Mississippi State football comes off their bye and heads east to take on the SEC's other Bulldogs in Georgia. The UGA offense has had some ups-and-downs this season, but it's a talented group for the MSU defense to try and contain.
Here's what to know about the Georgia offense...
Georgia found more in the run game against Auburn
Georgia is coming off a 31-13 win over their rivals in Auburn, a strong bounce back after their thrilling but heartbreaking loss in Tuscaloosa. Against the Tigers, UGA found more success on the ground than they have in their other SEC games so far. The Bulldogs ran 37 times for 141 yards. Their overall yards per rush isn't great, but RB Trevor Etienne had a nice game with 88 yards and a pair of scores on 16 carries. Their success on the ground took pressure off of QB Carson Beck, and given State's issues stopping the run this year, they'll likely try and build off last week.
Georgia is very-much still a pass-happy team
Though their coming off a good game on the ground, Georgia is definitely still a pass-first team. They've thrown the ball 55% of the time on the season. QB Carson Beck is currently third in the SEC with 272 yards per game. He's completed 66% of his passes with 12 TDs to three INTs. His receiving corps isn't dominant, but he's got a solid trio of wideouts to target between Arian Smith, Dominic Lovett, and Dillon Bell, all of whom are over 200 yards receiving on the year. The biggest concern for UGA is protecting Beck, as they're struggling with injuries up front, the most notable being star guard Tate Ratledge.
Disrupting Carson Beck will be crucial to the Mississippi State defense
Mississippi State has a very difficult matchup with Georgia, but if State is going to have a chance on Saturday, it starts with disrupting and confusing Carson Beck. Beck is an outstanding QB when he's got a clean pocket and working within structure. But if you can pressure him or create confusion with coverage, he's prone to making mistakes. Given State's struggles defensively, that's easier said than done, but it's necessary for a competitive game.