STARKVILLE — Nick Gibson’s first career touchdown in Mississippi State’s game against Texas A&M came with a celebration of appropriate fervor. Once the sophomore running back settled down, he was seen on the sideline with a big chain wrapped around his neck: and not the kind of chain worn as jewelry, the kind with links big enough to serve industrial purposes.
He was wearing the team’s new symbol of unity.
“(MSU strength coach) Nick Savage had it in there, we’re on the road, ‘I have this big steel chain that says we’re all in this together,'” MSU head coach Dan Mullen said. “We all work — offense, defense and special teams — together, and he talked to the team at breakfast about that. He handed it to the captains and they handed it around to somebody else over the course of the game.
“They got the message, because I thought we did play well in all three phases of the game.”
MSU’s travelling trophy of sorts will continue to be just that as MSU (6-2, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) hosts UMass (2-6) 11 a.m. Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium (SEC Network).
Injury update
For once this season, MSU has a pretty good idea entering the week of which players will and will not be available.
The one exception to that is wide receiver Donald Gray, who Mullen said got an MRI on his groin Monday.
Left tackle Martinas Rankin is expected to be at 100 percent for the UMass game; Mullen said he was cleared to play in an emergency situation for last week’s Texas A&M game, but the extra week of rest should get him to full capacity. Mullen labeled wide receiver Gabe Myles as doubtful as his foot injury reoccurred and linebacker Dez Harris is expected to play.
Mullen on early signing period
For the first time, college football recruits can sign with their future colleges before the traditional national signing day in February. There will be a new early signing period in December in which recruits can sign and end the process then before the craze of in-home visits through January.
College football coaches nationwide are curious what the impact of it will be, Mullen included. Several have said that they believe those that are committed at the time of the early signing period and do not sign may not be truly committed.
Mullen agrees, and showed that with a flash of humor: “I’m committed to my wife; I signed.
“The commitment part of it — again, I don’t know how it’s going to play out — you assume if someone’s committed, they’re committed to you to come play here and you’re committed to them to honor their scholarship.”
Honors for Fitzgerald, Sweat
For the second week in a row, MSU’s Montez Sweat was named the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week. This is the second time a Bulldog has done so after defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons did it after the wins over Louisiana Tech and LSU. Sweat earned the honors after six tackles and two sacks against Texas A&M. He leads the team with eight tackles for a loss.
Quarterback Nick Fitzgerald was named the SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week after running for 105 yards and a touchdown in addition to 141 passing yards on 12 completions. Fitzgerald was also named for a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award, given to, “America’s College Player of the Year.”
Simmons was named a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award, given to the nation’s best defensive player.
Kickoff time for Alabama game on hold
All but two SEC games set for Nov. 11 now have their kickoff times and television networks set, with MSU’s game against No. 1 Alabama being one of the two games still in limbo. That game will either be at 2:30 on CBS or at 6 p.m. on ESPN. CBS is using an exemption in the contract with the SEC in which it can wait until Saturday’s games to be played before it decides which game it will broadcast next week.
Auburn versus Georgia is the other game that’s to be determined. The common belief is that if Auburn beats Texas A&M Saturday, CBS will opt for the likely top 15 matchup the next week between Auburn and Georgia, while an Auburn loss to Texas A&M could send CBS for the Alabama at MSU game.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter, @Brett_Hudson
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