This year’s Bulldog Bash weekend can be taken literally to mean “Bash of the Bulldogs,” as Mississippi State (2-1, 0-1 SEC) takes on the 7th-ranked Bulldogs of Georgia (3-0, 1-0 SEC) tomorrow night at Davis Wade Stadium.
“We’ve got a big game against a great opponent,” MSU head coach Sylvester Croom said. “They have fine players and a good coaching staff. We’ve got the makings of a great college football game here on our campus Saturday night, primetime. We are very excited about being a part of this.”
Georgia, who leads the overall series 14-5, comes into tomorrow’s game led by head coach Mark Richt, who is 45-10 at the helm of UGA’s team.
“We’re excited about playing this game. It’s the first time for the players and for [the coaches] to play MSU, but I remember how loud and wild it seemed to be up in the stands when I played there as a player and how hostile their stadium can be,” said Richt, who has never faced State as a head coach. “And we haven’t been away to play in a long time, since our bowl game, so we’ll see how we handle that.”
Perhaps the most prominent player on Georgia’s entire squad is senior quarterback D.J. Shockley. Making his first road start of the season, Shockley realizes how tough road SEC games can be.
“This is an SEC game on the road,” Shockley said. “It’s a hostile environment against a tough team. It should be a tough game. We have to be ready and have to be able to communicate. We cannot go into thinking that it’s just another game.”
Shockley is a Michael Vick-style quarterback, meaning he can pass and run. MSU, however, is no stranger to playing against the scrambling quarterback.
“I’m glad we’ve already had a chance to play against a scrambling quarterback like Ken Topps [of Murray State],” Croom said. “We’re better off than what we would’ve been had we not played him. But this is going to be different. [Shockley] is bigger, faster, and very elusive.”
Georgia is ranked 13th in the nation in offensive yardage production, averaging 489 yards per game. UGA boasts three different players with over 150 rushing yards: Shockley and running backs Danny Ware and Thomas Brown.
SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week Willie Evans realizes that his recent award is just a minute in the spotlight.
When Evans heard that he had won the award, he thought, “That was last week. I’ve got to come back this week and get it again,” and he realizes what he must do.
“We’ve got to come out this week and play fast,” Evans added. “They’ve got some good guys up front. They can run and pass. These are probably the best guys I’ve played against since I’ve been here.”
MSU’s defense ranks 21st nationwide in total defense, and Coach Richt realizes that.
“I’m especially impressed with [MSU’s] defense,” he said. “Their front four are all big and physical and good-looking football players. Willie Evans is I think leading the league in sacks, and he’s going to be a tough guy to block one-on-one.”
Georgia’s defense ranks in the top 10. Allowing only 11.7 points per game, the visiting Bulldogs are looking to continue the lights-out tactics that worked against Boise State (the No. 2 offense in the nation in 2004), South Carolina and Louisiana-Monroe.
“They’ve got a guy like [Omarr] Conner who can run the ball extremely well and everybody knows about [Jerious] Norwood for them,” Richt said. “They’ve got three receivers who can play very well.”
Senior running back Jerious Norwood says he feels that he’s about up to 85 percent health with his shoulder still bothering him. Norwood rushed for 99 yards against Tulane and had 1 rushing touchdown that led MSU to victory. He attributes part of the offense’s success to the offensive line, which looked sketchy coming into the season.
“The offensive linemen have been doing the absolute best they can. That’s all you can ask for,” Norwood said. “I knew they would give it their all, ever since the season started.”
The game will be featured on ESPN 2, giving Mississippi State their first national broadcast game of the year and possibly their only.
“This truly is what college football is about,” Croom said. “Playing a big-time opponent on TV. What more can you ask for? It’s great exposure for our program. It’s a great chance for our players to display their skills and character.”
“I try not to let things like [playing on TV] affect how I think about the game,” junior Will Prosser added. “For me personally, I always enjoy night games because it reminds me of my old high school days. As for being on TV, you grow up dreaming about being on ESPN at night against a nationally
ranked team.”
This game marks Georgia’s first road game of the season, and the UGA players realize how tough it will be to play at Scott Field.
“We’ve heard that Mississippi State is a tough place to play,” UGA sophomore running back Danny Ware said. “The fans have their cowbells and they’re really trying to crank it up. They are a good team, and it’s a hostile environment.”
Having played tough SEC teams over the past few years, Croom says that his team has gone up against a great amount of talent. Fear is not an issue.
“There’s nothing to be afraid of,” Croom said. “We know what to expect. We’ve been up against the best. So we just have to line up, and go play. Let’s get it on.”