Mississippi State football: Bulldog fans should embrace lofty expectations
The 2018 Mississippi State football team entered the season with some of the highest expectations ever, and the fans should welcome them.
When it comes to hype and expectations, fans of Mississippi State football have a love-hate relationship. Fans often will say they want to fly under the radar, or they want the team to have a chip on their shoulder. But then those same fans will express their displeasure when Mississippi State isn’t picked to win a game or ranked as high as they feel they should be.
But in general, Mississippi State football fans often back down from expectations. We often look for reasons to complain and say that there is no way the Bulldogs can beat Alabama or Auburn or any other team because we find flaws in our team that are just too much to overcome.
Maybe that’s true most years, but in 2018, I say it’s hogwash.
The 2018 Mississippi State football team is a legitimate contender in the SEC West. The Bulldogs might not beat Alabama or Auburn or LSU, but this team is more than capable of actually doing it.
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That doesn’t mean this team doesn’t have flaws. Nick Fitzgerald needs to be more accurate, and I told you earlier this week why I think he will get there. The receivers also need to help him out more, but in a few more weeks, I think we’ll see a completely different passing attack from this team.
There are still questions in the secondary. The Mississippi State football team hasn’t faced an opponent yet who can test the Bulldogs in the defensive backfield. They looked good last week against Kansas State, but Kansas State isn’t known for their passing game prowess.
But it’s time we stop focusing on the flaws and start asking ourselves how will other teams be able to contain the strengths of this Mississippi State football team. And just in case you didn’t know, this year’s team has a whole bunch of them.
People talked all offseason about just how good the defensive line of this team was going to be. And not only have they lived up to the expectations, I think they have surpassed them. Through the first two games of the season, the Bulldogs have 25 tackles for loss and 8 sacks. Say what you want about Stephen F. Austin, but Kansas State had an extremely talented offensive line.
The Wildcats returned an experienced group of offensive linemen that was one of the best in the country. Kansas State did an excellent job in 2017 running the football and protecting their quarterback. Against the Mississippi State football defensive line, they looked like true freshmen.
Then there is the Mississippi State offensive line. This is a group of players who protected the quarterback better than any team in the country in 2017. They opened up running lanes all year and allowed the Bulldogs to run for 251 yards per game last season. Every starter except Martinas Rankin is back, and Greg Eiland made a number of starts due to injuries Rankin suffered in 2017. They mauled a very good defensive Kansas State team that hadn’t given up more than 223 yards rushing to any team the previous two years. Mississippi State’s offensive line cleared the way and allowed the team to run for nearly 400 yards.
And then there’s the new dynamic running game. I was surprised to see Joe Moorhead put Aeris Williams on the bench in favor of Kylin Hill. But after the first two games, it makes perfect sense. Hill is averaging 130 yards rushing per game and another 34 receiving. He’s already accumulated 5 touchdowns total. And while Fitzgerald has struggled to throw in his only appearance, he still looks like a beast running the ball.
Players of the Game Against Kansas State. dark. Next
The Mississippi State football team is good. Really good. It’s time to be confident in what this team can do in 2018. Sure, Texas A&M and LSU have looked better than expected, but Mississippi State has looked just as good as promised. This team believes it is one of the best in the country. It’s time for the fans to join them.