Kiper/McShay like State....linkety
- Thread starter Dr. Funke.sixpack
- Start date
Todd McShay: I'll go with the 19th-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs for this one. I'm not ready to call them a top-10 team, but they deserve to be higher than where they are now.
I can understand why MSU isn't soaring up the rankings. The Bulldogs haven't played anybody yet, and they were overlooked in the preseason after failing to meet expectations in 2011. But there are several reasons I think this team could have a very good season.
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Quarterback Tyler Russell has shown signs that he's starting to come into his own. He made some big-time throws against Kentucky. His 27-yard TD pass to Chad Bumphis in the third quarter was a great example of his potential -- he made the proper read, kept his eyes downfield to keep the safety in the middle of the field and his passing window open, then drilled the throw with good velocity and accuracy. It's been awhile since Mississippi State has had stability at the quarterback position, so Russell's continued improvement is key.
Bumphis is a playmaker (17.9 yards per catch, six touchdowns), and I've been impressed with running back LaDarius Perkins. He runs hard, shows good burst and is a good fit for what they're trying to do. Head coach Dan Mullen features a lot of wrinkles in his offense dating back to his time with Urban Meyer at Florida, and that creativity is a huge asset for a program that doesn't regularly land the type of athletes that Alabama or Georgia does.
The defense is doing a great job of getting takeaways so far this season (third in the nation in turnover margin), with the secondary leading the way. Ball-hawking corners Johnthan Banks (our second-rated CB prospect) and Darius Slay have combined for seven interceptions. The lack of a strong pass rush is probably the D's biggest concern (losing 2012 first-round pick Fletcher Cox has hurt), but the strength of the secondary should help make up for that to a certain extent. Co-defensive coordinator Chris Wilson's experience at Oklahoma under Bob Stoops and Brent Venables, two masters at manufacturing pressure, could come in handy. The Bulldogs will need to get more pressure on opposing QBs in their bigger games.
The Tennessee game this weekend is huge -- if the Bulldogs can win that one, I think they'll start to gain a lot of confidence. The rest of the schedule is very manageable. Road games at Alabama and LSU are going to be really difficult (I'd give them an outside shot against the Tigers), but MSU should be favored in every other game on its schedule.
I think a 10-2 record is a possibility, but even 9-3 would be an impressive finish for a team that was 2-6 in the SEC last season. It won't move them into the league's first tier of Alabama, South Carolina and Florida, but I think they could solidify themselves in the second tier. This is a relatively young team -- Banks is the only draft-eligible prospect that we have going in the first five rounds -- so they have a lot to build on going forward.
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<cite style="margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; display: block; color: rgb(171, 171, 171); ">Derick E. Hingle/US Presswire</cite>LSU's title chances are still alive, even after its loss to Florida.
Mel Kiper: Now, I don't want to rip Todd, but let me just point out two things. First, I said in August that I thought Mississippi State was maybe the most underrated team in the country headed into the season; but two, now that they're ranked at No. 19, you could almost say they've been overrated by the polls. I think they'll dignify where they are, but my gosh, what an awful slate so far. It's not Dan Mullen's fault that Auburn is terrible, but is that the best win the Bulldogs have? It looks like it. Jackson State, Troy, South Alabama and now a win at Kentucky? Let's just say that this week's visit from Tennessee might be the first time we see what this team is made of.
There isn't a team that the new poll has wildly underrated, in my opinion, but I'll give you three teams that are better than where the new AP poll says they are.
I can understand why MSU isn't soaring up the rankings. The Bulldogs haven't played anybody yet, and they were overlooked in the preseason after failing to meet expectations in 2011. But there are several reasons I think this team could have a very good season.
<offer></offer>
Quarterback Tyler Russell has shown signs that he's starting to come into his own. He made some big-time throws against Kentucky. His 27-yard TD pass to Chad Bumphis in the third quarter was a great example of his potential -- he made the proper read, kept his eyes downfield to keep the safety in the middle of the field and his passing window open, then drilled the throw with good velocity and accuracy. It's been awhile since Mississippi State has had stability at the quarterback position, so Russell's continued improvement is key.
Bumphis is a playmaker (17.9 yards per catch, six touchdowns), and I've been impressed with running back LaDarius Perkins. He runs hard, shows good burst and is a good fit for what they're trying to do. Head coach Dan Mullen features a lot of wrinkles in his offense dating back to his time with Urban Meyer at Florida, and that creativity is a huge asset for a program that doesn't regularly land the type of athletes that Alabama or Georgia does.
The defense is doing a great job of getting takeaways so far this season (third in the nation in turnover margin), with the secondary leading the way. Ball-hawking corners Johnthan Banks (our second-rated CB prospect) and Darius Slay have combined for seven interceptions. The lack of a strong pass rush is probably the D's biggest concern (losing 2012 first-round pick Fletcher Cox has hurt), but the strength of the secondary should help make up for that to a certain extent. Co-defensive coordinator Chris Wilson's experience at Oklahoma under Bob Stoops and Brent Venables, two masters at manufacturing pressure, could come in handy. The Bulldogs will need to get more pressure on opposing QBs in their bigger games.
The Tennessee game this weekend is huge -- if the Bulldogs can win that one, I think they'll start to gain a lot of confidence. The rest of the schedule is very manageable. Road games at Alabama and LSU are going to be really difficult (I'd give them an outside shot against the Tigers), but MSU should be favored in every other game on its schedule.
I think a 10-2 record is a possibility, but even 9-3 would be an impressive finish for a team that was 2-6 in the SEC last season. It won't move them into the league's first tier of Alabama, South Carolina and Florida, but I think they could solidify themselves in the second tier. This is a relatively young team -- Banks is the only draft-eligible prospect that we have going in the first five rounds -- so they have a lot to build on going forward.
[+] Enlarge
<cite style="margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; display: block; color: rgb(171, 171, 171); ">Derick E. Hingle/US Presswire</cite>LSU's title chances are still alive, even after its loss to Florida.Mel Kiper: Now, I don't want to rip Todd, but let me just point out two things. First, I said in August that I thought Mississippi State was maybe the most underrated team in the country headed into the season; but two, now that they're ranked at No. 19, you could almost say they've been overrated by the polls. I think they'll dignify where they are, but my gosh, what an awful slate so far. It's not Dan Mullen's fault that Auburn is terrible, but is that the best win the Bulldogs have? It looks like it. Jackson State, Troy, South Alabama and now a win at Kentucky? Let's just say that this week's visit from Tennessee might be the first time we see what this team is made of.
There isn't a team that the new poll has wildly underrated, in my opinion, but I'll give you three teams that are better than where the new AP poll says they are.