After losing to Florida, Alabama and Miami and narrowly escaping Rutgers and Arkansas, all at home, the Tennessee Volunteers (5-4, 2-3 SEC) will make their journey to Starkville to take on the conference winless Bulldogs. It is the first time since 1994 that Tennessee has suffered four regular season losses. Neyland Stadium was left orangeless after Miami routed the Vols 26-3 last week on national television. “I certainly expect our football team to bounce back after a tough loss last week,” head coach Phillip Fulmer said in his Tuesday press conference
“As I told our team yesterday, it’s really a time that we bow our neck from the standpoint of getting done what we need to get done here at the end of the season, starting with Mississippi State,” Fulmer said.
The Volunteers will come into Starkville hoping to start quarterback Casey Clausen, but Phillip Fulmer says it’s a game time decision.
“If Casey Clausen cannot play, and we’re hopeful he can, then James Banks and C.J. Leak better be ready to go,” Fulmer continued talking about the offensive struggle in big orange country. “Offensively, it has been frustrating, not just for our coaching staff but to the players, too, and our fans,” Fulmer said.
The offensive struggle continues for Tennessee as Casey Clausen was taken down hard in the Vols loss to Miami last week and suffers from multiple injuries, including a high ankle sprain and a foot bruise. The Vols top receiver Kelly Washington is also out.
Tennessee’s offense, for the first time in many years, is ranked seventh in the SEC for overall scoring. Tennessee has failed to score 20 points in each of their last four games and average 12 points a game during that span.
It may be hard to believe, but Tennessee and Mississippi State have similar statistics. The Vols lead in average scoring by only four points (23 to 19). Tennessee also leads in yards per game but only by 40 (365 to 325). Also, the Vols and Bulldogs have only 19 yards between them in yards allowed and the turnover ratio for Tennessee is even and for Mississippi State is –1.3.
A Tennessee victory this Saturday will be resting on the legs of sophomore running back Cedric Houston who racked up 111 yards against top ranked Miami, posting his third 100-yard game of the season. Houston was battered up at the beginning of the season, but obviously has had a good recovery.
A bigger scoring chance for Tennessee is their special teams. The Vols kick return team averages 25 yards per return, which ranks them fourth nationally and second in the SEC only behind 12th ranked LSU.
The Volunteer defense has also taken some injuries, but has come out much better than the offense. Tennessee is third in the SEC in total defense allowing just over 300 yards a game.
“As a defensive football team, we’re playing well,” said coach Fulmer “We have to really keep fighting as they have all year. It’s been a real positive.”
Mississippi State and Tennessee are meeting for the 41st time with the Volunteers leading the series 24-15-1. The last time the Vols and Bulldogs met it was underneath the cover of the Georgia Dome for the 1998 SEC Championship. Tennessee won the game 24-14 and went on to win the national championship.
“Mississippi State is a really fine football team,” Fulmer said. “The tailback, Jerious Norwood, is a guy who’s been nicked up a little bit, but looks to be 100 percent. The quarterback is an excellent operator, a veteran guy. They have a big, physical offensive line. They have a couple of playmakers at wide receiver and big-time tight end. It’s a real challenge for our defensive team.