Cowbell Corner

Mississippi State Football Shows Promise Despite Loss to Georgia

Key takeaways and reasons for optimism in Starkville after pushing Top 5 teams like Georgia and Texas
Taylor Hodges|
Mississippi State Bulldogs running back Davon Booth (21) celebrates after a touchdown with tight end Seydou Traore (18) against the Georgia Bulldogs in the third quarter at Sanford Stadium.
Mississippi State Bulldogs running back Davon Booth (21) celebrates after a touchdown with tight end Seydou Traore (18) against the Georgia Bulldogs in the third quarter at Sanford Stadium. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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Mississippi State Bulldogs

Mississippi State fans should be feeling much better about their team now than they did a month ago after a loss to Toledo.

For their second-straight game, the Bulldogs made a Top 5 ranked team work harder than expected to win. They trailed No. 1 Texas by just eight points at halftime two weeks ago and lost by just 10 points to No. 5 Georgia.

Considering this is the same team that got steamrolled by Arizona State and dominated by Toledo, Mississippi State is trending in the right direction.

Here are a few takeaways from Mississippi State’s 10-point loss to Georgia that should give fans hope for the future:

Michael Van Buren The Real Deal?

Two starts isn’t really enough of a sample size to really answer this question, but consider who Van Buren has faced, and where. He became the second player to score a touchdown against No. 1 Texas and had a perfect third quarter against Georgia to cut 14 points off the deficit.

Yes, he’s 0-2 and a lot can happen in the final six games of the season. But, so far, Van Buren is looking like the real deal.

Jeff Lebby’s Offense Can Work in Starkville

Mississippi State’s first-year head coach was known for his fast-paced, high-scoring offenses and we have seen flashes of that style of offense this season. But seeing those flashes against Georgia instead of Eastern Kentucky or Arizona State is a great sign. It also shows that, with time, this offense can be special in future seasons.

Mississippi State’s Defense Has Some Flashes

Let’s be clear. The Bulldogs’ defense isn’t good and giving up 605 total yards isn’t a day to remember. However, Mississippi State didn’t cut a 24-point deficit in half with just its offense. The defense forced two turnovers and scored points off of each. It also had some key run stops and pass breakups. Again, the defense has a long ways to go, but we finally saw some hope for the future.

Read More Mississippi State Bulldogs On SI:

Watch: Georgia's Kirby Smart Shoves Opposing Quarterback in Game

Mississippi State vs. Georgia: What Went Wrong?

What Went Right? Mississippi State’s Comeback Falls Short vs Georgia

Mississippi State Football: Why Every Team Should Be on Upset Alert

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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