2011-2012 Football Previews – SEC – Mississippi State Bulldogs
It has always been a challenge for the Bulldogs to rise beyond mediocrity in the killer SEC West division, but, now in his third season, head coach Dan Mullen is doing an excellent job making this program relevant.
**BETONLINE – THE BEST SPORTSBOOK FOR NCAA FOOTBALL BETTING! – CLICK HERE NOW + BET TODAY!**
SEC 2011-12 Football Previews: Mississippi State Bulldogs
Coach: Dan Mullen
2010 Record: 9-4
Mississippi State Gambling Odds from Bodog.eu to win BCS: +10000
Mississippi St Team Page – Players Stats – Roster – 2011 Schedule –>
Mullen and his coaching staff has built a strong running game and defense in Starkville; enough that MSU finished with nine wins in 2010 and with returning vets in the crucial skill positions, the Bulldogs are looking for more this season.
Now that State has found a niche of success with less talent than LSU or Alabama and lapped Ole Miss in the battle for state supremacy, the next task will be to build on 2010’s admirable campaign.
Team Strengths
The effective running game can thank everyone in the MSU backfield. Senior QB Chris Relf leads the attack; he registered 713 rush yards and five TDs last year to go with nearly 1,800 pass yards and a 13-6 ratio. The Bulldogs’ run-heavy attack also needs Vick Ballard, sophomore LaDarius Perkins (who had 566 rush yards as a frosh!) and senior Robert Elliott.
Considering there is three returning starters and an outstanding JUCO newcomer on the O-line, the pieces are in place for another fantastic veteran rushing attack.
Defensively, MSU’s linebacker corps was decimated, but the defensive line and secondary returns many veterans and have ample skill to play in the SEC.
Team Weaknesses
Relf did a great job managing the game and focusing the Bulldogs offense on its strengths in ’10, but this season he must become a better passer. Although the run game yielded positive results, Mississippi State is too one-dimensional.
All the starting wideouts are upperclassmen and started last year, so we should see improvement.
As mentioned, the LB corps must totally rebuild. They do bring in transfer Brandon Maye from Clemson, who should start right away. One of the projected starters at linebacker is a newcomer who switched positions from QB (junior Cameron Lawrence). [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Say no more, right?
2011-12 Mississippi State Football Prediction: 8-5
Mississippi State returns several players that can match up well against anyone in the conference – Relf, Ballard, WR Chad Bumphis, DT Fletcher Cox, CB Corey Broomfield to name a few. However, the Bulldogs won’t sneak up on anybody in 2011.
This team impressed the nation with how well they performed in 2010, and the more talented teams with stronger recruiting bases should be ready for MSU this time around.
Can MSU win some tough games, and maybe pull an upset or two? Absolutely. But everyone in the SEC West wants to put MSU back in the latter half of the division, and it will be a fight to stay prominent.
Mullen has taken a great first step in asserting this football program, now he needs the continuity and the recruiting success (doable in the talented Deep South region) to stay there.
2011 Mississippi State Bulldogs Schedule
9/1/11 12:00 PM ET @MEM
9/10/11 12:21 PM ET @AUB
9/15/11 8:00 PM ET LSU
9/24/11 12:00 PM ET LTECH
10/1/11 12:00 PM ET @GEO
10/8/11 12:00 PM ET @UAB
10/15/11 12:00 PM ET SOCAR
10/29/11 12:00 PM ET @KENTY
11/5/11 12:00 PM ET TENMA
11/12/11 12:00 PM ET ALAB
11/19/11 12:00 PM ET @ARK
11/26/11 12:00 PM ET MISS
