Can Mississippi State pull of the upset at home against No. 5 Georgia?

The SEC's battle of its Bulldogs is set for Saturday morning in Starkville and the answers to three questions will determine the outcome.

Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Blake Shapen (2) passes during the first quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Do we really need a prediction for this Saturday’s game?

Afterall, games featuring No. 5 Georgia follow the same script. It’ll trail late in the second half and pull out the win.

To quote ESPN’s Bill Connelly, “it’s a thing they like to do.”

Mississippi State’s games have mostly followed the same script, too. The Bulldogs go up by double digits and let the opposing team rally for a comeback win.

Those two scripts fit perfectly together and both teams having Bulldogs for mascots makes it all the better.

But since all of that is super obvious, what happens Saturday will probably be totally different and the only that can be guaranteed is that the Bulldogs will.

In all seriousness, there are three questions I'm asking myself that will determine the outcome.

1. Can the offensive line give Brenen Thompson and Anthony Evans III enough time to get downfield?

Mississippi State’s wide receiver duo is proving to be one of the best in the SEC and they’ll be able to get behind a Georgia defense that’s given up long pass plays.

The question is will Blake Shapen have enough time to throw the ball to them. If he has time, the big shots will come. If he doesn’t, it’ll be a hard day for Mississippi State’s offense.

And it’s not entirely on the offensive line. A good rushing attack will also help cut down on the time needed for Evans and Thompson to get open.

2. Can Mississippi State’s rush defense slow down Georgia?

Georgia doesn’t have a dominant rushing attack. It’s averaging 184 yards per game, which ranks sixth in the SEC and 41st in FBS. But the only FBS team not to crack 100 yards rushing against Mississippi State was Texas.

Every football coach wants to stop an opposing team runs the ball and force them into passing more. To paraphrase Paul “Bear” Bryant’s famous quote, more bad things can happen throwing the ball than can happen when running the ball.

That’s even more true for a Mississippi State defense that leads the SEC in interceptions.

3. How will the weather impact the game?

We haven’t seen Mississippi State play a game in the rain since last season and there’s a 20 percent chance of that happening tomorrow.

Would a real rain shower or storm prevent Mississippi State’s offense from using its speed? Can ball carriers hold on to the ball?

The questions apply to Georgia, too.

If its raining, players are slipping and balls are being put on the ground, then anything can happen.

Taylor’s Prediction

I’m tempted to pick Mississippi State to pull off the upset, but I do think both teams follow their normal scripts. And the big reason is because I think the answer to the first two questions aren’t good answers for Mississippi State.

Georgia 34, Mississippi State 27