The Mississippi State football program honored their late head coach Mike Leach during their opening contest against Southeastern Louisiana after he passed away unexpectedly last season.

The Bulldogs completed a 48-7 rout in newly minted head coach Zach Arnett's first game at the helm. After only putting up three points in the first quarter, the school paused to honor Leach before the start of the second in their first home game since he tragically passed at the age of 61.

University president Mark Keenum presented Leach's family with a framed jersey, and announced an executive order to fly flags at half-staff for a day in his memory, according to the Associated Press.

The Bulldogs will be back in action next Saturday when they host the Arizona Wildcats in their first major test. Veteran QB Will Rogers has led the way for Mississippi State in his four years, and will try to steady the ship for his new coach. He was upset about the team's slow start on Saturday, but knows he can get it figured out as the group leader.

“I think it took a second for us to get settled in,” Rogers said. “As a leader and a senior, you stay the course. You let the game come to you and I thought that we did that. With that being said, we've got to do a lot better.”

Mississippi State will need him to step up through the long season, in a year where they hold a win total of 6.5. The SEC grind will not be easy with many new faces, but Rogers and Arnett will look to guide the team in a quest for a bowl game.