Mississippi State football vs Auburn: Which Bulldogs need to step up?

By Ethan Lee | Oct 6, 2018

STARKVILLE, MS - SEPTEMBER 15: Head coach Joe Moorhead of the Mississippi State Bulldogs speaks with quarterback Nick Fitzgerald #7 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the third quarter of their game against the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns on September 15, 2018 at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images) /

3 of 5

STARKVILLE, MS – SEPTEMBER 29: Aeris Williams #26 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs attempts to leap over Chauncey Gardner-Johnson #23, Donovan Stiner #13 and Vosean Joseph #11 of the Florida Gators during the first half at Davis Wade Stadium on September 29, 2018 in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

The offensive line

When the Mississippi State football team faced the Kentucky Wildcats, Nick Fitzgerald was under pressure fairly frequently because of the pass rush getting beyond the offensive line. When the Mississippi State football team faced the Florida Gators, the same thing happened. It just happened a bit more frequently as Todd Grantham attacked every weakness he knew about MSU’s offense.

Fitzgerald was sacked a total of 9 times in these two games alone. The offensive line was beaten a multitude of times. That can’t happen against the Auburn Tigers if the Bulldogs hope to upset the 8th ranked team in the country.

The Bulldogs can’t afford to make those kinds of mistakes this weekend. They just can’t.

And so, the Bulldogs offensive line will need to improve greatly upon how they’ve played against SEC competition. This unit will need to give its quarterback some more time to breathe while also moving a very physical Auburn defensive line.

Home/Mississippi State Football