College Football Preview: No. 18 Mississippi State
Head Coach:Dan Mullen (14-11, 3rd year as head coach)
Mississippi State’s 2010 season:
9-4 (4-4). Defeated Michigan 52-14 in the Progressive Gator Bowl
Offensive Analysis:
-- Eight returning starters
-- Impact Players: QB Chris Relf, RB Vick Ballard, WR Chris Bumphis
Dan Mullen and the Mississippi State Bulldogs return their leading passer and top four receivers and rushers. The Dogs finished second in rushing in the SEC in 2010 (2,793 yards), running for 300 more yards than third-place Ole Miss.
RB Vick Ballard decided to return for his senior season at Mississippi State after running for 19 touchdowns and 5.2 yards per carry during his 2010 campaign. RBs LaDarius Perkins and Robert Elliot provide quality depth for the ground attack along with dual-threat quarterback Chris Self, who ran for 713 yards in 2010.
The Bulldogs will have to replace two starters on the offensive line, but Mullen’s offense should conceal any holes left by the departure of OT Derek Sherrod and C J.C. Brignone.
With the top receivers returning for Mullen and the Bulldogs, and a dominant recruiting performance in the state of Mississippi, the Dogs have the skilled players on offense to compete in a gritty SEC West.
Defensive Analysis
-- Seven returning starters
-- Impact Players: CB Corey Broomfield, CB Jonathan Banks
The Bulldogs will have to replace all three starting linebackers from the 2010 season. Instant impact four-star safety Dee Arrington will also bring added depth to an already formidable secondary.
With a rather easy away schedule--by SEC West standards--including trips to Auburn, Georgia and Arkansas, the Dogs could be looking at their first 10-win season since 1999.
Strengths:
Chris Relf is a talented and smart quarterback that shined bright in 2010, scoring 18 total touchdowns. His ability to use his feet to get out of trouble gave the Bulldogs an extra dimension that Mullen will use to great extent in 2011.
With a bevy of talent surrounding him, including four-star 2010 WR recruit Joe Marrow, Relf can spread the wealth. In addition to losing all three starting linebackers, they’ll lose their top two sack leaders in LBs Christ White and K.J. Wright who combined for nine sacks in 2010.
The 2010 recruiting class also lacks quality linebackers, as in-state four-star linebacker prospect C.J. Johnson slipped through the cracks, choosing Ole Miss over Mississippi State and Auburn.
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State's offense could be one of the best in the SEC. But with the inability to pressure the quarterback with their down four, the linebacking corps and secondary might be picked apart once the tough SEC schedule begins.
Baylor – The schedule couldn't have set up much better for dynamic quarterback Robert Griffin III's final college season and Baylor's chance to place itself back on the national radar. It starts with a prime-time, national TV home game against TCU,
The Hogs will have to finish no lower than second place in the Southeastern Conference's West Division to have an outside chance at one of college football's most prestigious bowl games. Last year, Arkansas earned the SEC's second BCS bid,
With the fun and excitement of the Fourth of July now forgotten, it's time to shift our focus back to the upcoming college football season. With my SEC West predictions already finished, it's time to take a look at the SEC East.
They are a top 15 pre-season team, and with a decent schedule they should win the SEC East. Spurrier and company don't have to play Alabama or LSU this year. They will travel to Georgia, Mississippi State, Tennessee, and Arkansas.
SEC 2011 College Football Preview
The SEC conference has dominated college football in the past five years winning the national championship each year. They do it different in the south, football is a way of life, and excellence is not hoped for, but expected.
The last two years the championship has come from the state of Alabama (Alabama Crimson Tide in 09’, Auburn Tigers 2010), and there is a plethora of talent in the conference yet again this season.
The Louisiana State Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide and Arkansas Razorbacks are in many people’s top 10 preseason rankings. Having lived in Big Ten country for 18 years, I’m very familiar with the talent-level in the Midwest and the SEC blows all other confrences out of the water in all facets of the game. The race for the SEC title game will be a tight one this season as many teams are talented on both sides of the ball. However, I will predict who I believe will be playing for the SEC crown in Atlanta this fall.
SEC West Division Projected order of finish:
1. Alabama Crimson Tide
Defense, defense and more defense, that has been the formula for success for head coach Nick Saban through the years, and 2011 will be no different. Saban recruits very well every year, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The “D” returns 10 starters in 2011, and they have talent on each level of the unit. The linebackers are sick this year for the Tide, led by junior LB Dont’a Hightower , and senior LB Courtney Upshaw . Hightower and Upshaw will likely be All-SEC selections this season. Defensive Coordinator Kirby Smart also boasts arguably the best secondary in the nation, led by two very talented safeties: junior FS Robert Lester (team high 8 INT’s in 2010) and senior Mark Barron ( leading tackler in 2010 with 75). The defense will not give up many points this season, and if they remain healthy, they have the opportunity to be the best overall defense in the nation.
The offense has to replace three big pieces from last year’s squad, RB Mark Ingram , WR Julio Jones and QB Greg McElroy .
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50 Years of College Football, A Modern History of America's Most Colorful Sport
... 1 966 had one date on the college football regular season schedule prompted so many ... The Gators couldn't quite overcome the trio of SEC powerhouses. ...The USA Today College Football Encyclopedia 2009-2010
... 1966 had one date on the college football regular season schedule prompted so many ... The Gators couldn't quite overcome the trio of SEC powerhouses. ...SEC Football, 75 Years of Pride and Passion
The SEC, like most college conferences, continued to participate in sports in 1942. ... Georgia Tech was able to put together a schedule of 10 games. ...Natural enemies, major college football's oldest, fiercest rivaly--Michigan vs. Notre Dame
That is, if the Big Ten people didn't schedule Notre Dame in football, ... College football fans across the country adore it, especially Notre Dame and ...The Everything Kids' Football Book, The All-time Greats, Legendary Teams, Today's Superstars--and Tips on Playing Like a Pro
How College Football Is Organized: Conferences More than 100 teams make up the ... Another reason for being part of a conference is for the schedule . ...Casual News Directory
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