the field in a game they lost 35-34.
LSU has made an SEC-high 36 trips inside the opponent’s 20-yard line and scored 31 times. The Tigers have recorded 25 touchdowns, converting 69% of their red-zone opportunities into touchdowns, and have turned the ball over four times.
Against Mississippi State, finishing drives with touchdowns instead of field goals could be the difference between a comfortable win and another close game.
4. Can LSU’s defense contain Mississippi State’s offense?
LSU’s defense has been dominant at home, allowing just 128 yards per game across four games in Tiger Stadium.
The Bulldogs will provide a different kind of challenge. Head coach Jeff Lebby runs an up-tempo offense designed to spread the field and put pressure on opposing defenses.
Wide receiver Anthony Evans leads Mississippi State with 40 catches and gives the Bulldogs a proven target in the passing game.
The biggest question is whether Mississippi State can move the ball against LSU’s defense, particularly if Taylor is unable to play. Without their starting quarterback, the Bulldogs could have a difficult time sustaining drives against the Tigers.
5. How will LSU handle another 11 a.m. kickoff?
For the first time in program history, LSU will play back-to-back games over consecutive weeks with an 11 a.m. kickoff.
The early start shouldn’t catch the Tigers off guard. Lane Kiffin has his team practicing in the morning, a departure from the afternoon practices favored by previous LSU head coaches.
Saturday’s game will be the 18th pre-noon kickoff in Tiger Stadium history. LSU has won 10 of its last 11 games in Baton Rouge that started before noon.
There’s another reason to like LSU’s chances: Kiffin has been effective following losses. He enters Saturday with a 32-16 record after a defeat and has won seven straight games in that situation.
Prediction: LSU 38, Mississippi State 20
The Bulldogs’ quarterback and running back injuries make this a difficult matchup for Mississippi State. If Taylor and Bothwell can’t go, LSU’s defense should have the advantage, particularly at home.
The Tigers still need to clean up their red-zone execution, but LSU has the defensive edge to earn a bounce-back victory.
