Going into the battle against the University of Georgia, there was little outside expectation for Mississippi State University to win the game. However, despite losing 45-19, MSU played better than almost any fan could have expected. 
The last time MSU played a team even comparable to Georgia was when the team traveled to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to play the University of Alabama, in which the Bulldogs lost 30-6. Against Georgia, MSU punched back. 
In his post-game press conference, MSU head coach Mike Leach specifically mentioned how the team’s mentality was better against Georgia than it was when they played Alabama. It clearly showed on the field when MSU fell behind by 10 points early in the second quarter.
Going into the half, MSU only trailed the best team in the country by five points. A 63-yard punt return by Zavion Thomas at the end of the first half gave Davis Wade Stadium a jolt of electricity right when it felt like Georgia was going to run away with the game. 
The second half is when things started going south for Leach’s team. Georgia came out the gate swinging, while MSU felt like they had to reestablish a rhythm, which ultimately ended up being the difference in the outcome of the game. Georgia put up two quick touchdowns after the MSU offense stumbled to start the second half.
Even after allowing the two touchdowns and trailing by 19 at the time, MSU never quit. An interception in Georgia territory led to a quick touchdown pass from MSU quarterback Will Rogers to wideout Rufus Harvey.
The “dawg mentality” is something that MSU did not have when they played Alabama. Saturday, MSU kept swinging back at every punch Georgia threw. Everyone around the country will look at the score and say that Georgia rolled past MSU, but Leach’s squad was very much in the game heading into the fourth quarter.
If you told me on Thursday that MSU would only trail the number one team in the country by 12 heading into the fourth, I would have called you crazy. 
You might ask, “Well, if Mississippi State played so close, then how did a 12-point deficit turn into a 26-point loss in 15 minutes?”
The answer is that the team that traveled to Starkville kept their foot on the gas. Last week against Auburn University, MSU let the Tigers claw their way back into the game before finally pulling off a win. Georgia found themselves in a situation where their opponent was clawing back and reacted differently. That lies the glaring difference between these two teams.
Georgia does not allow teams to claw back. Head coach Kirby Smart’s team plays to their expectation, while MSU gets in their own way one too many times. The box score does not tell the whole story of this game, but it gives you the main idea. In the end, there was not enough magic in the air on a chilly night in Starkvegas.