Mississippi State football gets a huge opportunity at an upset victory when No. 15 Tennessee comes to Starkville on Saturday. What must the Bulldogs do if they're going to get the win?
Mississippi State must win the explosive play battle
Mississippi State has been an incredibly explosive offense this season, leading the SEC with nine passing plays of 40+ yards. That's been the best part of their offense, and it's also been a crucial part of it. The Bulldogs have yet to show the ability to regularly string together long drives, instead relying on big plays to put points on the board. They're going to need those big plays in this game. On the other side, forcing Tennessee to have to nickel and dime their way down the field and preventing the big plays is the key to limiting their effectiveness on offense. If the Bulldogs finish with more explosive plays than the Volunteers, they'll have a good shot at winning.
Mississippi State must confuse Joey Aguilar
Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar has been fantastic this season. Where he's particularly excelled is in his decisiveness. He gets the ball out quickly, understanding where to attack the field and not allowing pressure to get to him. For Mississippi State, they have to create some indecision from Aguilar to slow him down. Disguising coverages and pressures will be their best bet for creating negative plays and turnovers. Wherever he thinks he needs to go with the ball can't be where he should. A raucous Davis Wade crowd can help with this too.
Mississippi State must play a complete game on offense
Even if the Bulldog defense plays well, odds are, Tennessee will put quite a few points on the board. This is a game where State is going to have to score to give themselves a chance, and while their offense has been productive so far, they've yet to have a good four-quarter performance against FBS competition. Against Southern Miss, Arizona State, and Northern Illinois, State effectively got one good half of offense each. That was enough in those game, but it won't be enough against the Volunteers. Blake Shapen and Co. can't waste possessions and need to consistently put up points.