Mississippi State hosts Arkansas on the penultimate week of the 2016 regular season.
Date: November 19, 2016
Place: Davis Wade Stadium (Starkville, MS)
Game Time: 6:00 PM Central
TV Channel: ESPNU
Radio: list of MSU affiliates
Point Spread: Mississippi State -2
Over/Under: 60
Mississippi State will be looking for its fifth straight win over Arkansas, and will also need the win to keep their bowl hopes alive.
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The key to this game rests on the shoulders of the Mississippi State running attack. The Bulldogs offensive line has been much maligned all year, but have played well if not exceptional at times over the last two weeks….against really good defensive lines.
MSU’s running backs have also taken their fair share of criticism as they struggled to make any headway through the first half of the season. Aeris Williams, however, has stepped up in recent games, averaging 4.65 YPC since the BYU game and 5.6 YPC in the last two games.
Arkansas’ run defense has struggled mightily this year. They rank 104th in the country with 218 YPG given up on the ground. Mississippi State ranks 32nd in the nation in rushing offense with 213 YPG behind Nick Fitzgerald who ranks 7th overall in the SEC and 1st among quarterbacks.
It will be Senior Day in Starkville, here is the list of scholarship seniors that will be honored:
- Devon Desper (OG) – two year starter
- Nick James (DT) – two year starter
- Nelson Adams (DT) – mostly a backup but has played a lot
- Joquell Johnson (OG) – backup as juco transfer
- Jamaal Clayborn (C) – two year starter
- Justin Senior (OT) – three year starter
- Will Coleman (DE) – backup as juco transfer
- Torrey Dale (DE) – career backup
- A.J. Jefferson (DE) – two year starter
- Richie Brown (LB) – two year starter
- Ashton Shumpert (RB) – mostly a backup but has played a lot
- DeAndre Ward (LB) – backup as a former walk-on
- Johnathan Calvin (DE) – one year starter as juco transfer
- Kivon Coman (S) – two year starter
- Brandon Holloway (RB) – two year starter
- Fred Ross (WR) – two year starter
- Tolando Cleveland (CB) – would be a one year starter but out with injury (should be back in 2017 with a medical redshirt)
- Cedric Jiles (CB) – career backup mostly due to injuries