The Mississippi State Bulldogs
won a 31-24 thriller over the
Kentucky Wildcats Saturday,
thanks largely to senior running
back Anthony Dixon’s incredible
night, running for a school-record
252 yards on 33 carries, giving
him yet another school record to
add to his amazing resume.
It seems like every time I write
one of these game observation
columns, I rave about how Dixon
is amazing and the most under-appreciated
back in all of college
football. But what else can I say
now but repeat those points?
Dixon now has 1,001 yards,
good enough for seventh in the
FBS, and only 66 yards behind
Auburn’s Ben Tate, who is second.
(Fresno State’s Ryan Mathews is
untouchable at 1316 yards.)
Dixon’s postgame interview
with SEC Network says it all. He
mentioned how it was his goal to
lead the Bulldogs back to
a bowl game after missing
one last year.
“I wanna go out with
a bang,” Dixon told
reporter Jen Hildreth
in the televised interview.
“Last year it was
just depressing to go out
like that, to be at home
watching the people on
TV, knowing that we
were one of the better
teams. I’m just grinding for my
team, for my state. I’m just trying
to do what I can.”
Bowl chances
The Bulldogs now sit on a
4-5 record going into the
last three games. After an off
week next Saturday, the No. 2
Alabama Crimson Tide will roll
into Starkville on Nov. 14. The
Bulldogs need two more wins to
be eligible for a bowl game, so if
the Bulldogs are unable to top
the Crimson Tide, they will have
to beat both Arkansas in Little
Rock on Nov. 21 and Ole Miss
in Starkville on Nov. 28.
One delicious hypothetical scenario
has presented itself: Ole
Miss cannot count two FCS wins
toward bowl eligibility, so beating
Northern Arizona won’t matter. If
the Rebels lose to both Tennessee
and LSU (seems like a real possibility),
they will have to win the
Egg Bowl to reach a bowl. If the
Bulldogs can split the next two
games, they too will have to win
the Egg Bowl to reach a bowl.
If both teams go into the Egg
Bowl needing one win for a bowl,
expect the atmosphere we saw at
the Florida game to double.
Atmosphere
Speaking of atmosphere,
maybe I’m just spoiled by the
suddenly rocking atmosphere
we’ve this year at Davis Wade
Stadium, but the atmosphere at
Commonwealth Stadium was
pathetic. In fact, it’s been that
way in each of the three trips I’ve
made there.
The stadium was just bizarrely
quiet at times. Sure, the crowd
would get pumped on a Bulldog
third down, but overall, it is the
weakest stadium atmosphere
I’ve seen in the SEC, including
Vanderbilt. I guess it’s true
Kentucky fans only care about
basketball up there.
Kickoffs
I think both Sean Brauchle
and Derek DePasquale have been
solid on field goals, but our kickoff
coverage has been a disappointment
this year. Kentucky’s
average kickoff return came to
the 38.5 (comparatively, MSU’s
average kickoff return reached
the 24.5).
With the Alabama showdown
with and the nation’s top kick
returner Javier Arenas looming, I
almost think the Bulldogs should
pooch kick every kickoff against
the Tide. Or maybe even just kick
it out of bounds – if Kentucky’s
Randall Cobb can reach the 38.5
on an average kickoff, so can
Arenas. So why not just let the
Tide have the 40 every time and
guarantee no chance of Arenas
running one back?
Passing game
Tyson Lee had a slow
start Saturday, throwing
an interception on fourth and-
goal in the second
quarter and another on
his next attempt.
Mullen inserted Chris
Relf into the game for
one drive. Relf used this
opportunity to break
out consecutive 6- and
53-yard runs to set up a
short Dixon touchdown.
After that, Lee was a completely
different quarterback. I
was pleasantly surprised when he
hit O’Neal Wilder for a 67-yard
bomb in the third quarter.
That’s exactly what I’ve thought
we should use Wilder for ever
since we signed him – stretching
out the defense vertically.
The guy’s a track champion, and
if opposing defenses know we
have the capability to throw long
bombs to him, they will have no
choice but to stretch out more
and open up the field for shorter
passes. And remember, Wilder’s
still just a freshman, so he still
has plenty of years left to burn
defenses.