Bulldogs Dominate in Coach Broth's Return Starkville, MS- After Coach Broth was forced to take a leave of absence due to medical concerns late last season, he returned to the gridiron this week for the Bulldogs game against the Troy Trojans. It was evident that the players were happy to have their coach back. the Bulldogs jumped on the board with 45 point first half, and even after getting the 2nd and 3rd string players in the game, the Bulldogs still held the Trojans scoreless after their 10 point 1st quarter. "It was great to be back. I know it has been hard on this team and the fans with me not being here and being able to coach, and I think that has affected things a lot. But I am all healthy and ready to get this team running. We have a great deal of tough opponenets this season, and it is going to take a great deal to over come that." The Bulldogs 2-2 (0-2) host 3 straight ranked opponents in #19 Michigan, #7 LSU, and finishing off with #1 FSU. This will be an amazingly tough stretch and if the Bulldogs can come out with 2 wins, that would be amazing. 3 wins would be surreal. Regardless of the outcomes expect some exciting hard hitting football coming from Starkville in the next few weeks.
Bulldogs Get 4 Commits Following Big Weekend Starkville, MS- Following the Bulldogs trouncing of the Troy Trojans and Coach Broth's return, the Bulldogs received some more news. The Bulldogs received commitments from 4 players. The highlight of the weekend haul was 5 star WR Eric Jenkins. In response to his commitment Coach Broth had this to say: "We got a couple of commitments this weekend and Eric's was a big one. When you get recruits you see three kinds. Their are depth guys who are going to probably redshirt and look to get time in their junior and senior years, their are guys who can compete for a starting job, and then their are guys like Eric who you expect to come in and make a difference immediately. It is nice to go into our neighbors backyard and take some talent, but guys like Eric don' come along often, and when they do and you can get them on your team, you have to embrace it. I expect him to come in and compete immediately and help push this program to the level we expect. I didn't come here to win games, I came to win championships and Eric will definitely help."
Bulldogs Allow 21 Unanswered, Lose Late Starkville, MS- The Mississippi State Bulldogs had a tough game against the Wolverines and needed their first marquee win of what is already a disappointing season. The Bulldogs took a 28-21 lead into the second half after scoring twice in the final 2 minutes of the half. After returning the opening kickoff of the 2nd half the Bulldogs looked poised to take control of the game. After forcing a Wolverine turnover, the Bulldogs had the ball inside the Wolverine redzone looking to go up 3 scores and put the game away. Tyler Russel did as he has done all season, and he threw an INT. Michigan would score 2 TD's and tie the game. The Bulldogs regained control and drove the ball into Wolverine territory and had eaten up most of the 4:46 that was on the clock at the start of the drive. On a 3rd down, QB Tyler Russel threw another INT. His third of the day. The Wolverines, would convert on 3 3rd downs, including a 38 yard run by QB Devin Gardner to completely switch the field position. The Wolverines would punch the ball into the endzone with 5 seconds on the clock to seal the deal. "This was a tough loss. This has been a tough year. We have a talented team and we just aren't playing to our ability. We are making too many mistakes. Turnovers and more turnovers. I liked a lot of what our secondary was doing today, but the D line couldn't get any pressure. When you are covering guys for 8 plus seconds, that is very difficult and to have the QB take off downfield for a big game is just very demoralizing. But we can't sulk, we got two very talented teams coming in here in the next two weeks. While a National and SEC Title are always the goals at the start of the season, we can still succeed without accomplishing those things. This was a tough one today, but we won't stop fighting."
Bulldogs Upset LSU in OT Mississippi St.- 37#4 LSU-34 Starkville, MS- Last year, the Bulldogs traveled to Baton Rogue, Louisiana, with one thought in mind, upset the #2 Tigers and put themselves in a position to win an SEC title. After the game went to Overtime, and they settled for a FG and the Tigers responded with a TD, the Bulldogs hopes were smashed. Fast forward to yesterday, where the Bulldogs tried to save their season and their rapidly fading SEC title hopes. For the 1st half of this game it looked identical to last years. Both teams traded punches up and down the field, and while the Bulldogs had more overall success, they were unable to do anything inside the Redzone and had to settle for FG's. At halftime LSU led 21-13. "I pulled the team together in the locker room and said that we had a chance to do this. We weren't being outplayed, we were just beating ourselves. If we could stop doing that, this game was ours. The thing was that when we turned it on, they were ready for it. And this game went from a normal game to an emotional thriller" said Coach Broth. After forcing a stop on LSU's opening possesion, the Bulldogs took the ball and had a slow methodical drive down the field. Capped off with a 27 yard TD pass from QB Tyler Russell. Now trailing 21-19, the Bulldogs elected to go for 2 to try and tie it. With a quick slant pass, the game was now tied. After 1 play on the LSU drive and a 56 yard interception return for a TD by Jamerson Love the Bulldogs had cmpletely changed the game and now had a lead. The Bulldog defense had shut down the Tigers for the 3rd quarter. But in the 4th the Tigers came roaring back. After kicking a FG and taking a 10 point lead with 6 minutes left in the game the Bulldogs looked poised to run out the clock, but LSU had different things in mind. The Tigers scored a TD with only 2:41 remaining but still elected to kick the ball deep. The Bulldogs quickly went 3 and out and LSU was given the ball back. They quickly moved the ball into FG range and nailed a 39 yard kick with 11 seconds remaining to send it to overtime. In the first round of overtime the Bulldogs were playing offense first. They moved the ball to the Tiger five but were stopped on 3 straight play and found themselves facing 4th and Goal from the 2. "I thought to myself that we need a TD. We can't settle for a FG when you are at the 2. If you want to be a good team you need to be able to score from here, and we couldn't and it nearly cost us" said Coach Broth. After being stopped it looked like the game was over. LSU had the ball needing only a FG to win it. The Bulldog defense held strong limiting the yards the Tiger offense could gain forcing them into a 30 yard FG. The ball hit the up right and bounced out sending us o a 2nd overtime. With a second chance to kick a FG and take the lead, Freshman Jimmy Bowie answered the call for the Tigers and nailed a 25 yard kick. The Bulldogs now with the ball had one thing in mind and that was a TD. facing 3rd and goal from the 4, QB Tyler Russell capped off a 402 yard 3TD performance with a TD pass to TE Brandon Hill. The Bulldog defense was key in this game forcing 4 turnovers and containing the LSU rushing attack that defeated them last year. The road gets no easier as the Bulldogs host the #1 Florida State Seminoles, where the Bulldogs look to play spoiler again. Editor's Note: Another great game, as this rivalry continues to grow. Back to back OT games. I think I have found my video game equal.
Bulldogs Beat Up on Kentucky Starkville, MS- In the last game of their 4 game homestretch, the Bulldogs badly needed a victory. They jumped up early taking a 21-7 lead in the 1st quarter and never looked back. The Bulldog rushing game stole the show for the first time in the Coach Broth era as the team moved the ball on the ground with ease for a combined team effort of 232 yards on 31 carries. The team also had success in the air completing 8 of 12, but still throwing 2 INT's. QB Tyler Russell was again injured making it 0 games on the year that he has not missed a snap in. His constant injuries have been of concern to Coach Broth. "Look the kid is tough. If it was most people they would have been out for the season, but not with him. He just keeps getting banged up and going out there looking for more. He wants to win as bad as anyone. He is one of th best QB's in school history and he wants to finish out his last year on top." With the win the Bulldogs advance to 4-4 (2-2). Next week the Bulldogs travel to Knoxville to take on the 3-4 Volunteers. The Bulldogs still have an outside shot at the SEC Title game, but they need to win the remainder of their games and get a little help which will be no easy task.
Bulldogs Escape Knoxville, Pick up 2 Recruits Knoxville, TN- It was almost a bad day for Coach broth and the Mississippi State Buldogs as they were nearly chased out of the stadium in Knoxville. The Volunteers were looking to turnaround their season and the Bulldogs were the perfect opponent to do it to. Trailing 37-17 late in the 3rd quarter, the Bulldogs looked completely out of it. QB Tyler Russell was again knocked from the game due to injury, continuing his streak of not completing a full game this season, and the Bulldogs had not had much succes with anything. But after backup QB Dak Prescott nailed Robert johnson down the seam with a 75 yard TD pass, the Bulldogs finally had some momentum going. Then with INT's on back to back Volunteer possesions, both ending in touchdowns for the Bulldogs, the game had completely changed. The momentum swing didn't stop until the Bulldogs had already scored 28 unanswered points and had taken the lead. but the Volunteers were not going to lay down, and they added a score of their own on a 37 yard TD pass from QB Tyler Bray. After a completed 2 point conversion the Bulldogs and Volunteers were deadlocked at 45. The Bulldogs moved the ball downfield, but were stopped and forced to settle for a 53 yard FG attempt by senior kicker Brian Egan. The Bulldogs again forced a INT and were able to run out the remainder of the clock for a 48-45 victory. Shortly after the game ended for the 5-4 (3-2) Bulldogs, Coach Broth recieved the commitments of two ESPNU players. "Winning a game is great. Getting commitments of talented players is also great. Put it together and you had yourself a heck of a day. These are some talented guys in Daniel Bowen and Chris Patton, and we are excited to have them join our family and we expect them to compete for playing time right off the bat."
Bulldogs Reach Bowl Eligibility With Win Starkville, MS- Last year in Birmingham, the Bulldogs undefeated season and National Title hope were gashed with a tough loss to Alabama. This year the Crimson Tide came limping in to Starkville with a 6-4 record. The Bulldogs wanted a win badly, and midway through the second quarter is was looking bleak as the Bulldogs were trailing 14-0. But then the Bulldog defense stepped up and only allowed 14 points over the remainder of the game, one of those touchdowns coming with 40 seconds left to make the score closer then the game really was. The Bulldog offense came to life as the team scoring 14 unanswered to tie the game, and then after the Crimson tide took the lead back the Bulldogs responded with 17 unanswered to ultimately win 31-28. The Bulldogs got the win, but what was more impressive was the different look to the offense and defense. We have seen some Wishbone used this season, but the Bulldogs used a whole lot more in this game. Certainly something to look at as the season continues. "We wanted to try some things today" said Coach Broth. "We had seen success with our Dime package and we wanted to run in a lot more in this game and see how it went. We ran it a lot in the 2nd half and our defense really shut them down. As for the offense we wanted to run some Wishbone. I have always liked the Triple Option offense and thought it would be interesting to bring it to the SEC, but that isn't something you can implement immediately, it takes time. Will we see more of it? I think so, it really worked for us today, so we will run it more and see if teams can stop it, it is just one more thing to prepare for."
Bulldogs Win Music City Bowl Nashville, TN- The Bulldogs fell backwards into their bowl game after a surprising loss to Ole Miss in the Battle for the Golden Egg. "These bowl games are supposed to be fun. It's a reward for the hard work all season. Yea you want to win, but it's a game with less pressure where the guys can go out and have fun, and the seniors get to play their last collegiate game. Lots of emotions on display." said Coach Broth after his team's 41-38 victory over ACC foe Virginia. Tyler Russell in his final game continued his record setting career with 3 passing touchdowns. With the help of Ladarius Perkins and his 100 yards rushing and 1 TD, these two seniors were able to carry the Bulldog offense throughout the game. "We had missed Ladarius for most of the season, and having him back for this game was nice. He showed how explosive he is, and we had truble replacing that all season." Eventhough being outscored in the second half 25-21 the Bulldogs had control of the game late. With 2:07 to go the Bulldogs connected on a 57 yard TD pass to go up 10 and put the game away. UVA scored a TD with 1:07 to go, but after a failed onside kick the game was finished. "The season wasn't what we hoped it would be, but at the end of the year, when you win more then you lose, you can't be too dissapointed. 7 wins isn't where we wanted to be when this season started but we hit a lot of bumps along the way. Next year I expect us to be a top 10 team. We have a lot of young guys on this team right now and we have been redshirting some talented kids. When these guys start hitting the field, the SEC better look out. Were gonna look at some things this summer and see if we want to make some changes with scheme and what not, but for now, we will go back and look at the season and get ready for winter workouts and spring ball."
Bulldogs Upended in Tallahassee Tallahassee, FL- The Bulldogs headed into their game with FSU looking to start the season off 1-0 and shock the #7 team in the country. A little bit into the game it looked like they might do that. While they gave up an early 7-0 lead on a punt return, they ever gave in. The Bulldogs looked like they were about to be run out of the stadium at half time thou as their defense began to give up more points as the offense failed to put anything together. Entering the 3rd quarter trailing 20-7 the offense and defense both woke up. The Bulldog offense behind true freshman daniel bowne got moving and the Bulldogs found themselves only down 23-17 after a 76 yard td run by Nick Griffin. But it was costly turnovers that did the Bulldogs in. After forcing a stop and moving the ball into Seminole territory, QB Daniel Bowen launched up a deep post route to what looked like an open reciever, but the ball was intercepted and the Bulldogs never recovered, falling 37-25 to the Seminoles.
Bulldogs Route Cougars Starkville, MS- Th Bulldogs entering this game 0-1 and were looking to bounce back after a poor offensive and defensive showing in their week 1 game against Florida State. The Bulldogs did that today holding the Houston Cougars to 7 points, 160 yards of total offense and forced 2 turnovers. The Bulldog offense also looked good today racking up 37 points on the back of true freshman QB Daniel Bowen who threw for 199 yards with 3 TDs, as well as rushing for 96 yards and 1 TD. "I thought we looked good today. Any time you can beat a quality opponent the way we did today is a good sign. This is a talented bunch tat is gonna surprise some people. We got punched in the face last week, and this week we came back swinging, and you like to see that. Bowen played great today and I'd like to see his numbers continue to improve" said Coach Broth following his teams 37-7 victory. Next week the Bulldogs host #16 Auburn before heading into their bye week, which is followed by another tough home game against the Hokies of Virginia Tech. If the Bulldogs can be 3-1 heading into the brunt of SEC play, this team could be in a position to play their way into a BCS berth.
Bulldogs Upset Tigers in Route Starkville, MS- If there was any concern if the Bulldogs would falter after their big showing last week, it didn't last long. After stopping the #14 Auburn Tigers initial drive of the game, the Bulldogs got on the board first with a 61 yard TD rush by running back Nick Griffin. His touchdown of 61 yards marks a consistency of this Bulldog offense this year, and that is their ability to score on big plays. The Bulldog offense had 2 scoring plays of more then 60 yards, and their shortest score of the day came on a 27 yard TD pass by QB Daniel Bowen. The Bulldog rushing attack again showed up in this game as the team ran for a combined 233 yards on the ground led by running back Nick Griffin who rand for 147 yards 2TD's on only 11 carries. QB Daniel Bowen ran for 31 yards to go along with his 197 yards through the air and 2 passing TD's. "We have been able to run the ball this year" said Coach Broth, "We have multiple running backs, a fullback and a quarterback all who can run the ball, and do it very well I might add. Not to mention our offensive line has been opening holes. We have a defense that makes plays for this team, and when they are forcing turnovers and we are making plays, we can score from everywhere. We showed everyone today that we can be a dangerous team. How dangerous? Well time will tell, but when you can hold your opponent under 300 yards of total offense and you can get above 400, while not losing the turnover battle, that is a recipe for success." The Bulldogs jumped up to an early lead and never really looked back. The Bulldogs found a way to score in every quarter, and with a 21-10 halftime lead, it didn't take much for them to keep the pressure on as they rolled to a 38-17 upset victory over the #14 Auburn Tigers. The Bulldogs who are 2-1(1-0) heading into their bye week have an interesting matchup with the Virginia Tech Hokies. After Coach Frank Beamer retired and first year coach T3AM_F1GHT_0N took over, the Bulldogs don't know what to expect. But Virginia Tech has a talented team, and would love a chance to knock the SEC down a step.
Bulldogs Roll in Win Over Hokies Starkville, MS- The feeling in Starkville prior to the Bulldogs game against the Virginia Tech Hokies was cautious optimism. The fans were trying to stay grounded after 2 straight blowout victories for the Bulldogs. Sitting at 2-1(1-0) the Bulldogs had shown a lot, especially with their only loss being a 12 point loss at #2 FSU where the Bulldogs were in the game the whole time even with a true freshman quarterback playing in his first collegiate game ever. Since then the Bulldogs have been rolling and with a victory today, Starkville would be brimming with confidence. Enter the 1-2 Hokies with a new head coach looking to make their mark. The Hokies took their opening drive quickly into Bulldog territory. It looked like the Bulldogs were in for a long day defensively. But after holding Virginia Tech to a missed field goal the momentum swung, and very quickly I might add. With a 44yd TD pass from QB Daniel Bowen, the Bulldogs got on the board. The Bulldogs would then force 3 turnovers, give up only 133 yards on the day as they would rally off 44 unanswered points on the back of QB Daniel Bowen who passed for 3 scores and ran for 1. The Hokies had numerous chances, but often gave up long 3rd down plays, dropped passes and had untimely turnovers. First year head coach T3AM_F1GHT_0N showed flashes of brilliance but they were surrounded by mistakes by his players. When these Hokies get recruiting going again, this could be a team reminiscient of the Frank Beamer days of the mid 90's. But for today, the Bulldogs advance to 3-1(1-0) with a 46-7 victory, heading into a bye week before the brunt of their SEC schedule begins with 4 straight road trips. As for Coach Broth he had this to say, "We have a good team ladies and gentleman. What can I say? I can't take credit for most of what happened out there. Our team was paying possessed. But I will say this, the way we are playing right now, I'm not sure there are too many teams that can top us. If we can get rolling here through these next couple of games, we got a shot at doing something special this year." Notes: The Bulldogs had 3 players visiting this week, and also recieved a commitment from 4 star CB Paul Walker out of Madison, MS who will add some talent and depth to an already very talented secondary. He choose Mississippi State over LSU, Texas, Oklahoma and Georgia.
Bulldogs Dodge Upset With Late Score Lexington, KY- The Kentucky Wildcats took their opening possession of this game straight down the field on 4 rushing plays to complete a 70 yard drive. Lexington was rocking, the Bulldogs were stunned, and things did not look good. After a quick 3 and out the Bulldogs looked like they were about to be chased out of the stadium. But after kentucky started passing the ball the Bulldog defense woke up, as did their offense. On the back of Daniel Bowen, and his 301 yards passing, 114 yards rushing to go along with his 4 total TD's, the Bulldogs were able to come roaring back. Bowen like the rest of the team wasn't without his mistakes as he threw two costly picks and had a fumble that was recovered inside the Kentucky 20 yard line with less than 3 remaining. Leading 31-24 with 3:52 on the clock, the Wildcats kicked off after making a field goal. "I grabbed Daniel and told him that this is his team, and he needs to do this." On the verge of falling to a 1-4 Wildcat team, just 2 weeks after cracking the top 25 Daniel Bowen strapped in. After true freshman Eric Jenkins broke a tackle on a hitch route and turned it into a 68 yard TD, the Bulldogs found themselves in a tie game with only 1:19 on the clock. Kentucky got the ball and threw 3 straight incomplete passes, and punted the ball with 57 seconds on the clock. Daniel Bowen broke free with a 20 yard scamper on first down, and a couple plays later the Bulldogs were punching the ball in from the 1 yardline with only 25 seconds on the clock to put the game away. It wasn't pretty, but the Bulldogs got the win to advance to 4-1 (2-0) on the season. Next week the Bulldogs head to Death Valley to take on the Tigers of LSU. This game is huge for the Bulldogs as with a victory the only real roadblock remaining for a trip to the SEC Championship game is a trip to Alabama.
Bulldogs upset Aggies in OT Starkville, MS- The Bulldogs marched onto the field knowing that the LSU Tigers had just fallen to the Alabama Crimson Tide. What did this mean? That with a win the Bulldogs would move into first place in the SEC West, something they have failed to do in Coach Broth's tenure as head coach. It was an uneventful 1st quarter as the Aggies jumped up with a FG to take a 3-0 lead. The Bulldogs answered in the 2nd quarter with 2 TD passes from Daniel Bowen to Jameon Lewis. With an Aggie TD and FG the game was at a 14-13 gridlock. It would stay this way until the 3rd quarter when the Bulldogs scored on back to back drives to tak an 11 point lead with only 4 minutes remianing. The Bulldogs looked positioned to end the game. The Aggies kept fighting and found a way to tie the game with 30 seconds on the clock after a succesful scramble by QB Showers to get the 2 point conversion. After a failed hailmary pass from the 41 yard line, this game was going to overtime. As he has done all season Daniel Bowen with his 285 yards 3TD 1INT and Nick Griffin with his 128 rushing yards and 2TDs put the team on their back and carried them through overtime as the Bulldogs won in the 2nd overtime period after holding the Aggie to a FG. The Buldogs advance to 7-2 (5-1) with 3 games remaining against BYU, Arkansas and Ole Miss. The Bulldogs control their own destiny and with 2 more SEC victories are headed to the SEC title game. Call me crazy, but I have a good feeling about this Bulldog squad and if they can get these 3 wins plus a victory in the SEC title game, they have an outside shot at a National Title chance.
Bulldogs Dodge Upset, Lead SEC West Starkville, MS- These past few weeks True Freshman QB Daniel Bowen has carried the team to victories. This week, we were reminded that he is still a Freshman. Bowen would only complete 9 passes and would throw 2 INT's on the day with 0 TD's, as he Bulldogs escape an upset bid by the 2-9 Arkansas Razorbacks. Bowen made up for his passing mistakes by rushing the ball in for 2 scores. Entering half the Razorbacks held a commanding 17-7 lead, and the 3rd quarter continued as the game did. Bulldog offense gave the Razorback decent field position, and the defense held them as best as they could. The Defense and special teams saved the Bulldogs today. Trailing late, the Bulldogs scored a TD to be down 20-14, after forcing a quick 3 and out, Jamerson Love in his first game back from injury took a punt return 82 yards for the go ahead score. He would be injured on the ensuing kickoff for the remainder of the season. "We flat out stunk today. We were outgained, outmanned, outeverythinged. But you know what, we made the plays when we needed them. jamerson was huge for us, and it really kills me to watch a kid get injured after just getting back from an injury. But what he did for his team today was huge, because he got us the win." The Bulldog defense also came up big forcing 2 interceptions on the day, none bigger then the one with 1:07 left in the 4th quarter with the Razorbacks driving. With the win the Bulldogs advance to 9-2 (6-1) on the season with only one game remaining. If the Bulldogs can win the Battle for the Golden Egg, then they can book their tickets to the SEC Title game as they look for a BCS bow birth.
Bulldogs Clinch SEC West Title Starkville, MS- It was senior day, it was the battle for the Golden Egg, it was a chance to clinch the SEC West. You think this team needed any motivation? "I found myself trying to calm the team down pregame. They were so hyped I had to try and keep them under control. Whoever we were playing today wouldn't have had a shot. I'm glad the seniors last home game went like this, and I'm glad we got two more left with them" said Coach Broth following the team's 37-10 whooping of rival Ole Miss. The Bulldogs jumped on top outscroing the Rebels 17-7 in the first quarter and never looked back. The Bulldog defense forced 5 INT's on the day and were led by Senior Ferlando Bohanna who had 2 sacks, and 3 TFL's, while fellow senior Jay Hughes had an INT. But it was the Bulldog Freshman that stole the show today, with True Freshman Cory Dickens who had 2 INT's, and QB Daniel Bowen who rebounded after his performance last week. Bowen who completed 13-15 passes for 195 yards and 3 TD's, combined that with 95 yards rushing and 1 TD. This was a great all around performance for the Bulldogs who will be heading into the SEC Championship for the first time under Coach Broth. With the victory the Bulldogs finished the season with a 10-2 mark, another best under Coach Broth. The Bulldogs will face #4 ranked Georgia, in the first meeting of the SEC foes since Coach Broth took over.
Season 2 Wk:CC Mississippi State Win SEC Title Atlanta, Georgia- The beast of the east versus the surprise of the west. This SEC title game had many storylines, but when Mississippi State recieved the opening kickoff all of those story lines were forgotten. After a few possesion by each team it appeared that whatever defense could stop the opponent a single time would be the victor as both offenses were on point. Georgia accumulated 563 yards of total offense, while Mississippi State racked up 533. Daniel Bowen and Nick Griffin each had 180 rushing yards as the potent Bulldog ground game slashed Georgia up and down the field controlling the clock and prevent Georgia from gaining momentum after their countless big plays. The only thing that allowed the Mississippi State Bulldogs to stay in the game was their ability to force turnovers. Mississippi State forced 2 turnovers while Georgia was able to force 0. This was the only way that the Mississippi State defense was able to stop Georgia all day. Even when Georgia was stopped, they pulled out a fake FG to still score a TD before the half. Georgia had numerous TD drives that took less than 4 plays. None bigger then their last drive of the game. Trailing by 7 after a key 3rd conversion was turned into a 45 yards TD pass by Eric Jenkins; Mississippi State had a 45-28 lead. On the first play from scrimmage, a pass was completed for 64 yards down inside the Mississippi State redzone. 1 play later Georgia scored leaving a tie game and 2:59 on the clock. "I called the offense in and told them we were going to run the ball down the field, eat up the clock and win the game. Georgia wasn;t allowed to touch the football again." said Coach Broth. And that is what they did. A masterful mix of run and pass led the Bulldogs into enemy territory in time for a 42 yard kick by Baker Swedenburg right down the middle of the uprights for a Mississippi State victory and their first SEC title under Coach Broth. " Coach_III has to be proud of his team. They outplayed us, no doubt. But we made a few key plays to keep us in the game, and when the oppurtunity presented itself we found a way to win. They are a talented team down their in Athens, and I expect them to continue to dominate the SEC East." With the victory the Bulldogs advance to the Sugar Bowl to play the Miami Hurricanes. The first BCS bowl ever for the Bulldog program since the induction of the BCS in 1998. Also this is the first SEC title victory for the program since 1941. A dramatic win for the program, but we expect some shakeups coming in the coaching staff. Mississippi State looks to be losing both coordinators at the end of the season, for opposite reasons. After continuous offensive success expect our OC to be recieving a HC job and the DC is likely going to be fired after another dismal season.
Season 3 Wk:1 Bulldog Coordinators Shine in Debut Starkville, MS- The Mississippi State Bulldogs were debuting 2 new coordinators after they lost two last season 1 to a better offer, and the other to dismissal. Today the defending SEC champions took the field against the Troy Trojans, and it was never close. The Bulldogs had a 34-0 lead at halftime and took their foot off the gas. Troy was only able to muster 110 yards against this new look Bulldog defense. "I thought we played well defensively" said Coach Broth. "We have some kinks to workout but it was a good first step." The Bulldog offense after being impressive all of last season showed its new look as it has transformed from the rush heavy offenses of the past into a much more Air Raid look. Sophmore QB and Heisman hopeful Daniel Bowen passed for 284 yards and 2 TD's while rushing for another 2. The Bulldog offense moved the ball easily and was very succesful. "I liked what we were able to do offensively. WE aren't there yet, but today was a big step." The 37-7 victory was a nice start for the Bulldogs, who host the Nebraska Cornhuskers next week, a good first test.
Season 3 Wk:2 Bulldogs Outscore Nebraska in Shootout Starkville,MS- The Mississippi state Bulldogs hosted the Nebraska COrnhuskers in an early test of top 25 teams. After the 1st quarter the Bulldogs jumped up and never looked back. After taking a 14-3 lead after the first and a 31-10 lead into the half the Bulldogs looked in control. But the game never felt that way, especially in the second half as the Cornhuskers made numerous plays to come back in the game, but everytime they did a dropped pass or a big play by the Bulldogs took back the momentum. Each team accumulated over 440 yards of total offense, but the Bulldogs made the plays when they needed them. heisman hopeful Daniel Bowen was big in this game passing for 322 yards 3TD's while rushing for 110 yards and 2 TD's. It was a dominant performance as he once again proved he is a difference maker. "I said when Daniel came on campus he would be a great player, I just wasn't sure if it would happen this fast. He really puts the team on his back when we need it most, and in this one he carried us to the finish line" said Coach Broth. "Nebraska is a good team, but they had trouble tacking and catching, even still they gave us a fight. Daniel put us over the top. Coach Shnoogans10 has a good team and I'm sre they will do well in the B1g, but today we made the plays we needed." With the win the win the #17 Bulldogs advance to 2-0 on the season and travel to Auburn to kick off their defense of the SEC title. Nebraska 1-1 has a bye week before heading home to face the #7 South Carolina Gamecocks.
Season 3 Wk: 4Bulldogs Rush Past Southern Miss Starkville, MS- Following the Bulldogs dissapointing loss to the Auburn Tigers last week, they lloked to rebound with a strong performance. And while they did nearly accumulate 600 yards of offense, the 4 turnovers were much more glaring. Daniel Bowen despite his 399 passing yards and 6TD's, still threw 3 INT's which has become a troubling problem for him. Regardless the Bulldogs were able to jump up early and never look back as they routed their in state rival 63-23. With the wn the Bulldogs advance to 3-1(0-1). Next week they will have a bye.
Season 3 Wk: 6Bulldogs fall to Illini Champagne, IL- In what was clearly the Bulldogs biggest nonconference game of the season the Bulldogs looked to upset the #7 ranked Illini on the road. It didn't take long to see the Bulldogs didn't have it. The offense failed to consistently move the ball, and the defense couldn't stop th opponent. The Bulldogs made a game of it with a late score in the 1st half, to pull the score to 21-14. On the ensuing kickoff the Illini returned it all the way for a TD. The Bulldog offense struglled mightily as did QB Daniel Bowen. The Bulldogs accumulated 351 total yards, by far their lowest total of the season. QB Daniel Bowen still racked up 3 TD's, but was held under 200 yards passing and 50 yards rushing for the first time this season. "We couldn't move the ball, and we couldn't stop them, not exactly a recipe for success. We did some good things late in the game, but all in all it was a terrible performance. Kudos to Coach trevorg234 because they were clearly the better coached team. We'll look to figure things out during the bye week and come out swinging in the SEC." Mississippi State advances to 3-2(0-1) on the season. Following the bye week, the Bulldogs have a key home game against Louisiana State in the game that has decided the SEC West for the past 3 seasons.
Season 3 Wk: 9 Bulldogs get much needed Win Starkville, MS- When the Bulldogs announced on Friday that QB Daniel Bowen will miss the next 3 weeks of the season, all was lost. The Bulldogs sitting at 3-3 had too many problems to count and it looked like the season was over. Enter Redshirt Freshman Nick Schuessler. "I went to Nick on tuesday and told hime he would probably be playing this week at that our offense would be a little different. We have always ket the Wishbone in our offense as something we can use as a change of pace if we need it, but it is rarely a central part of our gameplan. This week, that was all we did" said Coach Broth. Boy did it pay off. The Bulldogs scored 52 points, nearly trippled Mizzouri in time of possesion, and racked up 345 yards on the ground. The Bulldog secondary also stepped forcing 3 interceptions although it could've been as high as 15, after countless drops. With the win the Bulldogs bounce back to 4-3 (1-2). Next week the Bulldogs will host Kentucky as they look to get a run going and attempt to salvage their season. A shot at repeating the SEC title seems lost, and will require the Bulldogs to run the table, and need Auburn to lose 2 and LSU to lose one forcing a 3 way tie. So for now we can relax, but it will be interesting to see how Kentucky's defense prepares for this new Bulldog attack and if the Bulldogs switch their approach.
Season 3 Wk: 9Bulldogs Upend Wildcats Starkville, MS- The Bulldogs were lookign to keep last weeks offensive production continued with the absence of QB Daniel Bowen still a factor. The Bulldogs did not dissapoint dropping 71 points on their SEC foe. QB Dak Prescott who was the perceived heir to the QB throne following the departure of Tyler Russel found little playing time since QB Daniel Bowen arrived on campus. With his performance this week, we found it surprising the Prescott didn't win the job. Prescott has looked impressive in mop up role as well as the occasional play or series when Bowen has gone down, but in his first game he impressed. On the day he threw for 494 yards and 7TD's. "Dak played great for us today. He is a leader, no doubt about it. When Daniel beat him out for the starting spot, a lot of people would've transferred, but he made a commitment to this team, and he knew if the oppurtunity came he would prove himself, and he did today" said Coach Broth. When asked if he felt Dak would start next week, Coach Broth replied, "no doubt about it. Nick played great for us, and Daniel might be ready if we rushed him back, but there is no point. Dak deserves another oppurtunity to try and redo what he did today." In recruiting news, the Bulldogs have landed the commitments from 4 star TE Luke Torres out of Louisiana, as well as 3 star OLB Jamie Concepcion out Louisiana as well. Expect Luke to make an immediate impact as Coach Borth is a big fan of big fast recieving TE's. Jamie on the other hand will likely redshirt and attempt to get stronger, but as many have remarked he already has above average spped for an OLB and could become a force in the Bulldogs defense.
Season 3 Wk: 11Bulldogs Route Aggies College Station, TX- When the Aggies scored a TD with 3:06 left in the 2nd quarter to give themselves a 13-7 lead, things did not look good for Coach Broth and the Bulldogs. The Aggies had rallied off 3 straight scores and it looked like they would continue to move the ball freely up and down the field on the back of QB Johnny Manziel. But after that score, the Aggies would not score again until the 4th quarter, and by then the Bulldogs already had a comfortable 35-19 lead which is what the final score would end up being. "Their offense always gives us some trouble and it usually takes us awhile into the game before we can stop it. They run it so well that it is very difficult for our scout guys to mimmick it. It caused us to change things up, we tried to possess the ball more and run clock, which we did effectively. You can't complain about a 6.1 Yards per Carry." said Coach Broth. Nick Griffin was the star on offense for the Bulldogs as he dominated the ground attack turning a lowly 10 attempts into 123 yards rushing with 2TD's. One of his TD's came on an impressive 83 yard run right through the heart of the defense. Next week the Bulldogs return home to face the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Season 3 Wk: 12 Bulldogs Win Battle for Highway 83 Starkville, MS- In a game that usually has SEC West implications, the Bulldogs defeated the Crimson Tide by a narrow margin of 28-23. The game was close and came down to the final plays. QB Daniel Bowen returned to action for the Bulldogs in this one after missing the last 3 weeks due to an elbow sprain, and you could tell he wasn't without some rust. "We felt comfortabl playing Daniel today," said Coach Broth, "not that we had a choice, he was going out their without or without our permission. The kids is a competitor, he just wants to compete, he felt he was ready to go. I probably should've adjusted the playcalling some to let him ease his way into the action. He had looked goo all week in practice, but sometimes it takes a little bit to get back into the swing of things." Bowen posted season lows in both passing yards (236) and rushing yards (13). He managed to throw 3 TD passes, but his 3INT's were difficult to handle for a Bulldog defense that has struggled recently. "Our defense has struggled, I'll be the first to admit it. But the way they played today, I was proud. Holding a team of that caliber to under 300 yards of total offense is fantastic. Winning the time of possesion by the margin that we did is huge. They came to play today and came through when we needed them to." After giving up a TD with 4:57 in the 4th, the Bulldog offense got the ball back. They would then drive the field and would successfully run every second off the clock without give the Crimson Tide another chance to score, allowing the 7-3 Bulldogs to escape with a victory.
