FAYETTEVILLE — It has been a tough welcome to the SEC for first-year Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby.
The SEC office didn’t do Lebby any favors, loading Mississippi State’s schedule with three of its first four conference games against ranked teams in Texas, Georgia and Texas A&M, which are a combined 18-3.
The Bulldogs (1-6, 0-4 SEC) have lost every game since opening with a 56-7 victory over Eastern Kentucky, but they are showing progress going into Saturday’s 11:45 a.m. game against Arkansas (4-3, 2-2) at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss.
Since losing at home to Toledo 41-17 and Florida 45-28, the Bulldogs have played competitively in losses at then-No.