Mississippi State Football Three Keys: Kentucky

Mississippi State faces Kentucky on Saturday in Starkville. Here are your three keys to a Mississippi State win over Kentucky.

By Matt Zemek

The Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Kansas State Wildcats kicked the ball all around the yard this past weekend. The flood of mistakes showed why both teams are likely to finish in the lower half of their respective conferences this year. Mississippi State faces a significant challenge as it moves into SEC play. The Bulldogs have a lot to prove, and a lot to improve upon, if they want to change their reality and not descend to the bottom of the SEC this year. Enter Kentucky, a team which has shown it can play through limitations this season.

Key 1 – Pass rush

The Bulldogs have to find a way to bother Kentucky’s backup quarterback, Sawyer Smith, who filled in admirably for the injured Terry Wilson this past weekend against Florida. Smith made a few young-man mistakes and an occasional head-scratching throw, but for the most part, he played like a capable leader of Kentucky’s offense, which consistently moved the ball against Florida. The Wildcats didn’t finish enough of their drives this past Saturday, and they missed a medium-length field goal which would have given them a lead in the final minute, but overall, Smith showed that Kentucky can win SEC games with its No. 2 quarterback under center.

Mississippi State has to get Smith out of rhythm and make him feel uncomfortable. If it can rattle Smith, it has a better chance of getting a turnover (or two) which can change the complexion of this game. That starts with the pass rush. It has to be able to make a considerable impact on this game for MSU to have a reasonable chance of winning.

Key 2 – Self-generated success

Kansas State kept Mississippi State close this past Saturday with multiple muffed kick returns. The Bulldogs were able to recover the muffs when they happened, gaining short fields which translated into points. This week, Mississippi State needs to show that it can generate its own big plays and score touchdowns without the help of shortened fields.

Whether the QB is Garrett Shrader or Tommy Stevens, Mississippi State needs to display more self-sufficiency on offense, proving that it can stand on its own. If you were to tell people in the SEC that neither team will commit a turnover in this game, most would tell you that Kentucky would benefit. The belief in the league right now is that if turnovers and other related factors are equal, Kentucky is a better team.

Can MSU refute that notion? The offense has to provide the answer.

Key 3 – Stop Ahmad Wagner

Kentucky has an elite receiver who either catches tough passes in traffic or draws a defensive pass interference penalty. Ahmad Wagner is his name. He wore out Florida this past weekend. Mississippi State will likely need to double-team him. The Bulldogs have to respect him and force other Wildcat receivers to make timely plays.

Saturday‘s game kicks off at 3:00 PM CT (4:00 PM ET). Watch on the SEC Network.

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