Mississippi State faces Daunting SEC schedule as Volunteers Arrive in Starkville
STARKVILLE, MS – Mississippi State prepares for a critical SEC clash against Tennessee this Saturday, marking the start of a brutal eight-game conference schedule featuring six opponents currently ranked in the Associated Press Top 20. The Bulldogs will look to continue their impressive defensive turnaround and capitalize on a potent offense when the Volunteers come to town.
The matchup features several key connections between the two programs. mississippi State General Manager Marc Votteler previously served on tennessee head coach Josh Heupel’s staff at UCF,as did Bulldogs offensive assistant Phil Loadholt,who played for Heupel when he was the Oklahoma Sooners’ quarterbacks coach.
This weekend’s contest is the 48th all-time meeting between the two schools, but only the fourth in the last 16 years and just the second in Starkville during that span.Mississippi State secured a 41-31 victory the last time Tennessee visited in 2012.
Both teams have demonstrated a knack for fast starts this season. Mississippi State has outscored opponents 55-6 in the first quarter, while Tennessee boasts an 83-7 advantage in opening frames. Fans should expect a fast-paced game, as both teams are tied for second in the SEC with five plays of 50 or more yards each.
Controlling the line of scrimmage will be crucial, with Tennessee’s defense leading the SEC with 15 sacks and allowing a league-low two sacks.
Individually, Mississippi State junior kicker Kyle Ferrie is within striking distance of the program’s top-10 list for career points, needing just nine more to crack the top ten and 13 to enter the top eight. Quarterback Blake Shapen is also on a roll, having thrown a touchdown pass in 19 consecutive games – the second-longest active streak in the nation, trailing only Iowa State’s Rocco Becht (22 games).
The bulldogs’ defense has shown significant improvement from last year, allowing 151.3 fewer yards per game (265.5 vs. 416.8) and 19 fewer points per game (11.8 vs.30.8) through the first four contests of this season.
Looking ahead, Mississippi State faces a challenging stretch, with six of their remaining eight SEC games against teams ranked in the Top 20, including five in the Top 15 and three in the Top 10.
