Three Players to Watch as Mississippi State Football Takes on East Tennessee State
Mississippi State will welcome East Tennessee State to Davis Wade Stadium for Senior Day on Saturday.
MSU (6-4, 3-4) is looking to get back in the win column after a big loss against Georgia last weekend. ETSU (3-7, 1-7) will be the first FCS team that Mississippi State faces this season, and it comes at a perfect time: the Bulldogs have a short week to rest and prepare for Thursday's Egg Bowl.
Here are three players to keep an eye on as the Bulldogs and Buccaneers battle.
1. WR Austin Williams
Williams will play his final game at Davis Wade Stadium on Saturday, as the graduate student has reached the end of his eligibility. In last season's FCS game before the Egg Bowl, the wideout had an impressive day. He played a key role in taking down Tennessee State, hauling in four catches for 75 yards and three touchdowns on the day. Williams will likely repeat that performance against ETSU. Although he has not been the biggest playmaker among all wide receivers, he has been incredibly consistent, totaling 234 yards on 26 catches with four touchdowns.
2. LB Jett Johnson
Since seeing his playing time go up in 2021, Johnson has been one of the best defenders for the Bulldogs. So far this season, he has recorded 84 total tackles, six tackles-for-loss, one sack and three quarterback hurries. As long as the linebacker continues performing at the rate he has been, he should easily notch career bests in each of those categories. Johnson is one of many players that will be honored on Senior Day, and he will be looking to show out in hopes of demonstrating that he has what it takes to play at the next level.
3. DT Cameron Young
Young has had a November to remember. The redshirt senior accepted an invitation to the Reese's Senior Bowl earlier this month and notched a season-high seven tackles in the Bulldogs' matchup against Georgia just a few days later. On the year, he has recorded 32 tackles, one tackle-for-loss and one pass breakup while playing in each of the team's 10 contests. As Young has begun heating up late in the season, it's easy to imagine that he will continue to impress both fans and NFL Scouts as his collegiate career likely comes to an end.
