Mississippi State pulled off one of the biggest surprises of Week 2, taking down No. 12 Arizona State 24-20 in Starkville on Saturday night. The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 17-0 lead in the first half, capitalizing on Arizona State’s turnovers and missed opportunities. But the Sun Devils didn’t go away quietly. Behind a dominant rushing attack, they clawed their way back to tie the game and eventually took a 20-17 lead late in the fourth quarter, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.

With just 30 seconds left on the clock, Mississippi State quarterback Blake Shapen delivered the play of the night. On a five-play, 77-yard drive, Shapen launched a 58-yard touchdown pass to Brenen Thompson, who sprinted down the sideline to give the Bulldogs the go-ahead score. On Arizona State’s next possession, safety Hunter Washington intercepted Sam Leavitt’s final throw, sealing the upset and sending the home crowd into a frenzy.

Shapen finished the game completing 19 of 33 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Thompson led all receivers with six catches for 133 yards and two scores, while Anthony Evans added nine receptions for 108 yards and another touchdown. Arizona State leaned heavily on its run game, totaling 251 rushing yards. Raleek Brown ran for 110 yards, and Kanye Udoh contributed 105 yards and a touchdown, but the Sun Devils’ passing attack struggled. Leavitt completed just 10 of 22 passes for 82 yards and threw two interceptions.

Mississippi State’s defense came up big when it mattered most, forcing two turnovers and recording six tackles for loss and two sacks. The Bulldogs’ discipline contrasted sharply with Arizona State’s miscues, which proved to be the difference in the game.

For head coach Jeff Lebby, the victory marked his first major win at Mississippi State and ended a decades-long drought against top-15 nonconference opponents, the last such victory coming in 1991. After the game, Lebby praised his players’ resilience and the energy of the Davis Wade Stadium crowd, calling it one of the program’s best nights in recent memory.

Arizona State dropped to 1-1 with the loss and fell out of the national rankings, while Mississippi State improved to 2-0. Next week, the Bulldogs host Alcorn State, and the Sun Devils return to Tempe to face Texas State.