Good morning! Happy Thanksgiving Eve! Today, we’re thankful for firsts—Nathaniel Watson became the first player in Mississippi State football history to be named a finalist for the Butkus Award!

What else did we throw into today’s Brew?

🏐 Gearing up for an SEC showdown in Knoxville
🏆 National honors rolling in for Nathaniel Watson
🐶 And much, much more!

🎥 IN LOVE WITH THE GAME

In the latest episode of the “One” docuseries on HailState+ we’re shining a spotlight on our Epilepsy Awareness Game—a cause close to assistant coach Corry Irvin's heart as her son, Cory, battles epilepsy.

Then, join the fun as we mic up Mjracle Sheppard after her stellar Sunday game, giving you an inside look at the team's banter and camaraderie.

Wrapping it up, Coach Sam Purcell brings the energy with an Education Day Game, encouraging the girls to "play like you fell in love with the game."

🎥 ICONIC EGG BOWL MOMENTS

1991 was the start of a new era for Mississippi State football, and it was sealed with a win in the Egg Bowl—back on campus for the first time in decades.

Re-live that unforgettable game with a look back on HailState+ today!

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 Opportunity Knox. Mississippi State volleyball heads to Knoxville today to face No. 8 Tennessee at the Thompson-Boling Arena. Who’s primed to have a big game this afternoon? ⤵️

🤝 Alexa Fortin Goede and Emily Oerther have dished out 9.60 assists per set. Goede registered 4.40 assists per set on the season, while Oerther leads the team with 5.20 assists per set.

💥 Karli Schmidt has registered 10-plus kills in 16 outings and cranked 3.00 kills per set, leading the Bulldogs in the last three matches against South Carolina, Auburn, and Ole Miss. Right behind her, Sophie Agee has amassed 10 or more kills in 12 matches, while registering 2.72 kills per set.

🔥 Amina Shackelford has been lights out at the net by collecting 2.19 kills and 0.80 blocks per set. Caylee Sharkey has earned 1.05 kills per set on the season.

🏐 First serve is set for 4 p.m. CT and will be aired on SEC Network+ and the Watch ESPN app.

🔼 First (Of Many). Mississippi State football's Nathaniel Watson was named a finalist for the prestigious Butkus Award given annually to the nation's best linebacker—the first Bulldog in program history to be named a finalist for the Butkus Award.

The Maplesville, Ala. native has had a stellar final campaign for Mississippi State. Watson's 10 sacks on the year currently leads the SEC and ranks eighth nationally, while his 116 total tackles rank second in the SEC and 10th nationally.

On the year, Watson has produced five double-digit tackle games while leading the team in tackles six times and has recorded at least a half sack in eight of the last nine games. He’s also recorded five QB hurries, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, a pair of pass breakups, and an interception.

🤔 BULLDOG TRIVIA

Under pressure. Nathaniel Watson has had a heckuva season for the Bulldogs, entering tomorrow’s Egg Bowl with 10.0 sacks on the year. Which got us thinking…

Who holds the Mississippi State football record for most sacks in a single season?

Think you know the answer? Scroll on down to the bottom to find out.

📬 STICK WITH US

Did someone send you the Bulldog Brew? Well, the first thing you should do is thank them. The next thing you should do is subscribe here and get it in your inbox every weekday morning just in time for your first cup of coffee!

🐶 DAWG DAILY

Today’s Dawg Daily: The Battle For The Golden Egg. The Egg Bowl is tomorrow, and Joey and Jalyn are here to get you ready for it! Listen for an Ole Miss preview, keys to victory, and locks of the weekend!

✅ Listen to today’s Dawg Daily on Spotify

🍎 Listen to today’s Dawg Daily on Apple Podcasts

📆 LOOKING AHEAD

Wednesday 11/22

🏐 Volleyball vs. Tennessee @ 4:00pm in Knoxville, TN | Watch | Live Stats

Thursday 11/23

🏈 Football vs. Ole Miss @ 6:30pm in Starkville, MS | Tickets | Watch | Listen | Live Stats

Friday 11/24

🏀 Men’s Basketball vs. Nicholls @ 1:00pm in Starkville, MS | Tickets | Watch | Live Stats

🏀 Women’s Basketball vs. Clemson @ 6:30pm in Houston, TX | Listen

Saturday 11/25

🏐 Volleyball vs. LSU @ 2:00pm in Starkville, MS | Watch | Live Stats

🏀 Women’s Basketball vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff @ 4:00pm in Houston, TX | Listen

Sunday 11/26

🏀 Women’s Basketball vs. Tulsa @ 6:00pm in Houston, TX | Listen

🐶 Click here to see the full Mississippi State Athletics Calendar

🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: Billy Jackson!

You won’t find a more impressive back-to-back defensive performance like Billy Jackson had back in the early 80’s, finishing the 1980 season with a Bulldog record 17.0 sacks and then following it up in 1981 with 15.0 sacks—ranking first and second, respectively, in program history.

🐶 Have a great Wednesday, y'all!