#83 Mississippi St. Bulldogs Forward
Spring practices are already in the books and fall camps will be here before you know it, which means you’ll have an early jump on the 2006 NCAA football season. Knowing the teams now will save you time in August and Matt Fargo is here to help you understand what to expect this coming year. We go from worst to first in this 2006 college football preview.
#83 – Mississippi St. Bulldogs 3-8 SU; 4-6 ATS
Fargo’s Take Hard times have fallen on the once-proud Mississippi St. program, but things are looking up and the Bulldogs have a chance to have their best year since 2000. They haven’t won more than three games a year since then, for what the best year could be still means only a 4-8 record and that won’t make the Starkville faithful very happy. Mississippi St. had one of the worst offenses in the country last season, which was disappointing because it brought a very solid defense to the field. The Bulldogs finished 29th in total defense and 44th in scoring defense, but they didn’t do much good when the offense was shut out twice and they scored 10 or fewer points five times. Offense will be better as will defense, but how much better on both sides will determine how much improvement there will be in the win column. This is the third season of the Sylvester Croom experiment and things need to start looking up quickly for it to stick around for the long haul.
Returning starters on offense – 8 The offense scored 38 points in the opener against 1-AA Murray St. but did not score more than 21 points until the end of the season against rival ‘Ole Miss. If there’s any good news from that, it’s that this year’s starting quarterback, Michael Henig, was in command in that game against the Rebels, so that could be a sign of things to come. The biggest loss across the board is running back Jerious Norwood, the school’s all-time leading rusher, and his replacement will be a running back by committee. Up to four running backs are expected to contribute, led by sophomore Brandon Thornton, and all four have different styles, so he could pose problems for opposing defenses. The offensive line averages about 313 pounds and will provide running room and protection. Former quarterback Omarr Conner could be a star at wide receiver.
Returning Starters Defense – 9 The defense did its best to keep the Bulldogs in games last season, but with the offense anemic, it wasn’t good enough. With nine starters returning, that defense could be even better and could pose problems for some of the SEC’s elite teams. The seven forwards can compete with anyone in the conference led by tackle Deljuan Robinson and linebacker Quinton Culberson. The rushing defense allowed 3.7 ypc, the fewest since 2000, but there is still room for improvement as five teams rushed for more than 172 yards. Air defense was excellent and should be strong once again with three returning starters. The Bulldogs haven’t allowed a 200-yard passer in their last four games and have allowed more than 218 yards passing just three times all season. The defense will be asked to keep things close once again, but some of the pressure should be relieved by an improved offense.
Schedule Most teams get an early break on the schedule with some non-conference games, but the Bulldogs are being thrown into the fire with the first two games against South Carolina and Auburn. The only good news about that is that they’re both home. Additionally, three of the four non-conference games are at home, including a game against Big East powerhouse West Virginia. The only away game in that group is at UAB, a very winnable game. Three SEC road games at LSU, Georgia and Alabama will be impossible, while a home game against Kentucky and the final road game against Mississippi can be had. The highlight of the SEC slate might be missing Florida and Tennessee, but the Bulldogs also miss a weak Vanderbilt team. Five of the first seven games are at home, so a fast start is a must.
You can bet on… Mississippi St. is going to pull off a big upset this year as this team will sneak up on a lot of teams. That game could be the first against South Carolina, which could already be looking at Georgia the following week. With a defense like the Bulldogs should have, a lot of good things can happen. Mississippi St. hasn’t had a winning ATS record since 2001, going 14-28 against the number ever since. It’s going to change at some point and this could be the year it happens. The Bulldogs have gone 21 straight away games in conference action without a win and that streak will likely continue through the season all the way to Mississippi, where they have a chance. However, the Rebels will be in a bad mood after last year’s 21-point embarrassment.