MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS NOTES:
TALKING POINTS
Mississippi State will be making its 26th bowl appearance overall, including a program-record streak of 13 straight. The Bulldogs are one of only seven programs in the country that have gone to a bowl game every year since 2010, which is the third-longest streak in the SEC only behind Alabama and Georgia. MSU is 14-11 all-time in bowl games and 7-5 during its current bowl streak.
Former defensive coordinator Zach Arnett was named Mississippi State’s 35th head football coach on Dec. 15, following the sudden passing of Mike Leach. Arnett will make his head coaching debut on Jan. 2 in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
This will mark Mississippi State’s second trip to the ReliaQuest Bowl, which was formerly known as the Outback Bowl. The Bulldogs lone appearance came back in 2019 against Iowa.
Mississippi State and Illinois last met in 1980, a 28-21 Bulldog victory, and the two have never played one another in the postseason. The Bulldogs are 1-1 against the Fighting Illini in the all-time series with both meetings coming in Champaign.
The Bulldogs are looking for their ninth nine-win season on record and first since the 2017 campaign, which was capped with a bowl victory over Louisville and resulted in a top-20 final ranking.
LBs Nathaniel Watson and Jett Johnson both turned in more than 100 tackles this season with Watson leading the SEC (108) and Johnson ranking third (103). They are one of four Power 5 duos to surpass the century mark this season and the only pair in the SEC.
The Bulldogs rank 16th in the nation in overall efficiency according to ESPN’s College Football Power Index. State’s defense is 11th nationally, and the Bulldogs’ special teams are ranked No. 12.
MSU played the nation’s sixth-toughest schedule according to ESPN’s FPI and the third-toughest among bowl-eligible teams nationally.
State ranks 11th nationally in ESPN’s FPI Game Control rankings, which reflect the chance that an average Top 25 team would control games from start to finish the way said team did, given the schedule.
In 2022, MSU is outscoring opponents 97-27 in the first quarter. The Bulldogs are 14-4 when scoring first over the last three seasons. State is 16-2 when leading at halftime since 2020.
MSU is second in the FBS in points per red zone drive (5.05) and red zone touchdown percentage (78.05 percent). The Bulldogs lead the nation in red zone passing touchdown percentage (56.10 percent).
QB Will Rogers needs two passing touchdowns to tie his own school record set last year (36). Rogers has also broken Dak Prescott’s school record this season with 30 career 200-yard passing games. With 287 passing yards, Rogers would become the first QB in SEC history with multiple 4,000-yard passing seasons (4,739 in 2021).
State’s kickoff return unit leads the nation, averaging 27.8 yards per return. Both the Bulldogs’ kickoff and punt return teams have broken a return for a touchdown this season, and only six teams nationally have scored on both a punt and kick return. The Bulldogs lead the nation with a 90.5 special teams grade from PFF.
All-American WR Lideatrick Griffin leads the nation in yards per kick return (32.3).
WR Caleb Ducking’s eight receiving touchdowns this year are tied for seventh in MSU single-season history. With one more receiving touchdown he will move up to a tie for fourth, and two receiving scores would tie him for third.
WR Jaden Walley has accumulated 1,651 career receiving yards, which ranks 10th in MSU history. He needs 73 yards to tie for ninth and 122 yards to reach eighth.
Over the last three years, six different Bulldogs have combined for eight individual 50-plus-catch seasons. That’s the most in the SEC through those three seasons and no other SEC program has more than four.
Three current Bulldogs are now among the top 10 in MSU career history for total receptions: RB Jo’quavious Marks (2nd, 188), WR Austin Williams (6th, 148) and WR Jaden Walley (9th, 136).
WR Austin Williams was named the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and was recognized in Las Vegas in December as one of 12 finalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy. He is MSU’s fifth Campbell finalist and was the only finalist this season with a perfect 4.0 GPA every year of his career. The last Bulldog finalist was Taveze Calhoun (2015), who now serves on staff as a graduate assistant.
RB Jo’quavious Marks has tied Fred Ross’ (2013-16) MSU record with a reception in 35 consecutive games, which is the longest active streak in the SEC and tied for No. 12 nationally. Marks has at least one reception in every game of his collegiate career. Marks ranks second among SEC backs with 45 receptions.
MSU’s defense ranks among the SEC’s top five in total defense, yards per play allowed, rushing defense, passing defense, takeaways, interceptions and fewest first downs allowed.
The Bulldogs have collected at least one takeaway in 29 of 36 games under Zach Arnett with 56 total takeaways in that span. State trails only Alabama (57) in the SEC in takeaways since 2020.
The Bulldogs are leading the SEC with 14 interceptions and are fourth in the league with 55 pass defenses this season.
State scored at least 40 points in five games this season, winning all five. Only three other SEC teams cracked 40 points in at least five games this season. Since 2020, the Bulldogs are 14-0 when scoring at least 30 points.
BOWLING BULLDOGS
MSU is now bowl eligible and will play in a postseason game for the 13th straight season, which is a program record. Only seven schools have active streaks of at least 13 seasons and only Alabama and Georgia join MSU from the SEC.
LUCKY 21
Every one of State’s wins in the last three seasons has come when scoring at least 21 points. The Bulldogs are also undefeated (9-0) in that span when allowing less than 21 points.
RULING THE RETURN GAME
Mississippi State boasts some of the best special teams return units in the nation. State’s kickoff return unit leads the nation, averaging 27.8 yards per return. Both the Bulldogs’ kickoff and punt return teams have broken a return for a touchdown this season, and only six teams nationally have scored on both a punt and kick return. WR Lideatrick Griffin leads the nation in yards per kick return (32.3). Griffin’s career average (33.3) is tops among active FBS players and would exceed the school record by 6.6 yards.
State returned a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown against Auburn (Nov. 5), and the Bulldogs took a punt back 63 yards against No. 1 Georgia (Nov. 12). It was MSU’s first punt return touchdown since Deddrick Thomas took one 83 yards at UMass in 2017.
Since 2020, MSU leads the nation, averaging 27.1 yards per kickoff return. NC State is the next closest team at 25.5 yards.
ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI notes:
Illini on the Rise
• Illinois had its first 8-win season since the Rose Bowl team in 2007 went 9-4.
• Illinois finished 5-4 in the Big Ten, the Illini’s first finish above .500 in the Big Ten since the 2007 team went 6-2.
• Illinois’ SP+ rating by ESPN is 49 spots better than 2021 (15th from 64th).
• According to SP+, Illinois is the most improved team in the Big Ten and the ninth-most improved team in the nation year-over-year. TCU (+75), USC (+69), South Alabama (+65), Washington (+66), Tulane (+66), Kansas (+63), Duke (+60), and Troy (+58), are the only teams that have made bigger jumps in the SP+ than Illinois’ 49-spot leap.
• Illinois and Michigan are the only teams in the nation with three wins over teams in the top 15 of total defense. The Illini have wins over top-15 defenses in Iowa (No. 5), Minnesota (No. 6), and Wisconsin (No. 13).
• Bielema is 13-11 in his Illinois career (9-9 Big Ten). It is the best two-year start for an Illinois head coach since John Mackovic started 16-7-1 in the 1988-89 seasons, spanning five head coaches.
• Bielema’s five Big Ten road wins in his first two seasons are the most since Lou Tepper also won five Big Ten road games in his first two seasons from 1992-93.
• Illinois was 4-0 in October, completing its first undefeated October since going 3-0 in 2001. The Illini won four games in October for the first time since 1990.
• After winning in Madison for the first time since 2002, Illinois beat Iowa for the first time since 2008. The win over Iowa snapped an eight-game losing streak against the Hawkeyes.
• Illinois beat Iowa and Wisconsin in the same season for the first time since 1989.
• Illinois beat Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota in the same season for the first time since 1983.
• The 24-point margin of victory over Wisconsin was the third-largest in an Illinois win in Madison and its biggest since 1988. It was the largest margin of victory for the Illini in a Big Ten road game since defeating Purdue by 34 points on Nov. 7, 2015.
One of the Best Defenses in the Nation
• Illinois ranked in the top 10 in 17 major defensive categories during the regular season: 1st in the nation in interceptions (22), 1st in passing efficiency defense (89.8), 1st in passing touchdowns allowed (8), 1st in yards per pass attempt (5.4), 1st in takeaways (30), 2nd in touchdowns allowed (14), 2nd in scoring defense (12.3), 2nd in red zone touchdown percentage (37.0%) 3rd in total defense (263.8), 3rd in rushing touchdowns allowed (6), 3rd in passes defended (82), 5th in passing defense (165.4), 6th in third down defense (29.0%), 7th in fewest red zone attempts allowed (27), 7th in fewest first downs allowed (177), 8th in rushing defense (98.4), and 10th in third down conversions against (49).
• Following conference championship games, Illinois will enter bowl season ranked No. 1 in the nation in scoring defense (12.2), interceptions (22), passing efficiency defense (89.8), passing touchdowns allowed (8), yards per pass attempt (5.4), and takeaways (30).
• Illinois’ defensive architect, Ryan Walters, is one of five finalists and the lone minority finalist for the Broyles Award, given to the nation’s best assistant coach.
• Illinois and Alabama are the only teams with two Bednarik semifinalists (DT Jer’Zhan Newton and CB Devon Witherspoon).
• Illinois’ defense is ranked 3rd in the nation by ESPN’s SP+ metric and 2nd by PFF.
• Illinois has allowed only 26 points in fourth quarters (2.2 per game).
• Illinois has allowed 12.8 points per game in road/neutral site games, the fewest in the country.
• Illinois held six opponents to single digit points, the most of any team in the country.
• Illinois has allowed fewer than 100 yards rushing in six of 12 games this season.
• Illinois’ pass coverage is ranked third in the nation by PFF and its run defense is ranked fourth.
• Illinois had held six straight opponents to 14 points or fewer before the Michigan State game, the program’s longest streak since 1989.
• Illinois has allowed only 14 touchdowns on 150 opponent drives (9.3%).
• Illinois allowed 11.9 points per game at home this season, its best mark at Memorial Stadium since the 1983 Big Ten championship team allowed 9.4 per game.
More on the Illinois Defense
• Illinois is 8-0 when allowing fewer than 19 points.
• Illinois is outscoring opponents 112-53 in the second half this season.
• During Illinois’ eight wins, opponents have a third down conversion rate of 22.4% (24-107).
• Against Michigan, Illinois snapped a streak of 13 straight games with an interception, which was the longest active streak in the nation.
• Eight different Illini have an interception this season.
• Illinois held Wisconsin to just two yards rushing, the fewest yards the Badgers had rushed for at home since being held to 12 yards on Nov. 3, 2007, vs. Ohio State.
• The Illini did not allow a touchdown in nonconference play for the first time since 1921 (52-0 vs. South Dakota, 21-0 vs. DePauw), helping Illinois complete its first undefeated nonconference schedule since 2011. It was the first time Illinois played 3+ nonconference games without allowing a TD since 1917 (22-0 vs. Kansas, 44-0 vs. Oklahoma, 28-0 vs. Camp Funston).
• Illinois has allowed 50 passing yards or fewer in three games (30 vs. Wyoming, 49 vs. Chattanooga, 38 vs. Minnesota).
• Sydney Brown tied for the national lead in interceptions with six, the most by an Illini since 2001. It ranks as the seventh-most interceptions in Illinois history.
• Illinois and Middle Tennessee are the only teams in the nation with two players with 4+ INTs.
• Illinois, TCU, and Kansas State are the only teams in the nation with three players with 3+ INTs.
• Johnny Newton (54) and Seth Coleman (37) have 91 combined pressures, the most in the Big Ten among teammates, according to PFF.
• Devon Witherspoon and Jartavius Martin have combined for 31 passes defended, tied for the most in the nation among Power-5 teammates (Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. and Kalen King).
• Jartavius Martin has the No. 4 tackling grade in the Big Ten among defensive backs and the No. 12 grade in the nation
Chase Brown: Chasing History
• Chase Brown is the nation’s second-leading rusher with 1,653 yards.
• Brown led the Power-5 in rushing from start to finish during the 2022 regular season.
• Brown was one of three Doak Walker Award finalists, along with Blake Corum (Michigan) and Bijan Robinson (Texas).
• Brown tied for the national lead in 100-yard games (10) during the regular season.
• Brown was second in the nation in rushes of 10+ yards (48) during the regular season.
• Brown was third in the nation in all-purpose yards (1,883) during the regular season without having return duties.
• Illinois launched a campaign website for Brown on Oct. 19 to promote Brown’s candidacy for national awards.
• Brown rushed for at least 98 yards in 11 of Illinois’ 12 games.
• Brown did his best work against some of the nation’s best rushing defenses, rushing for more yards than any other opponent against Michigan’s No. 3-ranked rush defense (140 yards), Wisconsin’s No. 12-ranked rush defense (129 yards), and Minnesota’s No. 15-ranked rush defense (180 yards).
• Brown was fourth in the nation in forced missed tackles (79), fifth in the nation in yards after contact (935), and eighth in the nation in first down runs (79), according to PFF.
• Brown had one of his most impressive games at #3 Michigan. Against a defensive unit leading the nation in rushing defense (72.7), Brown ran for 140 yards and two touchdowns. He was just the third running back to rush for over 140 yards at Michigan Stadium during Jim Harbaugh’s tenure (2015-), joining Ohio State stars J.K. Dobbins (2019) and Ezekiel Elliott (2015).
• In four road games against Top 25 teams over the last two years, Brown is averaging 138 rushing yards and has three 100-yard games. In two road games against Top 10 teams over the last two years, Brown is averaging 181.5 rushing yards.
• Brown tied the Illinois record at #3 Michigan with his 16th career 100-yard games, matching the record set by Robert Holcombe from 1994-97.
• Brown has set the Illinois single-season record for 100-yard rushing games with 10.
• Brown rushed for 100+ yards in an Illinois record 10 straight games before falling just short with 98 rushing yards against Purdue. He has rushed for 100+ in 11 of the last 13 games.
• Brown was the first Illini in history to rush for 100+ yards in the first nine games of a season.
• Brown was the first Big Ten player to record 100+ rushing yards in the first nine games of a season since Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott in 2015.
• Brown was the first running back in the nation to 1,000 yards and tied the Illinois record for the fastest to 1,000 when he eclipsed the mark in just seven games (tied J.C. Caroline, 1953).
• Brown was the first player in program history to rush for 140+ yards in the first three games of a season. He went for 146 yards on 20 carries against Virginia, had 199 yards on 36 careers at Indiana, and 151 yards on 19 carries against Wyoming in Week 0.
• Brown joined an elite group to reach 1,000 yards in two seasons for Illinois. Only legends Jim Grabowski and Robert Holcombe reached 1,000 yards rushing in two seasons before Brown.
• Brown has 3,206 rushing yards for his career at Illinois, No. 2 on Illinois’ career rushing list behind only Robert Holcombe’s 4,105 (1994-97).
• Brown also tallied 352 yards as a freshman at Western Michigan for 3,558 for his career, good for sixth on the NCAA’s active career leaders list.
• Brown was the 13th and 14th 1,000-yard rusher coached by Bielema in his 14-year head coaching career.
• Brown’s 223-yard rushing game at Penn State last season marked his second game of 2021 with 200+ yards (257 vs. Charlotte). He joined Howard Griffith (1990) and Rashard Mendenhall (2007) as the only players in Illinois history with multiple 200-yard rushing games in a single season. Brown nearly became the first Illini running back to rush for 200 yards on three occasions, falling one yard short at Indiana this year.
ILLINOIS NOTES
ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI
Offensive Improvement
• Illinois has improved 56.8 yards/game from 2021, the best improvement in the Big Ten.
• Illinois ranks third in the nation in team completion percentage (69.8%), an 18.6% improvement of last year’s completion percentage (51.2%) and a jump of 119 spots in the national rankings.
• Illinois is 54th in the nation in passing efficiency (138.9), an improvement of 67 spots in the national rankings year-over-year. Tommy DeVito Passing Efficiently
• DeVito ranks third in the nation in completion percentage (69.9%).
• DeVito’s 142.3 passer rating is on pace to break the Illini record of 141.6 set by Wes Lunt in 2014.
• DeVito is on pace for career highs in nearly every statistical category including completions, passing yards, and completion percentage.
• DeVito’s .909 completion percentage at Nebraska broke the Illinois record (min. 20 attempts) previously held by Reilly O’Toole (.839 [26-31] vs. Charleston Southern, 9/15/2012). It also set the stadium record at Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium.
1 from QB to WR
• Former quarterback Isaiah Williams has been Illinois’ leading receiver over the last two seasons, his first two seasons playing wide receiver in his life.
• Williams set career highs in receptions (9) and receiving yards (112) at Indiana. He has tied his career-high nine receptions on two more occasions this season (Chattanooga, Nebraska).
• Williams is fourth in the nation and first in the Big Ten in yards after catch (560) according to PFF.
• Williams is second in the nation in forced missed tackles among wide receivers (26).
• Williams has at least three catches in every game this season.
• Williams has at least one catch in all 24 games of the last two seasons.
• Williams ranks 21st in the nation and second in the Big Ten in receptions per game (6.0).
• Williams is second in the Big Ten in receptions, tied with Marvin Harrison Jr. (Ohio State) and behind only Charlie Jones (Purdue).
• Williams was sixth in the Big Ten in first down receptions during the regular season (31).
• Last season, Williams was third in the nation among Power-5 freshmen in receptions (47), behind only Texas’ Xavier Worthy (62) and Georgia’s Brock Bowers (56).
Sixth-Year Palczewski
• Alex Palczewski is the NCAA’s active leader in career starts with 64 and is one away from tying the NCAA record set by App State WR Thomas Hennigan from 2017-21.
• Palczewski has helped the O-line become one of nine units in the nation up for the Joe Moore Award.
• Palczewski is the active leader in snaps, according to PFF.
• Palczewski has started every game for the Illini in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022. The only games he has not started were one as a true freshman in 2017 and four after a knee injury in 2020.
• Palczewski is the first 6-year starter in college sports history (min. 50% starts of team games).
• Palczewski is the No. 12 graded tackle in the nation and No. 4 in the Big Ten according to PFF (min. 500 snaps) this season.
• Palczewski has gone 645 consecutive pass blocking snaps without allowing a sack. He has not allowed a sack this season in 405 pass blocking snaps.
• Palczewski will be only the second Illini in history to captain two bowl teams, as he was also a captain for Illinois’ 2019 Redbox Bowl appearance. Moe Gardner, who was selected for College Football Hall of Fame induction this year, captained Illinois bowl teams in 1989 and 1990.
Time of Possession
• Illinois ranked 12th in the nation in time of possession (32:51) during the regular season.
• Illinois is on pace to shatter the program record for time of possession of 32:19 set in 2010.
• Illinois doubled up Minnesota in time of possession, 40:04 to 19:56, after Minnesota came to Memorial Stadium as the national leader in time of possesion, averaging 37:58 per game.
Illinois in the ReliaQuest Bowl
• Illinois will play in the ReliaQuest Bowl for the second time in program history.
• Illinois first appeared in Tampa in 1991 when the bowl was known as the Hall of Fame Bowl. It was the third straight bowl trip for the Illini under John Mackovic.
• Illinois lost 30-0 in the 1991 Hall of Fame Bowl to Clemson. The Tigers took the opening kickoff and marched 71 yards in 16 plays before All-American kicker Chris Gardocki kicked an 18-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead. Illinois fumbled on its first play from scrimmage, and on the very next play, Tiger quarterback DeChane Cameron hit Doug Thomas with a 14-yard touchdown pass to give his team a 10-0 lead. The Tiger offense tacked on two more touchdowns in the second quarter, while the Clemson defense held the Fighting Illini to just 22 total yards in the half. Illinois got its offense on track in the second half with 225 yards, but never could find the end zone.
• Bret Bielema will make his second appearance in the Tampa bowl game as a head coach. He previously took Wisconsin to Tampa for the 2008 game, which was named the Outback Bowl at the time, where the Badgers fell to Tennessee, 21-17. Bielema was also in Tampa for the 2005 Outback Bowl as Wisconsin’s defensive coordinator, as the Badgers fell to Georgia, 24-21.
• Illinois has 18 players from Florida, tied for the most in the Big Ten. Seven of Illinois’ starters on its nationally ranked defense are from Florida.
• The ReliaQuest Bowl will be the Illini’s first bowl game in the state of Florida since the 1999 MicronPC.com Bowl, a dominant 63–21 win over Virginia in Miami.
• The ReliaQuest Bowl will be the ninth January bowl game in Illinois history and first since the 2008 Rose Bowl Game.
• Illinois played at Raymond James Stadium in 2017, a 47-23 loss to #22 South Florida. It was current Illini starter Alex Palczewski’s second career start and first career road game. Palczewski was one of 10 true freshman starters for Illinois against USF, an Illini program record.
The Illinois-Mississippi State Series
• The ReliaQuest Bowl will be the third meeting between Illinois and Mississippi State.
• In the most recent meeting, Illinois fell, 28-21, to Mississippi State in Champaign 10/4/1980.
• In the programs’ first meeting, Illinois won 27-0 in Champaign in 1923. Mississippi State was named Mississippi A&M at the time.
