Lost to Kentucky Wildcats 24-2
Beating the LSU Tigers looks less and less impressive for Mike Leach’s team. Losing two straight since then and appearing to get progressively worse has the Mississippi State Bulldogs now tanking in our SEC Power Rankings. Is it now an overreaction to say Tennessee football made the right decision to not hire Leach back in 2017?
Now, to be fair, this is Leach’s first year. He may need some time to develop consistency, but he has a reputation of being wildly inconsistent at different programs. That doesn’t mean he won’t get them going eventually. This year, though, MSU is just a team that will be hot and cold and will likely still pull off some upsets.
The offense, right now, is clearly struggling to run the air raid offense without turning the ball over, and six interceptions on the day against the Kentucky Wildcats is all anybody needed to know. Those issues combining with LSU looking worse and worse means Mississippi State can’t be any higher than here in these rankings right now.
Up next are showdowns with the Texas A&M Aggies and Alabama Crimson Tide, so 1-4 is likely on the table. In fact, with the Auburn Tigers and Georgia Bulldogs still on the slate, the Vanderbilt Commodores and Ole Miss Rebels look like the only possible wins left on the slate. Leach had three wins his first year with the Washington State Cougars. That could happen his first year here.