Tyler Lockhart sacked Minnesota's quarterback for a four-yard loss. Jaray Bledsoe added an eight-yard sack. Mississippi State held the Gophers to 13 net rushing yards on 15 attempts and allowed no offensive touchdown in Saturday's 38-13 road win. Those are concrete reasons to look forward to watching this defense against South Carolina, even with LaNorris Sellers threatening to run away from it.
State visits the Gamecocks on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 3:15 p.m. Central on SEC Network. Fan Watch gives the Bulldogs a 24% chance to win. That would be an upset worth getting excited about, with South Carolina still the clear favorite. No outside result carries enough benefit to recommend this week. The interactive guide has the probabilities, with the model explained in the methodology.
South Carolina rushed for 405 yards against Towson, including 119 yards and a touchdown on seven carries by Sellers. He completed just 10 of 23 passes for 96 yards and an interception, according to Towson's game report. That's the opening State should try to create. Contain Sellers on the ground and make him sustain drives through the air. Watch whether the Bulldogs can pressure him without giving him an escape route past the rush.
Zach Arnett returned as defensive coordinator this season, joined by returning co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Matt Brock. Arnett and Brock need to fix a run defense that allowed 186.3 yards per game in 2025. At Minnesota, the defense also held on third down, allowing four conversions in 13 tries. Extending that work into SEC play would give the offense more possessions without asking it to answer touchdown after touchdown.
Minnesota still passed for 279 yards, and State forced no takeaway. Jett Jefferson, Kelley Jones and Isaac Smith each broke up a pass, so there were individual plays to build on in coverage, too. Against Sellers, getting him to throw is only part of the job; State must then finish those possessions with stops.
The newcomers supplied some of that road work. Transfers Zion Ragins, Amaree Williams and Jardin Gilbert started again at Minnesota; Gilbert made five tackles and shared a tackle for loss, while fellow newcomer Marcus Williams made six tackles. Those contributions give fans specific players to trust as the conference schedule begins. The next step is for Amaree Williams, Gilbert and Marcus Williams to keep arriving at the ball against South Carolina's runners.
Kamario Taylor gave State plenty to work with at Minnesota. He had 16 completions in 22 attempts, 227 passing yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions and 86 rushing yards. Jeff Lebby praised his first-half command and his upfield scrambles on third down, encouraging details for possessions that require the quarterback to rescue a play. Taylor also lost a third-quarter fumble that Minnesota recovered in the end zone. Keeping those points off the opponent's side of the scoreboard is the clearest correction he can make this week.
State ended Minnesota's eight-game home winning streak, a substantial road accomplishment. Fans also remember four opening wins in 2025 followed by a 1-8 finish. Winning at South Carolina would give State an SEC road victory toward its first winning season since 2022.
The last Columbia meeting supplies the reason to watch the defense as closely as Taylor. In 2023, Will Rogers passed for 487 yards and Lideatrick Griffin had 256 receiving yards, yet South Carolina won 37-30, as the State game notes recount. A productive passing day can still end with the Bulldogs walking off beaten. This time, root for the tackles that keep Sellers from extending drives and give State's offense a chance to make its points hold up.