Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Miss. State: A History


Although both are charter members of the conference, Georgia has only met the Western Bulldogs 21 times. The Good Dawgs hold a 16-5 advantage and have won 9 consecutive meetings, dating back to 1974 and a 38-14 MSU win in Jackson.

Georgia won the most recent meeting 27-24 in Athens in 2006, a game remembered for Mo Massaquoi hearing the boo birds after struggling with the droppsies midway through his sophomore season.

When they last met in Starkvegas in 2005, DJ Shockley led the way to a 23-10 victory, sending Georgia to a 4-0 start that culminated in an SEC Championship. Shockley finished the day with 312 yards and two touchdowns. Tight end Leonard Pope caught 3 passes for 55 yards and a touchdown, while MSU's running back Jerious Norwood was held to 43 yards on 14 carries. Clearly, the '05 SEC Champions could still remember the habits of a hard-nosed Brian VanGorder defense from a year prior.

And clearly today, the '10 version of the Red & Black Dawgs still remember those bad habits of a third-and-Willied defense.

Miss. State's a well-coached football team that provides enough danger to send Georgia to 1-3 in the stinging midst of ringing cowbells. The Good Dawgs have never lost 3 consecutive games under Richt, and if that trend is to continue, Georgia will probably have to run more than two formations on offense.

The 3-4 defensive growing pains may continue to suffer against a very good offensive mind like Mullen's. But at least Miss. State quarterbacks Chris Relf and Tyler Russell have shown a propensity to throw interceptions. Yet in a 29-7 loss to LSU last week, Miss. State outgained the Bayou Bengals in total yardage.



Starkvegas: Beware of Dog, but remember the first Miss. State mascot, Bully I, got hit by a bus on campus.

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