Mississippi State University (2-0) takes on No. 12 LSU (2-0) on Saturday. Here is a position by position breakdown of how the teams match up against one another.
QUARTERBACK
ADVANTAGE: MSU

Nick Fitzgerald led the SEC in total yards (3,798) last season and was second in the SEC in rushing yards (1,375). He is the unquestioned best player on MSU’s offense and is considered by many to be one of the better quarterbacks in the SEC. This season he is completing around 60 percent of his passes for 363 yards and five touchdowns.

Against BYU, Danny Etling went 14-17 for 171 yards and no touchdowns while LSU pounded BYU in the run game. He barely beat out freshman QB Myles Brennan for the starting QB job before the season. He did have a good game last week but it was against UT-Chattanooga.

Overall, this is the biggest gap among all the positions between the two teams. Fitzgerald is a game changer, while Etling is much more a game manager.
RUNNING BACK
ADVANTAGE: LSU

Darrius Guice led the SEC in rushing yards last season and he has not slowed down this season. He is the center piece of LSU’s offense and has 234 yards and four touchdowns on the season. His backup, Darrell Williams, is no slouch either.

Aeris Williams is yet to truly get a full workload this season, as in both of MSU’s wins he was rotated out after MSU got big leads. On the season Williams has 25 carries for 191 yards. Behind him is true freshman Kylin Hill, who has 19 carries and 126 yards on the season.

LSU has the edge because Guice could be the best running back in the SEC, and he also has a nice complement in backup Darrell Williams. Aeris Williams is also a talented and good running back, but is not on the same level of Guice.
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
ADVANTAGE: PUSH

LSU has talent across the board at the positions with six four star or better recruits at receiver and two four star tight ends. However, all of the receivers in that group are sophomores or younger, so the talent is young and unproven. The only proven receiver is senior D.J. Chark who only caught 26 passes last season.

MSU has a similar case, with one (maybe two if you count Gabe Myles) proven receivers in senior Donald Gray. Beyond that it is mostly unproven, but talented, players. The tight ends so far have been one of the breakout positions for MSU as Jordan Thomas, Farrod Green and Justin Johnson all have caught the ball well. Depth has not been an issue for MSU as seven MSU players have multiple catches and four have at least four catches.

Overall this is a push because both receiver groups are looking at the same problem, one or two proven guys and then the rest is young and unproven. Tight ends are hard to compare because at LSU they are more of extensions of the offensive line and used as blockers where MSU spreads out their tight ends more.
OFFENSIVE LINE
ADVANTAGE: PUSH

LSU is led by players like Garrett Brumfield, who was named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week after LSU’ win over BYU and William Clapp, who has 25 of the 49 starts LSU offensive lineman have. MSU has their 38 starts spread over three players for the most part, including Martinas Rankin, who has been predicted to go as high as the first round in the NFL draft by some.

MSU’s offensive line has given up no sacks on the season compared to LSU’s two, but that does not tell the whole story. LSU played BYU in week one, which is easily the best team either of these teams have faced.

This is really the same situation as the receivers where both team’s first big test is each other and most of the group is unproven.
DEFENSIVE LINE
ADVANTAGE: MSU

 LSU has a very talented defensive line that has done well this season. They are led by fifth year senior Christian LaCouture, who has three tackles on the season. Greg Gilmore is the center piece of the defensive line at nose tackle and is a great space eater.

MSU is led by SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week Jeffrey Simmons, who has 10 tackles, one sack, a blocked punt and two touchdowns on the season. He demands double and triple teams at nose tackle and still generates pressure. Complementing Simmons is a talented group consisting of Fletcher Adams, Cory Thomas, Montez Sweat and others.

LSU has a talented defensive line, but so does MSU. The difference is Jeffrey Simmons. Simmons is on a whole another level than everyone else in the conference right now. He is what gives MSU the edge.
LINEBACKERS
ADVANTAGE: LSU

Behind Alabama, LSU might have one of the best linebacker groups in the conference. It starts inside with linebacker Devin White, who leads the team with 14 tackles. Donnie Alexander, the other inside backer, had eight tackles in LSU’s game against UT-Chattanooga. Then there is Arden Key, who is making his season debut this week. Key, who plays the hybrid linebacker, was first team All-SEC last season and is a force on the edge, getting 12 sacks last season.

Leo Lewis leads the MSU linebackers. Lewis was named the SEC Defensive Freshman of the Year last year by Athlon Sports. He had 79 tackles as a freshman and now leads this linebacker group. Around him are veterans in Dez Harris, Traver Jung and Gerri Green. Harris leads the team in tackles with 11. Green, who plays in the hybrid linebacker spot, leads the team in sacks two and has forced two fumbles.

This group is MSU favored up until it was announced Arden Key would play on Saturday. It is still close but the addition of a talent like Key puts this group over the top for LSU and gives them the edge over the MSU linebackers.
SECONDARY
ADVANTAGE: LSU

LSU always seems to have a stellar secondary. They already have three interceptions on the season with Andraez Williams taking two of those. Kevin Toliver II, a former top corner recruit, was supposed to start over Williams, but missed the first game of the season. John Battle, is second on the team in tackles with nine and leads the safety group. Overall the group has only given up 276 passing yards on a 48 percent completion rate.

MSU’s secondary was the weak link of the defense the past few seasons. Their weakness is giving up big plays, something they did against Louisiana Tech last week when Tech completed a 58-yard pass on their first drive. Mark McLaurin has the team’s one interception this season.

Overall, this is no contest; LSU has more talent and experience, easy edge to LSU.

 
FINAL PREDICTION: MSU-31 LSU-21

While LSU wins more positional groups here, MSU wins the one a huge one, quarterback, and wins it by a sizable margin. Nick Fitzgerald will be the difference in this game.