The Bulldogs are back in Starkville on Saturday. Yes, those Bulldogs.
Mississippi State welcomes No. 5 Georgia, the defending SEC champion and a team that may have the largest collection of talent outside of Columbus, Ohio, to Davis Wade Stadium for an 11 a.m. kickoff.
Head coach Jeff Lebby’s group picked up the program’s first SEC win since 2023 last weekend, overturning a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit against the Razorbacks in Fayetteville. The win also ended a 0-4 skid to start SEC play this season, and put the 5-4 Bulldogs just one win away from bowl eligibility. MSU has just three more chances to get that coveted sixth win, and though it has homefield advantage this weekend, it may not matter much against an opponent that has played on the biggest stage in the sport.
Here’s a guide for what to watch for and how to watch it tomorrow as the Bulldogs clash in Starkville.
What: Mississippi State vs. No. 5 Georgia
When: 11 a.m. Saturday
Where: Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville
TV: ESPN
Betting line: Georgia by 9.5, over/under at 57.5
Weather: Mostly sunny, chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the mid-70s, per AccuWeather.
Records/rankings: The Bulldogs are 5-4 and unranked. They picked up their SEC win at Arkansas last week in a 38-35 comeback win on the road.
Georgia is 7-1, with its only loss coming against Alabama at home in September. UGA was ranked fifth in the first College Football Playoff ranking of the season on Tuesday.
Series history: The Georgia Bulldogs own the all-time series, 21-6, and won last year’s meeting in Athens, 41-31, in a game closer than many expected.
MSU last defeated UGA in 2010 in Starkville, where the Bulldogs are 2-5 all time against their SEC namesake.
Mississippi State update: MSU could be without right tackle Albert Reese IV again, an anchor on the offensive line for MSU, who was listed as doubtful after missing the game at Arkansas last week.
The Bulldogs will also be without Jett Jefferson again, who is listed as out, although safety Jahron Manning was listed as probable for a return to action.
MSU will have a chance if the offense can find its rhythm, and most importantly, reignite the running game which struggled a week ago. They cannot afford turnovers and they have to get clean blocks, which will be difficult against one of the best run defenses in the country.
Georgia update: One of the big concerns for UGA is the status of the defense without Jordan Hall, a powerful defensive lineman who suffered a knee injury in the win over Florida last week.
Hall was listed as “out” on the Wednesday SEC availability report, joining fellow defensive starter Kyron Jones, who has missed the last few weeks.
Defensive back Demello Jones was listed as questionable.
Georgia players to watch: QB Gunner Stockton, RB Chauncey Bowens, WR Zachariah Branch, LB CJ Allen, LB Chris Cole, DB KJ Bolden
Prediction: MSU got an all-important win last week, finally shaking the fourth quarter jitters to end its two-year SEC losing streak with a 14-point comeback win against the Razorbacks last week. The vibes are much better from the team after finally seeing their shot go in, but their opponent this week is not Arkansas.
Georgia is a tried-and-tested program in every sense. They’re the defending SEC champions for a reason. The secondary has struggled without Jones, but the run defense has remained elite, and that imbalance for MSU proves costly.
The visitors are able to outpace the hometown Bulldogs and pull away late, overcoming some early scares and a hostile environment of 50,000 cowbells.
Georgia 41, Mississippi State 28
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
