Lloyd Christmas
08-21-2014, 03:19 PM
Full Link HERE (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2169686-complete-predictions-for-every-sec-west-team-in-2014). The rest is below:
6. Mississippi State Bulldogs
Most Important Storyline: Getting Over the Hump
The chic pick to make some noise in the SEC West, Mississippi State returns a small village from the team that won two straight to make a bowl game last year and then ran Rice out of the Liberty Bowl to finish 7-6.
The defense returns 19 of 22 players on its two-deep including monster defensive tackle Chris Jones, quarterback Dak Prescott returns in his first full season as the starting quarterback and Jameon Lewis is the leading returning receiver in the SEC.
That continuity is great, but will it translate to more signature wins for head coach Dan Mullen? Mullen told me this spring that he recognizes how big of a leap that "next step" truly is.
"In the SEC West is that, in the last five seasons, six SEC West teams have competed for the national championship," he said. "A lot of times, the next step is 'hey, we've built a program as a consistent winner; now let's go win a conference championship.' In the SEC West, you skip that step."
Biggest Question Mark: Stretching the Field
There aren't many question marks for these Bulldogs, but if there is one, it's the ability for Prescott to be able to stretch the field.
He was awesome in place of Tyler Russell last year, but he was more known for his running ability and efficiency in the intermediate passing game. His 7.3 yards per attempt placed him 10th in the SEC in yards per attempt among quarterbacks who attempted 15 or more passes per game.
If he can stretch the field vertically and develop a connection deep, it will open more room for Lewis to shine in the slot and for running back Josh Robinson to shine on the ground. That will open up Mullen's offense even more than it already is, which will allow Mississippi State to stay versatile if it gets down in big games.
Toughest Game: at Alabama on Nov. 15
Road trips to Alabama are no fun, and Mississippi State will travel to Tuscaloosa on Nov. 15. It's late in the season, when depth will be challenged, and the fourth of a six-game stretch to close the season for the Bulldogs.
MVP: Quarterback Dak Prescott
Prescott is the heart and soul of the Bulldogs, and if they're going to succeed this year, it'll be on the back of their dark-horse Heisman candidate. He isn't Tim Tebow, but he can do a lot of the things that Tebow did while Mullen was the offensive coordinator at Florida. He's had a full offseason as the unquestioned starter in the system, which will pay huge dividends for the offense.
Prediction: 7-5 (3-5 SEC), Birmingham Bowl
Mississippi State will be competitive in many of its big SEC games, but it won't take the next step and either compete for the division or have an impact on the division's outcome. Losses to LSU, Texas A&M, Auburn, Alabama and Ole Miss won't sit well, but Mullen will still have the program going in the right direction. It just won't take a gigantic leap this year.
Someone be sure to bookmark this shit for season's end.
6. Mississippi State Bulldogs
Most Important Storyline: Getting Over the Hump
The chic pick to make some noise in the SEC West, Mississippi State returns a small village from the team that won two straight to make a bowl game last year and then ran Rice out of the Liberty Bowl to finish 7-6.
The defense returns 19 of 22 players on its two-deep including monster defensive tackle Chris Jones, quarterback Dak Prescott returns in his first full season as the starting quarterback and Jameon Lewis is the leading returning receiver in the SEC.
That continuity is great, but will it translate to more signature wins for head coach Dan Mullen? Mullen told me this spring that he recognizes how big of a leap that "next step" truly is.
"In the SEC West is that, in the last five seasons, six SEC West teams have competed for the national championship," he said. "A lot of times, the next step is 'hey, we've built a program as a consistent winner; now let's go win a conference championship.' In the SEC West, you skip that step."
Biggest Question Mark: Stretching the Field
There aren't many question marks for these Bulldogs, but if there is one, it's the ability for Prescott to be able to stretch the field.
He was awesome in place of Tyler Russell last year, but he was more known for his running ability and efficiency in the intermediate passing game. His 7.3 yards per attempt placed him 10th in the SEC in yards per attempt among quarterbacks who attempted 15 or more passes per game.
If he can stretch the field vertically and develop a connection deep, it will open more room for Lewis to shine in the slot and for running back Josh Robinson to shine on the ground. That will open up Mullen's offense even more than it already is, which will allow Mississippi State to stay versatile if it gets down in big games.
Toughest Game: at Alabama on Nov. 15
Road trips to Alabama are no fun, and Mississippi State will travel to Tuscaloosa on Nov. 15. It's late in the season, when depth will be challenged, and the fourth of a six-game stretch to close the season for the Bulldogs.
MVP: Quarterback Dak Prescott
Prescott is the heart and soul of the Bulldogs, and if they're going to succeed this year, it'll be on the back of their dark-horse Heisman candidate. He isn't Tim Tebow, but he can do a lot of the things that Tebow did while Mullen was the offensive coordinator at Florida. He's had a full offseason as the unquestioned starter in the system, which will pay huge dividends for the offense.
Prediction: 7-5 (3-5 SEC), Birmingham Bowl
Mississippi State will be competitive in many of its big SEC games, but it won't take the next step and either compete for the division or have an impact on the division's outcome. Losses to LSU, Texas A&M, Auburn, Alabama and Ole Miss won't sit well, but Mullen will still have the program going in the right direction. It just won't take a gigantic leap this year.
Someone be sure to bookmark this shit for season's end.