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Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Blake Shapen (2) runs during the second quarter against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Shapen’s late TD, message to ESPN's McAfee headline Mississippi State upset

Originally posted on Mississippi State Bulldogs on SI
By Andy Hodges | Last updated Sep 7, 2025 8:00 PM ET

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Blake Shapen needed 70 seconds to flip the score, the mood and the national conversation.

The Mississippi State quarterback hit Brenen Thompson for a 58-yard touchdown with 30 seconds remaining, lifting the Bulldogs to a 24–20 win over No. 12 Arizona State on Saturday night at Davis Wade Stadium.

Shapen finished 19 of 33 for 279 yards and three touchdowns, including a first-quarter strike to Anthony Evans III and two to Thompson, who posted six catches for 133 yards.

ICYMI: Win over Arizona State gives Mississippi State fans and players relief, belief

Mississippi State (2–0) led 17–0 before Arizona State (1–1) clawed ahead 20–17 on a 17-play drive that stalled at the 1, setting up Jesus Gomez’s go-ahead 18-yard field goal with 1:38 to play.

Then came the answer: five plays, 77 yards, capped by Shapen’s deep shot down the right sideline. Cornerback Hunter Washington sealed it with an interception on the next snap, and the cowbells took it from there.

“These are moments that I live for,” Shapen said. “This shows a lot about our team.”

.@PatMcAfeeShow pic.twitter.com/42jBrUlPxH
— Blake Shapen (@BShapen) September 7, 2025

Bulldogs coach Jeff Lebby called the finish “Davis Wade Stadium at its finest,” a night that also delivered his first big win and Mississippi State’s first victory over a nonconference top-15 opponent since 1991. Attendance was announced at 50,808. But they were loud.

Arizona State ran for 251 yards behind Raleek Brown (110) and Kanye Udoh (105), and coach Kenny Dillingham credited Mississippi State’s big plays as the difference. Yeah, that was probably an understatement

‘GameDay’ backdrop after McAfee pick

Before kickoff, ESPN’s “College GameDay” panel was split. Pat McAfee, along with Nick Saban and Desmond Howard, picked the Sun Devils.

Kirk Herbstreit and guest picker Trae Young backed Mississippi State. After the game, Shapen acknowledged the pregame picks in his postgame remarks, a pointed nod toward McAfee’s pick that quickly circulated online.

The truth was McAfee probably was just talking off the top of his head. Herbstreit may have thought the same thing I had been thinking about Arizona State all along. The Sun Devils earned everything they got last year, but the Bulldogs' comeback in the second half told me they could probably move the ball on them again this year.

The late touchdown capped a night when the Bulldogs protected the ball (zero turnovers) and hit explosives early (209–95 first-half yardage edge) before holding on late. Now they just have to keep it going.

Complementary answers on defense and special teams

A year after Arizona State cut up Mississippi State on the ground, the Bulldogs limited quarterback Sam Leavitt to 82 passing yards (10 of 22) with two interceptions while generating six tackles for loss and two sacks.

The red-zone stand that forced Gomez’s fourth-quarter field goal kept the door open for the winning drive.

Kyle Ferrie’s 37-yard first-quarter field goal and perfect point-after work proved vital in a game swung by a single play. On a night defined by margins, Mississippi State’s zero giveaways and special-teams execution were decisive separators.

What it means

For Lebby, it’s an early-season proof point that his tempo offense can strike late against ranked opposition. For Shapen, a Baylor transfer who took over in 2024, it’s the signature moment of his Mississippi State tenure to date.

For a fan base that endured a difficult 2024, it’s a result that re-centers expectations heading into next week’s home date with Alcorn State.

Now we can wait until McAfee's show Monday to see if he offers up any sort of apology. He probably wasn't alone, but he was on the biggest college football pregame show saying it.

3 key takeaways

• Mississippi State’s vertical shots changed the game’s math, overcoming a second-half yardage deficit with one late explosive.
• Defensive situational stops — especially the goal-line stand before ASU’s short field goal — set the stage for the winning drive.
•The “GameDay” split, with McAfee picking ASU and Herbstreit picking MSU, framed the win’s national resonance after the final whistle.