Mississippi State got votes in this week’s AP college football poll. It is doubtful that the Bulldogs garner enough recognition this coming week to make the Top-25, but one never knows for sure. The Bulldogs put a former top-ten skin on the wall last week with the victory over Arizona State. There will not be nearly as much national interest in a Bulldog win this Saturday provided they beat Alcorn State as expected. That does not make the contest any less important in the big picture.
State has the chance to start the season 3-0 for the first time since 2018. Modest goals? Yes, but for a football program and a fan base that has longed for something to cheer about in recent year, it is noteworthy.
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Sources close to the Bulldog football program share that there are a lot of tickets out for attendance today. Some still remain available, but it does not appear that it will be the typical FCS match-up crowd. There is some genuine excitement among the cowbell clangers. Winning cures all ills, but the new game day amenities at Davis Wade Stadium have some folks eager to return to town no matter who the opponent is.
Mississippi State commitment Terrell Johnson Jr. of Holmes County Central shared last night following his team’s loss to Louisville, that he had never heard a Mississippi State crowd be louder than they were last week. Like many of you, Johnson will be back in attendance this Saturday to see the show.
The Bulldogs are the lone team in the conference with an FCS opponent on the the weekend slate. State’s goals are simply. Get the win, get some playing time for a lot of guys and get out of their healthy. For some other teams within the league, the stakes are a little higher.
Ole Miss will host Arkansas at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The health of Rebel quarterback Austin Simmons is in question. One wonders how much of an impact that may make. That tilt is just one of a handful within the league that will have some scoreboard watching.
Perhaps the marquee match-up is Georgia at Tennessee. Those Bulldogs are projected to make the playoffs, but a road trip to Knoxville is never an easy undertaking. A lot of eyes will be on that one around the country.
Wisconsin makes the trip to Alabama to take on the Crimson Tide. The folks in Tideland are restless and wonder if things are slipping away without Coach Nick Saban. Perhaps, but there is a lot of football left to be played. A loss this week would simply undermine any confidence in the direction of the program. Ah, Saturdays in the south.