Three Storylines to Follow as Mississippi State Football Faces Auburn on Saturday
After a much-needed open date, Mississippi State will return to the football field as it takes on Auburn on Saturday evening in Starkville.
The Bulldogs (5-3, 2-3) took down the Tigers (3-5, 1-4) last season in a remarkable comeback on the Plains after being down by a score of 28-3 midway through the second quarter. Both programs have had a busy week of preparation, with off-the-field news shaking up the SEC and creating many questions heading into the big game.
Here are three storylines to pay attention to as the two teams meet in this weekend's highly-anticipated matchup.
1. What impact will the staff turnover within the two programs have on the weekend's matchup?
One of the biggest news stories across the SEC this week has centered around some changes within the Mississippi State and Auburn athletic departments. Former MSU AD John Cohen left the Bulldogs for the Tigers on Monday morning, and Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin was fired shortly after the news of Cohen's hiring became official. Emotions have run rampant across the two programs and rival fanbases all week, and that could certainly boost the intensity on the gridiron. Plus, Auburn should be playing with a fiery determination in interim head coach Cadillac Williams' first game.
2. Does Will Rogers bounce back from two rough outings?
Quarterback Rogers had an open date to get some much-needed rest, and he will now look to impress once again. The signal-caller struggled in the Bulldogs' most recent losses to Kentucky and Alabama. When facing the Wildcats, Rogers went 25-of-37 passing for 203 yards with one touchdown and one interception -- his lowest total yardage on the season. Things were worse in Tuscaloosa, where he had no touchdowns during an outing in which he went 30-of-60 passing for 213 yards. As the most pivotal part of the Bulldogs' Air Raid offense, Rogers needs to have a big game to regain some of his momentum heading into the final few games of the year.
3. Can Mississippi State become bowl eligible for the 13th straight season?
The Bulldogs have five wins on the year with four more regular season games remaining. The team should make it to the postseason this year -- it has a great chance of defeating 3-6 FCS opponent East Tennessee State later in the season to pick up at least a sixth win -- but locking up a bowl game sooner rather than later is crucial. The more opportunities that Mississippi State has to boost its resume ahead of the final bowl selections, the greater chance it will have of going to a more prestigious bowl towards the end of the year. Out of the three remaining SEC programs that the Bulldogs will face, Auburn is arguably the most beatable. Saturday's final score could make or break what the postseason will look like for the program.
