The Mississippi State Bulldogs face the UAB Blazers for Homecoming on Saturday after a marquee victory over then No. 22 Florida, which has vaulted the Bulldogs into the top 25 with a No. 24 ranking in both the AP and Coaches’ Polls. The ranking is the first such since Sept. 21, 2001, and throws the Bulldogs into the national spotlight, also putting a proverbial target on MSU’s back.
Mullen acknowledges the success but knows MSU must stay focused in order to reach it’s goals.
“Were coming off of a little bit of success that we’re having right now, and one important thing for our progam is keep our focus on what got us here which is, you know, the hard work that all of our players have put in up to this point,” Mullen said. “That has to be our number one focus this week.”
While coaches are very good at saying the right things, reaching a somewhat unexpected level of success about midway through the season can sometimes instill complacency among players. Judging from what junior running back and emerging team leader Vick Ballard said, the Bulldogs believe what the head man is preaching.
“When you start having success, you want to forget where you came from,” Ballard said. “So it’s always good to take it one game at a time.”
Ballard brings up an important point, remembering where the Bulldogs come from. So far this season, the Bulldogs have prospered with staunch defense and a punishing ground game.
Up to this point in the season, the Bulldog defense has put up the numbers to become feared nationally. MSU ranks No. 13 in the country in scoring defense, only giving up 16 points per contest, and is averaging 7.4 tackles for loss per game, which is good for a No. 17 national ranking.
The Bulldog defense has only allowed eight touchdowns out of the 23 times the opposing team has made a red zone appearance, which is an astonishingly low number.
These numbers surely please Diaz and Wilson, the MSU defensive coordinators, who preach stingy red zone defense and making big plays in the opponent’s back field. Something is sinking in.
While the defense has numerous playmakers all over the field, one of the more quiet players has become a big time leader by example. Senior middle linebacker Chris White is coming off a career game against Florida, where his play earned him the Bronko Nagursky  National Defensive Player of the Week Award.
When asked about this week’s upcoming game, White echoed what Mullen and Ballard had to say.
“[The win over Florida] gives us great confidence, but we know we can’t take that confidence in the wrong way,” White said. “We’ve got to keep working hard and keep trying to get better because … UAB, they’re a good football team, and if we take them lightly, they could come in here and whoop our butt.”
This workman-like mindset has surely aided the players this season, and MSU fans must be happy to hear of the focus this team is playing with right now.
Focus cannot be quantified, but the sum of the on-field success can. The defense is aided by the ground game which controls the clock and allows the defense to rest and play with great field position.
MSU currently ranks third in the conference, averaging 211.9 yards per game, which is also good for a No. 21 national ranking. MSU is led by Vick Ballard who is also tied for the lead in the SEC with 12 touchdowns, good for 72 points.
Ballard has had some nice holes to run through, provided by senior left tackle Derek Sherrod and company. Sherrod is tabbed to be a first rounder in the NFL draft and has been named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week twice in the last four weeks. The bigger Bulldogs up front dominated the Gator defensive line, even without senior center J.C. Brignone. The offensive line has flourished under it’s second-year position coach John Hevesy, and it is a huge part of the current Bulldog success.
With a win over UAB, it would be the first time MSU will have posted an undefeated non-conference record since 2000. With bowl implications on the line, yes, MSU can secure a bowl berth this early in the season with a win this weekend. However, Mullen insists the Bulldogs are not looking that far down the road.
“We’re very motivated to win one game, and that’s this weeks game. That’s about all were motivated to do,” Mullen said. “If we can go 1-0 this week … on Saturday, be the best football team on the field, then we’ve reached our goal. If we do that, we’ll be fortunate enough some other good things will happen to us. If you really concentrate on the present, a lot of good things will happen to you in the future.”
MSU is saying all of the right things, but the Dawgs must avoid a mental lapse this week. The team will need a raucous crowd, which works out well because the Bulldog Club and Athletic Director Scott Stricklin expect a sellout crowd and a packed stadium on Saturday.
Not only does the administration expect it, but so do the players.
“The Dawg Walk is probably going to be crazy, the fans will probably be wild, but that’s what we want around here,” White said.
Make sure and stay tuned in to the events Saturday as Mississippi State plays in this highly anticipated game. Homecoming festivities, fall weather and bowl implications make for a special October and a mix the Bulldog faithful have not experienced in awhile.
Mullen expects the Blazers to be even tougher than Florida.
 ”This is going to be a tougher game than last week’s game. This team is coming off of a win, playing with a lot of confidence,” Mullen said. “They’ve played in this stadium before. They are going to be coming in with a chip on their shoulder wanting to beat an SEC team.”
Will UAB delay MSU’s bowl eligibility celebration? If the superiorly talented Bulldogs of the SEC are as truly focused as they say, the Blazers should be outmatched. There is only one way to find out, and that is why they line up and play the games.