The Mississippi State Bulldogs will face the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee State in the 2008 Homecoming game Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field on ESPNU.
The Blue Raiders are currently 2-5 (1-3 Sun Belt), although they did upset 5-2 Maryland and were one yard away from upsetting 5-2 Kentucky on the final play. Last week, they lost to Louisville 42-23.
“Sometimes it is hard to see the good things you are doing when you just look at the record at 2-5. We are doing a lot of good things and that’s why I am proud of this team,” Blue Raider head coach Rick Stockstill said.
The Blue Raider offense has struggled this season, averaging only 18.1 points and 322.3 yards per game. They are led by senior Joe Craddock, who has completed 141 of 219 passes (64.4 percent) for 1,521 yards, eight touchdowns, and only five interceptions.
Craddock’s favorite target is true freshman wide receiver Malcolm Beyah, who has caught 24 passes for 447 yards and five touchdowns.
The Blue Raiders’ offense does not rely on running the ball often, and ranks 117 of 120 in the Football Bowl Subdivision in rushing yards per game. However, junior Phillip Tanner has rushed for 316 yards and five touchdowns this season. He credits the offensive line for allowing the running game to get better as the season has progressed.
“The offensive linemen are getting more comfortable and that’s a big thing. I think they are getting better every week and it’s easy to see they are a big reason our ground game is improving,” Tanner said.
The Blue Raider defense features sophomore cornerback Jeremy Kellem and senior linebacker Ivon Hickmon, both of whom have two interceptions apiece this year.
The Blue Raiders’ defense has been dealt a blow from injuries, with starting safety Anthony Glover likely to miss Saturday’s game to an ankle sprain. Also, junior cornerback Alex Suber, who has two interceptions this season, injured his jaw against Louisville and will miss the
rest of the season.
Mississippi State is currently 2-5 (1-3 SEC), coming off a 34-3 loss to Tennessee. The Bulldogs have struggled to recapture the magic of last season, and the offense, ranked 111th in the FBS, has stagnated.
“What we’ve got to do is continue to find ways to get some big plays on offense. Of course, we have to continue to run the football, and we’ll do that, but we have to continue to find some ways to get some big plays in the offensive attack,” said MSU head coach Sylvester Croom.
Croom said junior quarterback Tyson Lee, who sprained his knee and threw three interceptions last week, will start this week.
“Offensively, [the Bulldogs] are struggling a little bit, but when you are playing young people you are going to go through some growing pains and that’s what is happening, Stockstill said.
The Bulldog defense has performed much better than the offense, allowing only 291.6 yards per game, which is 22nd in the FBS.
“It is the fastest defense we have played since I have been here and one of the fastest I have seen in a long, long time,” Stockstill said.
A win would be huge for the Blue Raiders, whose remaining schedule gets considerably easier after this weekend.
“Every week is a challenge,” Tanner said. “We need to establish the run and keep playing hard. We know this is a good team with a great defense but we are preparing the same as we do each week because what we are doing is right.”
Both head coaches see the game as significant.
“It is a great opportunity for us,” Stockstill said. “Are we the underdog? Sure we are, but it’s a chance for us to do something special and compete against the so-called best athletes in the country. We have a chance to go and play a SEC team on their home turf on one of the ESPN stations and that’s a good thing.”
“We’re not in a position to be overlooking any game,” Croom said. “This is an important game for us, very important. We need a win.”
The Bulldogs are 2-0 alltime against the Blue Raiders. The most recent meeting was a 61-35 MSU win in 2000.