Defense shines as Mississippi State tops Arkansas 7-3 to earn first SEC win

Hope you bet the under. Mississippi State defeated Arkansas 7-3 in Fayetteville and won its first SEC game of the season. It’s also the first conference win of the Zach Arnett era.

Mike Wright, who started 11 games at Vanderbilt, was QB1 against the Razorbacks since Will Rogers was sidelined with a shoulder injury. Wright’s first pass of the game was intercepted by Alfahiym Walcott, but he finished the contest 8-12 with 85 passing yards and a touchdown. He had 60 yards on the ground.

Both offenses struggled and the biggest play of the game was a KJ Jefferson 19-yard completion to Ty Washington until late in the third quarter. But the Bulldog defense had its moments which were headlined by a Shawn Preston Jr. interception and four sacks.

“Someone had to go out and take it and our defense played great,” Arnett said postgame in an ESPN interview.

Up next for Mississippi State is a battle with Hugh Freeze and Auburn on the road next Saturday at 2:30 on SEC Network.