Mississippi State (2-7, 0-5 Southeastern Conference) hits the road to Neyland Stadium in Knoxville for a matchup with No. 7 Tennessee (7-1, 4-1) at 6 p.m. Central Time (7 p.m. local) on ESPN. The Volunteers are coming off a win at home over Kentucky and are in good shape to reach the 12-team College Football Playoff.
Here are five keys to victory for the Bulldogs as they seek the upset and their first SEC win of the year.
Sell out to stop the run
It’s no secret that this is a highly favorable matchup for Tennessee. Volunteers running back Dylan Sampson has nearly 1,000 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns in just eight games, and MSU’s defensive line has been ravaged by injuries all season and not very effective even when healthy.
Still, a three-man front, like the Bulldogs used at Arizona State when Cam Skattebo ran all over them, would not be wise. MSU should load the box and make redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava beat the Bulldogs. Iamaleava is very capable of doing that, but limiting Sampson is MSU’s only chance to stay in the game.
Get Michael Van Buren on the move
The Bulldogs’ offensive line has looked overmatched against several worse defensive fronts than Tennessee’s, which has been all over opposing backfields and is a big reason the Volunteers are second in the SEC in run defense. MSU’s running game has improved in recent weeks, but running up the middle against Tennessee will likely not prove fruitful.
Freshman Michael Van Buren has been more comfortable using his legs in the last two games, particularly down near the goal line. If he can get outside the pocket and take off on some designed runs, he may be able to pick up four- to six-yard chunks instead of losing yardage on inside zone handoffs.
Take the top off the defense
If Van Buren has enough time to let his receivers get downfield — a big if considering the Volunteers’ pass rush and the Bulldogs’ struggles protecting him — taking some deep shots and trying to score quickly could help keep this a competitive game. Tennessee defends the pass well, but with freshman Mario Craver probable to return, MSU could have some good matchups against the Volunteers’ secondary with Craver, Kevin Coleman and Kelly Akharaiyi.
Make a big play on special teams
The Bulldogs’ turnaround from an early two-score deficit against Massachusetts started when Davon Booth returned a kickoff for 40 yards to give MSU good starting field position. Tennessee has a decisive edge over the Bulldogs on both offense and defense, so MSU will have to make up for that deficit in the third phase of the game. Whether it’s a big return or a blocked kick, the Bulldogs need to get some breaks. Winning the turnover battle is also of the utmost importance.
Stay disciplined
This is a night game in one of the largest and loudest venues in college football, and a sold-out Homecoming crowd of more than 100,000 orange-clad fans is expected. MSU lost its composure a bit in its last SEC game, a blowout home loss to Arkansas. If the Bulldogs play the way they did in the second half against Georgia and most of the first half against Texas A&M, they can at least make the crowd nervous, which could force the Volunteers into some mistakes.
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