Mississippi State Football: 3 Questions to Ask as Mississippi State Hits the Road to take on #13 Georgia in the Battle of the Bulldogs
Mississippi State Football: 3 Questions to Ask as Mississippi State Hits the Road to take on #13 Georgia in the Battle of the Bulldogs
The Mississippi State Football Bulldogs (2-4) travel to Athens to take on the #13 Georgia Bulldogs (4-2) this Saturday. This is a rare Bulldog versus Bulldog matchup. The two schools have only played a total of twenty-four games, with Georgia having the edge, 18-6. The last Maroon Bulldog victory came in 2010. Both Bulldog squads had last week’s games postponed due to Covid-19. It’s the Battle of the Bulldogs, the 2020 Edition.
Who starts at Quarterback?
Mike Leach has a dilemma on his hands. Neither of his quarterbacks has performed at a high level. Will Rogers did just enough to get his first win against Vanderbilt. He has the Defense to thank for that victory. KJ Costello should be recovered from the injury he sustained against Alabama.
Whoever starts at quarterback will face a tough task against the #13 Georgia Bulldogs defense. The Georgia Bulldogs are #2 overall in the SEC in defense, followed by Mississippi State. Georgia named JT Daniels the starting quarterback this week, and he will get his first game action of the season against Mississippi State.
Will JoQuavious Marks Have a Big Game in his home state?
Starting running back, Jo’Quavious Marks will play his first game in his home state. As you know, he was a highly recruited prospect out of the state of Georgia. Marks would like nothing better than to make plenty of impact plays against Georgia.
He may also have a chip on his shoulder as those other Bulldogs did not even offer him. Marks should be the featured offensive weapon against Georgia.
He has a steady offensive performer since taking over the starting running back position. If Mississippi State is to leave Athens with a victory in this dogfight, Marks has to have a great game.
Marks was asked what he thought about Georgia this week during player interviews.
Does the Defense Have Another Multiple Turnover Performance?
The Mississippi State defense has played very well all season. Outside of the Alabama game, the defense has kept Mississippi State within striking distance in every game. Against Vanderbilt, the Bulldog defense forced six turnovers, including a turnover on downs.
The defense will be without two key contributors as Marcus Murphy and Nathan Pickering have opted out for the rest of the season. Zach Arnett talked about how the Bulldogs would replace Murphy and Pickering.
With JT Daniels making his first start, I expect Georgia to run the ball. The defense will have its hands full with the stable of Georgia running backs. Will the Mississippi State Bulldog defense be able to confuse Daniels and also stop the run?
We will find out on Saturday.