Senior Moments
For two dozen Mississippi State seniors, the team’s home game at 6:30 p.m. Saturday against Vanderbilt at Davis Wade Stadium will be the end of a four-year journey. The school will honor the departing players with a Senior Night ceremony prior to the game.
“I just started thinking about it a few weeks ago,” MSU senior defensive end Preston Smith said. “I can’t believe my last game is here already. We have the best fans in the world, and playing in front of them the final time will be special.”
MSU coach Dan Mullen agreed.
“It’s a big game with it being the last home game for our seniors,” Mullen said. “They’ve done a great job within this program. They’re bought into everything we have tried to build here and have been very successful and set a lot of records and new standards here at Mississippi State.”
Home Cooking
Not only will MSU’s seniors play their final home game Saturday night, they also will attempt to make history.
At 6-0 in Starkville this season, the Bulldogs will try to finish 7-0 at home. If that happens, the 2014 squad will become the second team in school history to finish a season undefeated at home, joining the 1999 Bulldogs.
“That would be fantastic for these guys and for our fans that have bought so much into what we’re trying to build, that they are a huge part of it,” Mullen said. “We’ve made such an emphasis on winning and home, and going undefeated at home would be a special deal.”
Getting Dak back on track
For MSU to finish the season on a high note, quarterback Dak Prescott has to revert to the form he had in the first six games when he threw for 2,000 yards and rushed for 500 more. In his past four SEC games, Prescott has thrown eight interceptions, including three last week in a 25-20 loss at Alabama.
Still, Prescott is on track to break MSU’s season records for passing yards, passing touchdowns, and total yards.
Playoffs? Playoffs?
Despite the loss at Alabama, MSU remains in contention for the inaugural College Football Playoff. The Bulldogs fell from No. 1 to No. 4 in the weekly poll. If the season ended today, MSU would be the final team in the playoff and would face No. 1 Alabama.
The playoff discussion doesn’t mean much to Mullen with two regular-season games remaining.
“There is so much football still to be played,” Mullen said. “We have to worry about trying to beat Vanderbilt.”
Weather or not
After three weeks of cold temperatures against Arkansas, Tennessee-Martin, and Alabama, MSU and Vanderbilt could catch a break Saturday night.
According to weather.com, the forecast calls for temperatures in the 60s, and while the potential for rain is in the forecast for Sunday, Saturday night looks to be dry.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brandon Walker on Twitter @BWonStateBeat
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