Mississippi State (2-4, 1-2) will once again be on the road as they continue the 2016 season in Lexington, Kentucky, against the University of Kentucky (3-3, 2-2).
After a 28-21 double- overtime loss to BYU last Friday, MSU will have to re-group and continue moving forward as they put the heartbreaker behind them and face a team they beat seven times in a row. Coming off of an emotional loss is always hard. Head coach Dan Mullen said he thinks the emotional loss can pull the team together.
“When you face a little adversity, it tests your character, but it can really pull a team closer together,” Mullen said on Monday about the BYU game’s effect on the team. “Stuff like this can actually help pull the team closer together at times.”
The biggest mental challenge will be for Fred Ross. Ross has struggled over the past couple weeks with dropped passes. Ross, who entering the season known for his sure hands, has had some uncharacteristic drops.
The moment Ross will have to move past was in the second overtime when he dropped a pass in the end zone from Nick Fitzgerald that would have sent the game to a third overtime. His wide receiver coach and offensive coordinator Billy Gonzales said Ross needs to relax and go play.
“I think at times he says, ‘I have got to do everything,’ and no you just have to make the plays he is responsible for and move,” Gonzales said. “We sat and talked and I think he will have a great rest of the season as well.”
Ross will have some big milestones to look forward to in this game. He is two catches away from breaking the MSU career record for catches. He currently has 161 and the record is 162. He is also three yards shy of 2000 receiving yards for his career.
On the defensive side of the ball, MSU is coming off of a game where they gave up 14 points in regulation, tied for the best they have done in regulation all season. The challenge this week will be with Kentucky running back Stanley “Boom” Williams.
Williams, a junior, is sixth in the SEC with 90 rushing yards a game. He has 540 yards on the year and is averaging 7.1 yards a carry. Against MSU last year he had 111 yards from scrimmage. Defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon said they will have more to worry about this week with Williams and the Kentucky rushing attack.
“Kentucky is going to have a little more of a full menu of the run game,” Sirmon said. “Gap schemes, zone schemes, wildcat, quarterback runs, so there is a little more to contend with.”
MSU will need this win if they want to have any hope of making a bowl. With the chances already slim every game matters. Senior linebacker Richie Brown said the team is not worrying about bowl eligibility.
“We are not thinking about bowl eligibility, we are just thinking about the next game,” Brown said. “No matter if you are undefeated or struggling to hang on, either way you just have to focus on the next game. Just worry about winning today, winning this week, doing well in practice and things will take care of themselves when you do that.”
The Bulldogs will play at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday against Kentucky.
