Last year at this time the Mississippi State football team had just come off a heartbreaking loss to South Carolina which dropped them just out of the top-25 as they returned home to play then No. 3 Florida. The Bulldogs pulled off a huge upset as they totaled 517 yards offensively and dominated the Gators. This year, the Bulldogs are coming off a disappointing 16-14 loss to South Carolina at home. Their national ranking dropped from No. 16 to No. 22. Their next game will be against the Florida Gators, the No. 2 ranked team in the country. Will history repeat itself and lend an even bigger upset for the Dogs?
One difference in this year’s match-up between the two teams is that it will be in Florida. State has not played a game in the Swamp since 1993 and has not won there since 1965. The good news for MSU is that the Bulldogs won each of their last three road openers.
“The difference in this game from last year’s is the timing and effectiveness of Rex Grossman and their receivers has improved,” Head Coach Jackie Sherrill said. “Their receivers have improved, and they are very talented at going to get the football and making things happen after the catch.”
The Gator receivers and the Bulldog secondary could be the most important match-up of the game. Florida currently has the No. 1 passing offense in the nation, averaging just under 420 yards per game. Mississippi State, on the other hand, has the No. 1 passing defense in the nation. The Bulldogs are giving up just 68 yards per game in the air.
“When you play Florida, they will get the ball to their receivers,” Sherrill said. “You have to take the timing away. They feel, if they let their receivers work, they will beat you. Hopefully, we can mix things up and break up their rhythm.”
Florida’s running game has improved this year and will have two tailbacks carrying the load. Robert Gillespie and Earnest Graham lead a rushing attack that has seven touchdowns in three games.
“They use both of their running backs very similar to the way we use ours,” Sherrill said. “Robert Gillespie is more of their speed guy. Earnest Graham certainly has a lot of speed, but he is very physical as well.”
The Bulldog defense has not yet seen its usual domination this season. The Dogs are only ranked 75th in the country, giving up 162 yards per game. This could be important if Florida’s passing game becomes ineffective and the Dogs have to stop them on the ground.
From the Mississippi State perspective, one of their game breakers will not play this weekend. Running back Dicenzo Miller suffered a high ankle sprain during the opening drive of the South Carolina game. Miller has been walking around with a boot on, but without the ability to make quick cuts, he would be ineffective in the game.
This means junior Dontae Walker will see the majority of snaps at the tailback position. Last year against the Gators, Walker ran for 156 yards on 25 carries. Walker averaged 59 yards per game on the ground so far this season.
Another player to look for this week will be redshirt freshman running back Fred Reid from Tampa. Reid got in the end of the game against Memphis to start the season and will see time this weekend against Florida.
“I can’t wait because they (Florida) didn’t recruit me out of high school, and I just want to show Steve Spurrier what he missed,” Reid said. “This is a real good opportunity for me to go down there and showcase my skills. This will be a homecoming for me, and I will get to play in front of my family.”
The MSU passing game will have to step up for the Bulldogs to have a chance. The Bulldogs have averaged 217.5 yards per game in the air this season.
Justin Jenkins will be called on as one of the big play receivers for the Bulldogs.
“I’m looking forward to this game,” Jenkins said. “Florida is a place where you can get your name on the map and also get our program a step higher than what it is. They’re getting all this recognition about what they can do on defense and in their secondary. The wide receivers here at Mississippi State feel we deserve some recognition, and this is the week that we can prove it.”
This game will be a measuring stick for the rest of the season for both teams. Florida has not played solid competition yet this year.
“They did not play Tennessee, so we haven’t been able to see what Florida really has,” Sherrill said. “There is a difference in the talent level of the teams they’ve played so far, so we haven’t been able to see Florida play under the gun.”
Mississippi State is in the same situation as last season. The Bulldogs need to find some way to win down in the Swamp. A win against the Gators would move the Dogs back up in the polls and pave the way for a Western Division championship. A loss would be a big setback and would give the team two early conference defeats.
It will take a perfect game against Florida. This is by far the most talented team State will face all season. Unlike last year, the Gators are focused and playing like they are expected to. It will be an exciting game to watch this Saturday. The game begins at 2:30 p.m. and will be shown nationally on CBS.