Three questions MSU must answer vs. LSU
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State answered one key question in a resounding win over Auburn two weeks ago: could the Bulldogs stick with the running game against a stout defensive front?
They sure did. But can they do it again? That, and two more things State must answer in a Saturday night matchup with No. 5 LSU in Baton Rouge:
Can the Bulldogs tame Tiger Stadium?
Mississippi State struggled with 60,037 opposing fans at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky. Tiger Stadium holds more than 100,000, and it’s not called ‘Death Valley’ for nothing.
Offensive lineman Deion Calhoun said it was so loud in Kentucky that he had to hold fellow lineman Stewart Reese’s hand before snaps. The Dogs were still flagged for five false starts.
How will they hold up in an atmosphere unlike any other they’ve experienced this year? Tiger fans are riding high after last week’s upset of No. 2 Georgia, and the game will be played under their lights.
Head coach Joe Moorhead said State will simulate crowd noise this week during practice, but there’s only so much a team can do to prepare for a place like Death Valley. Moorhead said he’s ready for it nonetheless.
“I hear (the fans) are as good as any and they get fired up, and they get after you and they are into the game and they are going to make a challenging atmosphere,” Moorhead said. “So, I think that is what I'm most excited for."
Can Mississippi State find more success in its running game?
Florida knocked off LSU two weeks ago with a strong ground game. The Gators ran for 215 yards on 5.0 yards per carry. Florida quarterback Feleipe Franks was serviceable through the air – which is about all one can ask for from MSU’s Nick Fitzgerald this year.
Fitzgerald, though, is a main cog in State’s rushing attack. He and sophomore running back Kylin Hill have formed a two-headed monster of sorts. They combined for more than 300 rushing yards in the upset win over Auburn.
For MSU to threaten LSU on the road, those Dogs will have to come close to that number again. Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm struggled against the Tigers last week, completing less than 50 percent of his passes and throwing two interceptions.
Mississippi State simply cannot put the game on Fitzgerald’s arm. But if he’s moving the ball with his legs and getting help from Hill, then the Bulldogs could have enough success to hang around.
Will the MSU defense hold its own yet again?
The Bulldogs own the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense. They allow 12.7 points per game, and that’s with a 28-point showing against Kentucky.
Half of those points scored by the Wildcats came late in the fourth quarter when the MSU offense showed that it was not going to even sniff the end zone in the second half.
Since then, the Dogs have only allowed one touchdown. LSU’s offense is not prolific by any means – the Tigers rank No. 70 in total offense. State will once again have an opportunity to keep the scoring low for its offense that has yet to show consistent effectiveness and efficiency.
LSU quarterback Joe Burrow isn't going to torch teams through the air. The Tigers barely average 200 passing yards per game. They average the exact same number of rushing yards, too: 202.1.
Mississippi State has a good chance of stymieing LSU for much of the game. But can the MSU offense do its part? If not, the State defense could wear down and falter late in the matchup like it did against Kentucky.