Meet Blake Shapen (Again): Mississippi State Veteran Quarterback Faces Florida on Homecoming
The Gators will face a familiar quarterback on Saturday when Mississippi State visits The Swamp for homecoming.
Sixth-year senior Blake Shapen, listed at 6-foot-3, 210-pounds, leads the Bulldogs’ offense after missing most of last season with a shoulder injury suffered against Florida in Starkville.
Shapen, a 24-year-old from Shreveport, Louisiana, took a long path to reach this stage. At Evangel Christian Academy, he threw for more than 2,000 yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior and excelled at a second sport as one of Louisiana’s top baseball prospects. He first committed to Arizona State as a dual-sport athlete before flipping to Baylor, where he began making his name on the football field.
After redshirting in 2020, Shapen broke through the following year. In the 2021 Big 12 Championship Game, he completed 23 of 28 passes for 180 yards and three touchdowns. Shapen brought Baylor to a win over Oklahoma State and earned MVP honors as the youngest quarterback in program history to win a conference title.
Shapen started 23 games at Baylor, throwing for more than 5,500 yards and 36 touchdowns over three seasons. He transferred to Mississippi State ahead of 2024 to play for new head coach Jeff Lebby, whose fast-paced offense fit Shapen’s style and quick decision-making.
The move paid off right away. Shapen threw for 974 yards and eight touchdowns in the first four games, including a career-best 319 passing yards against Toledo. But in Week 4 against Florida, he broke his right shoulder blade late in the game, ending his season.
Mississippi State finished 2–10 in 2024, a season largely derailed after Shapen’s injury.
The setback earned him a medical redshirt and one more year of eligibility. Now healthy, he has thrown for 1,201 yards with nine touchdowns and four interceptions this fall while leading the Bulldogs to a 4–2 start. Mississippi State enters Saturday coming off a bye week, giving Shapen and the offense extra time to prepare for the trip to Gainesville.
Florida head coach Billy Napier described Shapen as a “scrappy player” and a “veteran quarterback” with the ability to extend plays. Napier added that his experience makes him dangerous when things break down.
In last year’s game, Shapen was giving Florida trouble before his injury, having completed 13 of 21 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown while rushing for another touchdown. Saturday is Shapen’s first time facing Florida since suffering that injury last fall.
Lebby said this week that Shapen’s leadership has stabilized the offense and credited his toughness for setting the tone in the locker room.
Shapen predicted that Florida’s defense will present a tough test.
“They got a good defense. They are very streaky. It’s nothing that we haven’t seen before. They have talented players,” Shapen said.
For Florida, the focus will be on containing Shapen and disrupting Mississippi State’s rhythm. His ability to extend plays and push the ball downfield fits well in Jeff Lebby’s fast-paced system, which thrives on tempo and mismatches. The Gators struggled at times last season against mobile quarterbacks, and Napier said the defense needs to stay disciplined to keep Shapen in check.
Saturday will be Shapen’s first trip to Gainesville and another chance to prove himself on a big stage. For Florida, it’s another test against a veteran quarterback with championship experience and plenty to prove.
Category: College Football, Gators Football, SEC
