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Mississippi State started the season by overcoming a unique set of challenges in a 34-16 win over Southern Miss. It was a 9 p.m. (local time) kick at an in-state rival playing with nothing to lose in front of a school-record crowd.
And all of that happened with a showdown with LSU looming on the schedule for Week 2.
It wasn’t artful at times. The Bulldogs weren’t really outstanding in any area, but they won the game.
This week, the competition steps up a few notches when the Tigers visit Starkville (9:15 ET, ESPN).
So, let’s take a look at five players to watch as Mississippi State hopes to take an early step toward an SEC West title:
(Oh, if you’re curious about the five to watch from LSU, you can read that here)
1. QB Dak Prescott — A predictable, yet necessary entry at No. 1. The senior quarterback is the straw that stirs the drink for the Bulldogs offense. He threw for 238 yards and two scores in the opener while adding another 72 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Last year against LSU, Prescott was at his best. He piled up 373 total yards and three scores as he led the Bulldogs to their first win in Baton Rouge, 34-29. In that game, he was also the first quarterback to pass for 200 yards and run for 100 against the Tigers since 1993.
2. WR Fred Ross — Ross didn’t have the best game against Southern Miss, despite hauling in five passes for 75 yards. The junior had a muffed punt that set up a Golden Eagle field goal and added a couple of drops. He’s still at the top of depth chart for punt returns, and he’ll be looking to make amends this weekend.
“I feel like (playing at home) will be a big confidence boost,” Ross told The Clarion-Ledger. “Because last year we didn’t lose in Davis Wade. The fans are going to be rowdy, we’re just going to be ready to play ball.”
3. DT Nick James — When facing a running back as touted as LSU’s Leonard Fournette, the pressure mounts on a defense’s front seven. James drew praise from Dan Mullen for his Week 1 effort, and he’ll need more of the same from the 325-pound junior this week.
“I think that’s the best I have ever seen him play, including practice,” Mullen said. “I really was pleased with a lot of the way he played. … Hopefully that will be a huge stepping stone for him moving forward. He is so emotional that he gets carried away with things sometimes. I don’t want him to lose his emotion because that is who he is, but I think he has got to learn how to channel his emotions into positive play making things instead of some silly stuff at times on the field.”
4. CB Taveze Calhoun — The senior corner was held out of the opener because of an August knee injury, but Mullen and defensive coordinator Manny Diaz are expecting him to play Saturday night.
“His physical skill set, his length, his speed, his ability to get hands on wide receivers,” Diaz said of Calhoun’s skill set. “Then there’s just his experience, his demeanor. He’s just one of those guys that is feisty and everybody on our team kind of follows his lead.”
5. K Westin Graves — Graves had a solid debut last week, making a pair of field goals and all four of his extra-point attempts. It was a good chance to get the sophomore some work, and if the Bulldogs want to snap LSU’s seven-game winning streak in Starkville, they need a solid night from the kicking game.
Randy Capps is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers SEC football, South Carolina and Georgia.
