Mississippi State under head coach Dan Mullins is a much improved program. No longer can they be overlooked by the SEC powerhouses. Having said that, unless they can put together some upsets late in the season, I think they could find themselves struggling to be bowl eligible. Their last 5 games of the season are at Alabama, home against Texas A&M, at LSU, home against Arkansas, and finishing on the road vs Ole Miss.
The Bulldog offense is not nearly the power that LSU, Alabama, or Arkansas are. The player with the biggest upside on this side of the ball may be rFR Joe Morrow, who is a true big play threat. His size (6'4") will make him an attractive target, but someone needs to get him the ball. JR Tyler Russell is looking like the starter, but he is an average QB. There is no one else on this offense who stands out from the crowd.
Defense however is another story. SR CB Johnathan Banks headlines this unit. Banks is one of the top DBs in the nation, and could find himself as a top 15 pick in next years draft. He will work against the opponent's number 1 receiving threat and that will be a big help. SR OLB Cameron Lawrence is another nice player, and he can cover some ground. Juco transfer Denico Autry will come off the edge and supply some pass rush too, so I do expect this defense to play very good football. Sure the team lost DT Fletcher Cox to the NFL, but with Autry, Lawrence and Banks, I think they will be in good hands.
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