Mississippi State – 2018 SEC Preview
Mississippi State enjoyed a nine-win season last year, and in spite of some turbulence at season’s end, hopes have seldom been higher among Bulldog faithful going into a new season.
The Bulldogs finished the 2017 campaign with a 9-4 record, but the season was not without some turmoil near the end. State was 7-2 entering its home game with Alabama and led the game most of the way, but the Crimson Tide scored in the final minute to deny MSU a huge signature-win.
From there, MSU staggered to the finish line. After a lackluster win against a weak Arkansas team, State lost starting QB Nick Fitzgerald in a gruesome injury in the first quarter of its Egg Bowl matchup with Ole Miss and ultimately lost the game. One day later, head coach Dan Mullen bolted Starkville for Florida after nine seasons and eight consecutive bowl appearances.
Athletic Director John Cohen moved quickly and decisively, hiring Penn State offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead to replace Mullen. And the Bulldogs and an interim coaching staff hung together and won the Taxslayer Bowl over Louisville to end the year on a high note.
Moorhead, the second MSU coach in a row to hail from above the Mason-Dixon Line, has endeared himself to Bulldog Nation with his blue-collar background and unassuming demeanor. He comes with great offensive credentials, having overseen the transformation of James Franklin’s Nittany Lion offense, following a successful head coaching stint at his alma mater, Fordham.
The Bulldogs return 17 starters and 34 of their top 44 on the two-deep depth chart. Fitzgerald returns at QB and is expected to be 100%. Running backs Aeries Williams and Kylin Hill highlight a strong running game, and the offensive line returns intact. Wide receivers, one of the Bulldogs’ weak points last year, should be vastly improved with the addition of several highly touted newcomers.
Senior running back Aeris Williams is back for the Bulldogs this season. (Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports)
Mississippi State’s defensive line is expected to be one of best in the country, headlined by a pair of legitimate first round NFL picks, Jeffrey Simmons and Montez Sweat. The Bulldogs have depth at linebacker and in the secondary and should be one of top overall defensive units in the SEC.
The Bulldogs also return placekicker Jace Christmann, a Groza watch list kicker going into the 2018 campaign, but will have to find a replacement for punter Logan Cooke, who was selected in the 7th round of the NFL draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The schedule is relatively manageable, as SEC schedules go, with a road trip to Kansas State, along with SEC road trips to Kentucky, LSU, Alabama and Ole Miss. The Bulldogs draw Florida, Auburn, Texas A&M and Arkansas at home. Stephen F. Austin, Louisiana-Lafayette and Louisiana Tech also come to Davis Wade Stadium in 2018.
With so much talent returning from a successful 2017 team and the addition of Joe Moorhead, optimism abounds in Starkville. MSU fans are expecting big things in 2018 and a double-digit win total is certainly within the realm of possibility.
