Skip to content
Sections
  • Obituaries
  • eEdition
  • Popular Content
  • Submit a Tip
July 1st, 2022
  • QUICK LINKS
  • Obituaries
  • eEdition
  • Popular Content
  • Submit a Tip
  • News
  • Columbus & Lowndes County
  • Starkville & Oktibbeha County
  • West Point & Clay County
  • Area
  • State
  • National
  • Business
  • Sports
  • High School Sports
  • College Sports
  • Local Columns
  • Opinions
  • Local Columns
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Roses & Thorns
  • Dispatch Editorials
  • Obituaries
  • Lifestyles
  • Columns
  • Entertainment
  • Food
  • Transitions & Announcements
  • Community
  • Religion
  • Classifieds
  • Photo Galleries
  • Public Records
  • Building Permits
  • Marriages & Divorces
July 1st, 2022

Open eyes, open minds.

VOTE NOW: Best of the Triangle
  • Sports
  • Local Columns

Garrick Hodge: Mississippi State’s fight against Georgia proves Dawgs won’t go down with a whimper

By Garrick Hodge • November 21, 2020

Georgia inside linebacker Monty Rice (32) takes down Mississippi State wide receiver Osirus Mitchell (5) during Saturday's game at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia. Photo by: Tony Walsh/Georgia Athletics

In a season where Mississippi State has already won two games, it’s odd to think coach Mike Leach called Saturday’s 31-24 loss to No. 13 Georgia the best game his team has played, and by a significant margin at that.

But, well, Leach is right.

“This team played as hard as any team, with what we have, that I’ve ever had,” Leach said postgame. “… Now you don’t just illustrate it, you can actually feel it. If you come away with the win it’s even bigger. I’ve had a lot of great teams, but this team may have performed to that level higher than any team that I’ve ever coached.”

Suiting up just 49 scholarship players due to a mix of opt-outs, positive tests and contact tracing protocols, MSU astoundingly took Georgia to the brink, having a chance to tie or take the lead on its final possession. Forget for just a second the number of available MSU players and remember how anemic the play of the offense had been for the last five games. Especially during the four-game losing streak, where MSU scored a combined 30 points, nine of them coming on defense. Then add only 49 scholarship players available on top of those woes.

Raise your hand if you saw this outcome coming before the game. Now put it down, you liar.

When it was revealed Friday just how shorthanded MSU was, playing against Georgia seemed impossible logistically if you had monitored Southeastern Conference standards all season. Well, we are all learning together the 53 available scholarship player minimum the SEC listed as protocol to play a game is more of a suggestion than it is a mandate. What’s more important, apparently, is positional depth, and MSU had enough of it where the league allowed the game against Georgia to go on as scheduled.

It sure looked damn well like that game mattered to the maroon Bulldogs available, though.

MSU went blow for blow with the school that shares its nickname. The offensive line had by far its best performance of the season. True freshman quarterback Will Rogers shredded a Georgia defense that has been heralded for much of the season and finally delivered a performance that offers promise of upside for what the signal caller could develop into years down the line. The defense stymied Georgia’s rushing attack, even if it was no match for its vertical passing game.

Moral victories don’t typically exist in major college football, and MSU players stopped short of claiming one afterwards. But it was difficult to detect anything other than optimism following a performance that can only be described as gutsy.

Freshman wideout Jaden Walley said he felt the energy on the sideline was greater than it had been all year. And despite a 2-5 record, he believes the Bulldogs are close to where they want to be.

“I feel like this is our team,” said Walley, who had a career-high 104 receiving yards. “This is the team we were supposed to be all year. And it’s just now popping out. You’re seeing it now.”

If Leach ends up succeeding in his coaching tenure in Starkville, it just might be possible this game will be remembered as the turning point.

Then again, the Egg Bowl is next week, so we all know how quickly this good will could go out the door.

Speaking of the Egg Bowl, is MSU going to get more players back to get over the (apparently optional) threshold? Will the Bulldogs have to play under the limit again? Will the game even be played at all?

All those questions will be answered in time. But the Bulldogs already gave a definitive statement Saturday for the rest of the season: If they go down, it likely won’t be with a whimper.

“You find out a lot about yourself when adversity strikes,” senior linebacker Erroll Thompson said. “We fought hard tonight.”

Hodge is the former sports editor for The Dispatch.

Popular

Mississippi State NIL tracker: See which Bulldogs are signing endorsement deals

By Theo DeRosa

Goings On with Grant: Masonic Temple undergoing repairs for possible new tenant

By Grant McLaughlin

LCSD declares shortfall for second straight year

By Jessica Lindsey

Our View: An Ole Miss mea culpa and a new opportunity

By Dispatch Editorial Board


Public Information Links

  • City of Columbus
  • Lowndes County
  • City of Starkville
  • Oktibbeha County
  • City of West Point
  • Clay County
  • Building Permits
  • Marriages & Divorces
  • MS Dept of Health Restaurant Inspections


On This Day 2021

Bulldogs make history with win over Vandy in CWS final

By Theo DeRosa

Featured Podcast

The C Dispatch Podcast

Sections

  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinions
  • Lifestyles
  • Obituaries

Info

  • About
  • Contact
  • Submit a Tip
  • Terms & Service
  • Popular Content

Dispatch

Contact Us

Main Switchboard:

(662) 328-2424

Physical Address:

516 Main Street
Columbus, MS 39701

Mailing Address:

PO Box 511
Columbus, MS 39701

cdispatch.com © 2022 – The Commerical Dispatch

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT