Bill Connelly's stat-driven Mississippi State preview is here.

[DogStuckAtUM.sixpack]

Click here and nerd out.

 

[aTotal360]

I have to totally agree with this point...

Biggest 2015 game: Besides the Egg Bowl (Nov. 28), the LSU game (Sept. 12) in Starkville will help to set the bar for Mississippi State this year. Win, and another nine- or 10-win season is in play. Lose, and you might just want to focus on making a bowl.

 

[DancingRabbit]

Interesting that he bagged on last year's run defense more than the pass D

In conference games MSU ranked 5th in the SEC at 140 yds per game. Better than OM and only 3 yds per game worse than Arkansas.

The huge run in the Egg Bowl was a back-breaker, those 2 Bama QB runs hurt and GT clowned us, but otherwise our run D was pretty stout.

I think our defense will be similar to last year's except the pass D numbers will move towards the middle of the pack.

If our OL gels enough we will be able to out-score a lot of teams. Barring key injuries I think we can win 8+.

 

[FQDawg]

Agree with this...

Don't want to sound overly pessimistic but it's not out of the realm of possibility that we go 6-6 this year. And it won't be because we're a bad team... the SEC West is just absolutely stacked and those road games against Auburn, A&M and Arkansas will be tough.

 

[aTotal360]

If we can't beat LSU at home, we are staring 6-6 in the face. I think they are the worst "quality opponent" on our schedule. I still don't know what to expect from Mizz. They are historically better than you think.

 

[johnson86-1]

Don't want to sound overly pessimistic but it's not out of the realm of possibility that we go 6-6 this year. And it won't be because we're a bad team... the SEC West is just absolutely stacked and those road games against Auburn, A&M and Arkansas will be tough.

Barring an injury to Dak or some key injuries in units where we don't have sufficient depth, 6-6 would be pretty bad. We've got 4 OOC and UK at home. Unless A&M implodes or somebody's season is ruined by injuries, I don't see anybody in the West going 1-5 in division. I think it's much more likely that there will be a log jam, with basically everybody capable of winning any game, and all but the one or two teams that elevate themselves bunching around .500.

 

[57stratdawg]

I agree. It's the biggest besides the EB. We have everything in a favor for it. LSU is going to try to smash-mouth us, because Les is gonna Les. That's the worse imaginable way to attack our D.

I think that game will come down to Dak turnovers. If he can keep the ball out of the DBs hands, we should win.