STARKVILLE –Mississippi State football coach Dan Mullen has a winning record in every month except August and November.
The seventh-year Bulldog coach is 1-1 in August and 11-15 in November. A victory against Missouri and a loss to No. 3 Alabama has MSU 1-1 in November this season.
MSU (7-3, 3-3 Southeastern Conference) will try to improve that mark at 6 p.m. Saturday (ESPN) when it takes on Arkansas (6-4, 4-2) at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Mullen has won his last three games against Arkansas to raise his record to 3-3 in the series.
MSU wants to make it four, but Arkansas is riding a four-game winning streak.
Here are five things to watch:
1. Will MSU have an Alabama hangover?
MSU invested a lot of energy and emotion into its game against Alabama before falling 31-6 in Starkville.
The Bulldogs lost freshman defensive lineman Keith Joseph Jr. and his father, former Bulldog Keith Sr., in a one-car accident Friday, Nov. 6. MSU wanted to beat Alabama for the first time since 2007 for its fallen teammate.
The Bulldogs can’t dwell on the loss, but they are still dealing with the loss of Keith Jr.
The Crimson Tide made life difficult for the Bulldogs, sacking quarterback Dak Prescott nine times. The Bulldogs felt the effects of the physical game, but it is November in the SEC.
“We have to tweak our practices around,” Mullen said. “Managing health and preparation are the two big things.”
The Bulldogs practiced Sunday, but had Monday off. Mullen said Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday’s practices will be cut back.
Arkansas is coming off a 31-14 victory against LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Tigers also were coming off a loss to the Crimson Tide. Although LSU coach Les Miles said his team didn’t have a hangover from the game against Alabama, the loss to the Crimson Tide had to play factor in the loss to the Razorbacks.
Mullen expects his players to be fired up to play Arkansas.
“Our guys love to play the game, so we don’t really have to worry about firing them up to play the game,” Mullen said.
2. Can MSU slow down Arkansas’ offense?
The Razorbacks are averaging 50 points and 523 yards during their four-game winning streak. Opponents have struggled stopping senior quarterback Brandon Allen (2,617 passing yards and 22 touchdowns) and junior running back Alex Collins (1,209 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns).
“The first thing you think about when you think about Arkansas is the physical challenge of the running game, and that doesn’t disappoint when you watch them on film,” MSU defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said. “But the more you watch them and the more you sort of unpack who they are, they’re a tremendously balanced offense.”
MSU’s defense has played well as of late, even in the loss to Alabama. The Crimson Tide’s four touchdowns were all on big plays. MSU allowed only 379 yards to Alabama.
MSU is seventh in total defense (370.3 yards per game) and sixth in scoring defense (18.6 points per game) in the SEC.
3. Can Arkansas’ pass rush affect Prescott?
Arkansas had one sack in its first three games. In the last seven games — all against SEC teams — Arkansas has 12.
Last week against LSU, Arkansas had five sacks for a loss of 37 yards.
“I don’t see them doing anything differently,” Mullen said. “They’re just executing much, much better and playing with a lot of confidence. Confidence goes a long way. It allows you to go out there and execute better.”
An inexperienced MSU offensive line has allowed 22 sacks for a loss of 146 yards, including the nine for a loss of 55 yards last week against Alabama.
Prescott has done a better job of going through his progressions and not running at the first sign of trouble, but he has needed time in the pocket to do that. MSU will need to be better this week to give their senior leader time to work.
4. Will Fred Ross continue to play well?
MSU junior wide receiver Fred Ross has been one of the SEC’s best wide receivers. He is third in the SEC with 59 catches, fifth with 662 yards, and has two touchdowns.
In SEC play, Ross has 48 catches (tops in the league) and 19 in the last two games against Alabama and Missouri. He has 475 yards in six SEC games.
Ross has been Prescott’s favorite target this season, especially with junior De’Runnya Wilson garnering all sorts of attention from opposing defenses. Wilson’s status for the game is unknown with a neck injury.
5. Can MSU get its first win in Fayetteville?
A 24-17 overtime victory in 2013 in Little Rock was MSU’s first win in Arkansas.
MSU is 0-3 in three trips to Fayetteville. The last time was a 52-6 loss in 2003.
Mullen’s last appearance in Fayetteville was with the Florida Gators as the offensive coordinator in 2008. The Gators won 38-7 that day.
“For the young guys, I don’t think they’ll notice any difference because they haven’t been to Arkansas, either Little Rock or Fayetteville, but for the older guys, I do think it will be a little different since they’re in a new stadium for the first time,” Mullen said.
MSU also is 3-1 on the road this season.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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