Mississippi State University’s football team had ample opportunity to give into the adversity it faced Saturday against the Auburn Tigers.
MSU could have allowed a costly turnover to drain all momentum.
State could have let a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown take the wind out of its sails early in the second half.
 The Bulldogs could have let the negative memories of past, disappointing conference losses play a role in their first SEC game of the 2012 season.
They didn’t.
 At times, when it seemed as though the momentum was beginning to shift Auburn’s way, the Bulldogs always had a response.
When Auburn’s Onterrio McCalebb returned the opening kickoff of the second half 100 yards for a go-ahead touchdown, MSU answered with an eight-play 75-yard scoring drive that energized the crowd inside Davis Wade Stadium and helped MSU regain momentum and win its SEC opener for the first time since 1999.
Head coach Dan Mullen said the veteran players stepped up and led the team the entire game.
“We had a great team win today for our guys,” said Mullen, who has now beaten every SEC team in his coaching career. “We did a lot of things that, in the past, we wouldn’t have overcome. I loved the leadership of our guys; they kept it together and had great poise.”
With the softest portion of the schedule approaching, the importance of MSU’s win over Auburn cannot be overstated.
Now 2-0, the Bulldogs will face Troy and South Alabama before a bye week leads them to the second half of the season.
There were several seniors who made key plays for MSU in the 28-10 win on Saturday. Offensively, senior wide receivers Chad Bumphis, Arceto Clark and Chris Smith combined for nine receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown, and sixth-year senior tight end Marcus Green, who severely injured his knee in MSU’s game against Auburn in 2010, had four catches for 54 yards and two touchdowns.
Defensively, the Bulldogs were anchored by senior captain Johnthan Banks, who, with a pair of interceptions, helped improve MSU’s record under Dan Mullen to 18-1 when winning the turnover battle.
“We played great defense all game,” Banks said. “Everything was great. We played well as a team, not just on an individual level.”
Along with Banks, senior middle linebacker Cameron Lawrence led State with 10 tackles in the game, and Darius Slay, another senior cornerback, also had an interception and finished the game with a pair of tackles.
“We need our seniors,” Mullen said. “We’re going to go as far as our seniors take us. They can’t be looking around for anyone else to make a play anymore. Everyone’s looking at them to make the plays.”
Along with the seniors, MSU received significant contributions from many others, including junior quarterback Tyler Russell, who was 20-29 passing for 222 yards and three touchdowns. Russell’s breakout game earned him SEC Player of the Week and was largely due to the offensive line, who only allowed one sack to a stout Auburn defensive line.
“It goes back to our scout team,” Russell said of the offensive line’s success. “It also goes back to practice and understanding what Auburn would try to do to us.”
Les Koenning said Russell’s success is a tribute to MSU’s offense playing great as a whole.
“When it all comes together, you’re going to have the opportunity to score some points,” Koenning said.
Saturday’s triumph over Auburn is arguably MSU’s biggest win in Dan Mullen’s four-year tenure. Not only does the win set the stage for MSU to potentially have a historic season, but it also erases Mullen’s previous 0-12 record versus SEC West opponents, excluding Ole Miss, while at MSU. The win also gave Mullen sole possession of fifth-place all time in wins at MSU with 23.
Mullen said the win was good but the pressure is still not off of him or the team.
“It feels great,” Mullen said. “I guess the monkey is off my back now, but I view it as a bigger one just jumped on. I hope in November we’re talking about an 800-pound gorilla jumping on my back.”
All-American Johnthan Banks echoed Mullen and said expectations will be higher after defeating Auburn. 
“People are going to expect us to beat everybody now,” Banks said. “There’s a bigger monkey on our back now.”
The Dogs play two nonconference games at Troy and against South Alabama before returning to SEC play at Kentucky.

Gallery • 2 Photos