– Last Updated on July 25, 2018 10:36 am
2018 Football Preview – SEC – Bulldogs
Looking for 2018 Mississippi State predictions? The Bulldogs will start a new era under Joe Moorhead and this is a great fit for both parties. Moorhead was the offensive coordinator for one of the most explosive offenses in the last couple of years in the Penn State Nittany Lions.
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2018-19 College Football Preview – Mississippi State Bulldogs
Head Coach: Joe Moorhead
2017 Record: 9-4
Mississippi State Bulldogs Odds to win the 2018 FBS Championship: 80/1
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Moorhead, meanwhile, steps into a great spot with the Mississippi State Bulldogs as the Bulldogs bring back most of their starters on both sides of the ball. A Bulldog team that ranked 47th in total offense and 10th in total defense.
2018 Mississippi State Predictions: Team Strengths
Saquan Barkley 2.0?: One of the main beneficiaries of Joe Moorhead becoming the new head coach of the Bulldogs is senior halfback Aeris Williams. Now, saying he’ll be a Saquan Barkley 2.0 is definitely a stretch, but Williams is talented in his own right.
Williams rushed for over a thousand yards last year and he was a workhorse for the Bulldogs. In six of their last seven regular season games; Williams carried the ball at least 20 times. In the other game Williams carried the ball 19 times.
Williams was a big part of the offense last year, and he will continue to be a featured member of the Bulldogs.
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Defensive Draft Prospects: The Mississippi State Bulldogs feature a group of defensive players that have the potential to get drafted in the 2019 NFL Draft. The leader of that pack is senior Montez Sweat.
Sweat has the potential to be a first round selection. Sweat is a dynamic pass rusher who had 10.5 sacks last year. Junior defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons is a force in the middle of the line. The big 6-3, 305 tackle totaled five sacks and had 60 tackles last year.
Senior strong safety Mark McLaurin had the most tackles on the team last year and is poised to repeat that this year. McLaurin has a chance to repeat that and his partner and crime Johnathan Abram is back, as well. The senior free safety had the second most tackles last year.
Let’s not forget about Senior linebacker Gerri Green who had five sacks last year and sophomore Erroll Thompson should only get better.
This is a Bulldog team that is strong in all three phases of the defensive unit. This is a veteran team that was strong last year and I wouldn’t expect that to change this year either.
2018 Mississippi State Predictions: Team Weaknesses
Air Attack: This is a team, ironically enough, that had – and they still do – a good quarterback last year in Nick Fitzgerald, but he isn’t a quarterback in the traditional sense.
Fitzgerald was a major weapon last year in using his legs. Fitzgerald ran for just under 1,000 yards and scored 14 touchdowns. However, he only completed 55% of his passes and had a 15 to 11 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
Fitzgerald’s season was cut short, unfortunately, with that gruesome leg injured he suffered in the Egg Bowl. Kayton Thompson did a serviceable job in finishing out the season, but he’s cut in the same mold. More of a dynamic runner than a passer.
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The passing will have to improve overall. The finger can be pointed at the quarterbacks, but the receivers have to get better, as well. Over the years, and last year was no different, the Bulldog receiver have been plagued by a lack of consistency and drops.
Last year, Jesse Jackson was the leading receiver in both receptions (27) and receiving yards (276). That will have to get better. The Bulldogs need to be better overall and find that explosion.
Their hope is that they’ve found it in junior college transfer Stephen Guidry. The big 6’4 was the number one rated junior college receiver.
Fitzgerald’s health will be important for the Bulldogs and if he is healthy this will be a Bulldog team to watch. With a clean bill of health, some familiar faces, a hopefully number one receiver, and a new and improved offense this is a team that has the upside of being a final four playoff team.
Mississippi State Prediction: 10-2
I can tell you right now you need to jump on Mississippi State winning the national championship this year. I’m not saying they will win it all, but they should have much better odds than 80/1 and at some places you can find that at 125/1.
The way I see it, if they get by Kansas State on the road, they’ll be undefeated heading into their bye week. Even if they do slip up somewhere, at 5-1 where do you think their odds will be to win the 2018 championship? A potentially undefeated SEC team where do you think they’ll be ranked? Exactly.
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There will be hedge opportunities and you’ll be buying low on a high upside stock. In my eyes, this is a ten win team with or without including the bowl game. This is a talented team, with the right coach at the right time, and a decent enough schedule.
The Georgia Bulldogs shook up the college football world last year by making it to the championship game and were a couple of plays away from dethroning Alabama. This year, the Bulldog that could be the last one on the dance floor is of the Mississippi State variety.
2018 Mississippi State Football Schedule
- 9/1/18 SFA
- 9/8/18 @KSU
- 9/15/18 ULL
- 9/22/18 @UK
- 9/29/18 FLA
- 10/6/18 AUB
- 10/20/18 @LSU
- 10/27/18 TAM
- 11/3/18 LT
- 11/10/18 @ALA
- 11/17/18 ARK
- 11/22/18 @MISS
What do you think about our 2018 Mississippi State predictions? Please leave us a comment below telling us how you think they’ll do in 2018!
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