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NCAA Football Mississippi State Bulldogs

Mississippi State Bulldogs Face Another Challenge on Saturday

By

Marvin Gentry, USA TODAY SPORTS

Marvin Gentry, USA TODAY SPORTS

The Mississippi State Bulldogs got a huge win on Saturday, but there was little time to celebrate. Head coach Dan Mullen allowed his team to savor its 48-31 win over the Texas A&M Aggies on Saturday, but the Bulldogs cannot get too confident, because another test awaits them this week.

MSU, ranked third in the latest Associated Press poll, welcomes the defending SEC champions, the Auburn Tigers, to Starkville on Saturday in what will be the game of the week in college football. It’s also a game that will have significant implications for both teams. The winner of this one will be in the driver’s seat in the SEC West.

Auburn will come to town ranked second in the country after pounding the LSU Tigers 41-7 on Saturday night on the Plains. Nick Marshall and company will have taken note of how well Mississippi State played in thumping A&M on Saturday in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score would indicate.

MSU is being fueled by a potent offense, led by quarterback Dak Prescott. While he’s not a great passer, Prescott makes enough plays in the passing game, without turning the ball over, to keep opposing defenses honest, which also opens running lanes, where Prescott is at his best. Against A&M, Prescott had two passing touchdowns and three scores on the ground.

The overlooked part of the MSU team is the defense, which may give up more points and yards than most, but still is able to make enough plays to keep the Bulldogs in most games. They did an excellent job against Kenny Hill and the Aggies on Saturday, including three interceptions. They will face a different type of challenge this Saturday, facing the offense of Gus Malzahn and the Tigers.

Most experts did not see MSU as a contender in the SEC this season. But if they can beat Auburn on Saturday, the SEC West race will definitely run through Starkville.

Tim Letcher is a contributing writer for www.RantSports.com and a member of the Football Writers Association of America. Follow him on Twitter @TimLetcher , on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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