Everything head coach Jeff Lebby said after Saturday's overtime loss to No. 22 Texas

For the third time in the last four games, Mississippi State (4-4) found a way to erase a sure victory inside the SEC. On Saturday, the Bulldogs blew a 17-point lead in the final 10 minutes and fell 45-38 in overtime to No. 22 Texas, the 16th straight conference loss for the program.

Afterwards, head coach Jeff Lebby met with the media to discuss yet another disappointing finish:

Q: It sounds like a broken record. But what does it take to finish in these games?
Lebby: I talked about it in the locker room with our guys. It takes us being together. That’s the only way this happens. Everybody having great ownership, taking great responsibility and not finding a way just to close the game out. We’re up 17 points two different times in the fourth quarter and that’s the only way we get done what we want to get done is being together, putting our head down and fixing it.

Q: With the three-and-outs late in the game, what was the difference there compared to the rest of the game?
Lebby: We struggled there with some negatives in the run game and the RPO game, gave up some negative plays. There was some pressure on Blake a couple of times to where he’s not able to get the ball where he needs to. For us, offensively, those are the moments right there where that instead of being three and out, as you know you got a chance to win the game. We do a great job answering as they cut it to 10. We go down the field in a three-play drive and score, had the big play by Von (Davon Booth), and come back and don’t find a way to close out the game on the next two drives.

Q: On that last drive in regulation, you had two timeouts left. What was the thought process on that series?
Lebby: The two-minute piece of it, again for us, there were some negative plays. There was two sides to that. I wanted to make sure that we stayed ahead of the sticks. I wanted to make sure we stayed ahead of the sticks. I wanted to make sure we had the ability to go kick a field goal, worst case. We take a negative, we hold onto it one time where we have a chance to get the ball out of our hand. The ball is up and down to create a positive play, and we were so out of synch and out of rhythm right there. I think part of that is the two drives before that with the negative plays. My biggest thing was taking care of the football and let Blake (Shapen) go have a chance to get us in field goal range and if we weren’t, we were going to go play OT.

Q: What was the message to the players after the game?
Lebby: What I mentioned at the very beginning of it. We’re gonna wake up tomorrow morning, tee it up next Saturday in Fayetteville, and for our guys, there is one way this gets fixed and that’s us being together. We’re going to find out what kind of foundation we have as we go on the road to play another really good football team. Having the ability to win the game in the fourth quarter, we got to find a way to knock that door down. Incredibly disappointing, frustrating to say the least. Our guys played incredibly hard. We were ready to play, didn’t play great early and then found ways to respond. But we got to finish the game and we got to finish the game and go win. Our guys understand that and we’re going to have to get our ass back to work, pick ourselves up off the mat and go.

Q: When you went for it early in the game on fourth down, was that a matter of trusting your defense?
Lebby: It was third and 1 and really liked our short yardage plan. Thought we had a really good clean run on third and one that we don’t execute cleanly. So I came right back to it with tempo and we end up getting chased down with a little bit of penetration and end up not converting. Fourth down was a killer for us. Not being able to stay on the field right there was a huge deal and then again in the second half.

Q: When the offense is not converting on those fourth downs or pass plays, it is a mental thing or execution thing?
Lebby: For our guys, it’s having the confidence and going and finishing it. You’re up 17 points. They cut it to 10, you find a way to go up 17, they cut it to 10. Go back up 17, and be able to go strain and finish and play the way you have. For us, on the sideline, our guys being ready to go take victory. We talked about that all week and we’re not doing that. For me, that’s the most frustrating, disappointing part of it. With the way our guys are straining and with the way our guys are fighting, I want like hell for them to be able to feel success. But you have to go take victory in the fourth quarter in these games.

Q: What do you think it’s going to take to finish one of these games in the fourth quarter?
Lebby: It’s gonna take us being together and making the plays when plays come up. When you get the ball back and you’re up 10, having the ability to have a really good first and 10 play so that you have the ability to go get in some rhythm. Our negative plays in those two three and out drives, that’s what keeps us from having any kind rhythm to be able to go close the game out there in the fourth quarter.

Q: Up 17 points, the defense had a roughing the passer to keep that Texas drive alive. What did you see there and what was your message to the defense?
Lebby: It’s come up in three huge football games where we’re off the field. Playing smart football. Penalties in those situations are absolute killers, because you’re creating another opportunity for the other side of the ball. Our guys having the ability to play with great discipline in those moments. We’ve got to clean that up in a huge way.

Q: You mentioned staying together is the only way to fix this. Are you sensing a lack of togetherness?
Lebby: I’m not at all. But I want to make sure I’m driving that home. You get inside moments like these with the way things have gone at the end of football games, and for us to be on the wrong side of it, people can start pointing the finger in a hurt. So making sure I am driving that point home. We’ve got one way to fix this and that’s being together.