STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State football team will look to get back on track before it travels to Auburn next week.
MSU (1-1) will try to accomplish that goal at 3 p.m. Saturday (SEC Network) when it plays host to Division I Football Championship Subdivision foe Northwestern State (0-2).
MSU is coming off a 21-19 loss to LSU last week in Starkville that saw it play well but miss a chance to win when Devon Bell missed a 52-yard field goal as time expired.
MSU is 2-0 all-time against Northwestern State. The games were played in 1945 and 1946 in Starkville. MSU won by a combined score of 81-0.
Third-year Demon coach Jay Thomas was 2-0 against MSU when he was graduate assistant at LSU from 1988-90.
Here are five things to watch when the teams meet at Davis Wade Stadium:
1. How many young guys will get to play?
MSU already has had 18 players debut this season, but many of the younger players have seen limited action.
The main reason is MSU has played close games. It led Southern Mississippi 14-10 at halftime in the season opener, and many of the starters and older guys had to play into the fourth quarter to secure the victory.
Last week against LSU, MSU trailed 14-3 at halftime and 21-6 before rallying late. Mullen hopes many of the younger players will get a chance to play Saturday.
“(Getting the backups game reps) is more important for this year than even the future,” Mullen said. “Next year, they’ll have another full year under their belt in the system and they are a play away from getting on the field right now, so we’d love to get them more reps than we have, I just haven’t forced them on the field.”
Senior Dak Prescott has taken a bulk of the snaps at quarterback. Redshirt freshman Nick Fitzgerald played in the fourth quarter against Southern Miss, but he hasn’t thrown a pass. He has two carries for 36 yards.
Fitzgerald and fellow redshirt freshman Elijah Staley, who hasn’t played, could see time Saturday.
2. Will MSU’s defense get on track?
The Bulldogs stopped the run against the Golden Eagles, but they couldn’t handle the Tigers’ Leonard Fournette, who rushed for 159 of 266 yards. LSU only passed for 71 yards, but Southern Miss threw for 311 yards in MSU’s 34-16 win.
The Demons have rushed for 422 yards in two games and are averaging 3.7 yards per carry. Northwestern State has passed for 202 yards.
“What you try to sell on defense is it doesn’t really matter who you play,” MSU first-year defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said. “If we are not where we’re supposed to be, everyone we play is going to run the ball.”
3. Will Prescott’s streak continue?
Prescott has thrown a school-record 139 passes without being intercepted.
His last interception came 11 quarters ago against Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl.
The Haughton, Louisiana, native, who is 56 of 90 for three touchdowns, probably will see limited time against Northwestern State, which has one interception this season.
4. Can Bell bounce back?
After missing a 52-yard field goal that would have helped MSU beat LSU, Bell took to Twitter to apologize to MSU’s fans.
“I’m sorry bulldog nation. I gave it everything I had and it just didn’t work out. #HailState #Family,” the senior tweeted late Saturday night/early Sunday morning.
Bell hadn’t attempted a field goal since his sophomore season. Westin Graves made two field goals against the Tigers, but Mullen has more confidence in Bell kicking longer field goals.
5. Will the Demons keep it close?
Although there is no line for the game, MSU is a huge favorite.
MSU hasn’t lost to a Football Championship Subdivision school since a 9-7 loss to Maine at home in 2004 under coach Sylvester Croom.
Northwestern State lost to the only Football Bowl Subdivision school — Louisiana-Lafayette — it has played this season (44-17 last week). Northwestern State is 11-34 against FBS foes since 1977.
Northwestern State beat Diaz and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 30-27 last season in Ruston, Louisiana.
Auburn struggled last week against Jacksonville State and needed overtime to earn a victory. Arkansas lost to Toledo and Missouri was pushed to the wire in a win at Arkansas State.
“We saw last week how challenging it is if you don’t come out and you’re not prepared to play your best game,” Mullen said. “You’re in a battle.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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