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Mississippi State Football vs. Kentucky: Battle of the Wills

By Addison Thigpen

STARKVILLE, MISSISSIPPI - OCTOBER 08: Will Rogers #2 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs looks to pass during the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Davis Wade Stadium on October 08, 2022 in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
STARKVILLE, MISSISSIPPI - OCTOBER 08: Will Rogers #2 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs looks to pass during the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Davis Wade Stadium on October 08, 2022 in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images) /
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Mississippi State football is preparing for its second late-night road game of the season, but the stakes are a little higher now. The Mississippi State Bulldogs have to travel to Lexington on Saturday to play the Kentucky Wildcats in a must-win game for both teams. Honestly, the Bulldogs are catching Kentucky at the same spot they did Arkansas last weekend, 2 back-to-back SEC losses that killed both teams’ big season hopes. The main difference is this time the Dawgs are not in Davis Wade Stadium, and Kroger Field will be hostile at night.

Will vs. Will

One thing that definitely WILL not disappoint on Saturday night is the quarterback play.

The big talking point is around Will Levis’ injury, but it does look like he will play. Earlier today, Mark Stoops said, “Right now it seems like he’ll be healthy, barring any setbacks.”

Will Levis does add another dimension to the Wildcats’ offense, and I cannot wait to see how Zach Arnett shuts him down. Will Levis is coming into this game with 1405 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. He is also a capable runner when he needs to be, and Stoops will utilize him in RPO and QB-keep situations. With that being said, the Bulldog defense matches up very well against Kentucky and if they can execute at the line of scrimmage, it will be a long night for Will Levis.

Will Rogers is a little bit different than Levis. Rogers is coming into this weekend with 2110 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and 3 ints. When it comes to passing, Will Rogers is in a different league than Will Levis. Rogers has attempted 141 more passes this season and has 1 less interception. Yes, Levis is more of a threat as a runner, but Rogers only has 4 fewer rushing yards than Levis this season (-60yds vs -56yds). In all seriousness, I think a lot of analysts are going to regret that they have been overlooking Will Rogers because he is a serious QB, and it’s his chance to prove that on Saturday.

Prediction:

It will probably be a close game on Saturday, but the Dawgs should come out on top. I don’t think that Kentucky is prepared for a Bulldog defense that is mean, gritty, and ready to shut up the Levis hype. If the Bulldog offense can win the time of possession and finish every drive, then they will go home the victor this weekend.

Mississippi State – 35

Kentucky – 27

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