Grading rollercoaster win for Mississippi State football, Mike Leach vs Auburn

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach coached his fair share of wild games during him time in the Pac-12.

Saturday's 39-33 overtime win against Auburn (3-6, 1-5 SEC) will rank among the craziest he has been part of. Here is how we graded Mississippi State's performance en route to clinching bowl eligibility.

Offense: A+, then F, then A+

Mississippi State's offense spent most of the second half in its own territory after a hot start.

MSU quarterback Will Rogers was hitting receivers with ease in the first quarter. Then he was fumbling and throwing interceptions, watching passes deflect off receivers' hands and leading an offense with negative rushing yards most of the night.

Then, with its back against the wall, Mississippi State (6-3, 3-3) mustered a touchdown to retake a lead with less than four minutes to go. That was later matched by a field-goal drive with 30 seconds to go to tie the game.

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Defense: B

Zach Arnett’s unit kept Mississippi State in the game. Ten of the points allowed shouldn’t count against the defense considering the Auburn possession start in MSU territory following turnovers.

Jaden Crumedy’s return on the defensive line proved pivotal in slowing down a potent Auburn rushing attack. Linebackers Tyrus Wheat, Nathaniel Watson and Jett Johnson continued to deliver big hits.

Even without star cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, MSU’s defense was the reason the Bulldogs stayed alive.

Special teams: C

Lideatrick Griffin made up for a muffed punt by recovering it. Then he added a 92-yard kick returned for a touchdown to get back on fans’ good side.

However, Mississippi State’s punting canceled out Griffin’s success. A bobbled snap by George Georgopoulos resulted in a turnover on downs in MSU territory. That was met by MSU’s Archer Trafford sending a 13-yard punt later in the third quarter.

It's hard to grade a recovered onside kick that might have been an accident.

Coaching: B-

Arnett is the head coach of the defense, so he pulls the weight toward a passing grade in this category. With an extra week to prepare against a team with a new coaching staff, Arnett’s plan was golden.

The offensive struggles fall on Leach, and those need to be addressed — particularly when facing pressure and loaded boxes.

Overall: C

Mississippi State was nearly a two-touchdown favorite against a bad Auburn team. MSU built an early lead and had chances to knock Auburn out of the game.

Instead, the Bulldogs continued to make mistakes and allowed the Tigers to claw back into the game. This performance could let East Tennessee State compete, let alone Georgia and Ole Miss – MSU’s remaining opponents.

Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat writer for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at skrajisnik@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @skrajisnik3.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Grading Mississippi State football's rollercoaster win vs. Auburn