Mississippi State football is coming off a bye week to travel to Athens, Georgia, taking on the fifth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs. State's season has been less than ideal so far, and they have to take on another elite team on the road. The two household names for Georgia that everyone knows are Carson Beck and Trevor Etienne. However, these two players are the tip of the iceberg, as they have elite talent at every position on the field. Here are the three Georgia players that State fans should know before kickoff.
Wide Receiver Dillon Bell
Bell is a former three-star prospect, but he has broken through the depth chart by becoming a key contributor for Georgia in the passing game this season. In his first two seasons, Bell caught 49 passes for 535 yards and five touchdowns. Based off what he has done this season, this could statistically be his best season while at Georgia. Through five games, he has 18 receptions for 216 yards and three touchdowns. Bell caught four passes for 18 yards and a touchdown last week versus Auburn. His best game of the season, in what might have been Georgia's best offensive showcase, was at Alabama. In the loss to the Crimson Tide, Bell had five receptions for 100 yards and one touchdown. He also ran the ball twice with one of his rushes going for a touchdown. Expect him to be a big part of Georgia's passing attack on Saturday.
Linebacker Jalon Walker
Walker has continued the tradition of elite Georgia defensive players under Kirby Smart. His numbers do not blow you away, but he is one of the leaders of the defense who can cause chaos from the linebacker position. On the season, Walker has 18 total tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Mississippi State did find success running the ball versus Texas when they gained 150 yards on the ground. However, 14 of those yards were negated because of sacks and negative plays. State's inability to protect the passer will once again be in jeopardy this week when they face Walker and the formidable Georgia defense.
Defensive End Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins
Another Georgia player to watch on the defensive side is junior defensive lineman, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins. His stats are similar to Walker in that his stats do not blow you off the page. However, that is because he is fighting double and triple teams in almost every game. His presence helps free up other Georgia players to make plays. With that being said, two of his previous three games have been his most successful this season. In the win over Auburn, he recorded two tackles, both of which were sacks. He also played well versus Kentucky where he recorded three total tackles, two tackles for a loss and one sack. Look for Mississippi State to have some quick hitting pass plays to try and neutralize his productivity on Saturday.