Following a 30-23 loss at Arizona State last Saturday night, Mississippi State (1-1) is back at Davis Wade Stadium this weekend to host Toledo at 6:30 p.m. Saturday on ESPNU. The Rockets come in 2-0 with home wins over Duquesne and Massachusetts.
Here are five keys to victory for the Bulldogs in their first-ever meeting against Toledo.
Be the more physical team
More than anything, this is what ushered in MSU’s defeat against the Sun Devils. The offensive line was unable to open up big holes in the running game, and playing with just a three-man front defensively, the Bulldogs were pushed around up front and could not slow down Cam Skattebo, Arizona State’s big, bruising running back.
MSU should be able to get the better of the Rockets in the trenches, and Toledo isn’t as inclined to run the ball down opponents’ throats as Arizona State. But if ball control is a priority, limiting chunk plays on the ground will help keep the Rockets’ offense on the sidelines.
Stick with the tempo
The Bulldogs hustled to the line of scrimmage rapidly for much of Week 1 against Eastern Kentucky, but did so much less frequently last week, especially in the first half. Head coach Jeff Lebby said Monday that this was because the officials were standing over the ball while the Sun Devils substituted, but the only reason Arizona State was allowed to do so was because MSU had also substituted after the previous play.
Toledo is a solid defensive team, but the Bulldogs should be able to wear them down by playing at a breakneck pace. After installing the offense in the spring and preseason camp, MSU is well-conditioned enough, at least in theory, to sustain that pace for much of Saturday’s game.
Open up the running game
The Rockets’ safeties are the strength of their defense — their top four tacklers are all defensive backs — so this game could present an opportunity for the Bulldogs’ running backs to find some lanes and get into the second and third levels. Keyvone Lee has posted solid if unspectacular numbers, but Davon Booth and Johnnie Daniels have provided very little production in the running game.
MSU should also have the ability to utilize the running backs more in the passing game. Booth did catch a touchdown pass last week on a well-designed play, and Lebby would do well to go back to that section of the playbook more often to complement the deep shots downfield.
Learn more about the secondary
With Arizona State committed to the run and the Bulldogs’ defensive front unable to stop them, MSU did not learn a whole lot about its new-look defensive backfield. Safety Isaac Smith racked up 17 tackles, tied for the second-most among all FBS players, but because of the struggles in front of him, Smith was playing up closer to the line than he is used to.
Smith is probably the Bulldogs’ best overall defensive player, and MSU knows what the sophomore brings to the table. But with youngsters Brice Pollock and Kelley Jones at cornerback and journeyman Brylan Lanier starting at the star position, the secondary as a whole is largely untested. That could change against Toledo’s passing attack — quarterback Tucker Gleason is averaging 16.4 yards per completion.
Take control early
Toledo is no stranger to playing in front of big crowds in hostile environments and rising to the occasion. The Rockets nearly took down Illinois last year and came within a minute and change of upsetting Notre Dame in 2021. So if the Bulldogs allow Toledo to hang around into the second half, the Rockets will smell blood. It would certainly help if MSU can create a few explosive plays in the passing game early on and jump out to a multi-score lead.
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