Everything you need to know about the Mississippi State Bulldogs football team [VIDEO]

Photo Courtesy: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

On Saturday, the Texas Longhorns will play their first ever conference game as a member of the SEC. Today, our Devon Messinger and Dylan DeRaud discuss their scouting report of the Mississippi Bulldogs in the YouTube video above.

DeRaud’s Scouting Report of the MSU Offense:

Mississippi State’s offense is under the direction of offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay, one of the rising stars in college football coaching. Barbay’s offense ranked 23rd in scoring and 22nd in yards per play last season, showcasing a potent blend of passing and rushing. This season, however, the offense has seen a significant dip, averaging 31 points per game. Furthermore, they have the 63rd-ranked passing offense (268.5 passing yards/game) with the 97th-ranked rushing offense (133.3 rushing yards/game).

The Bulldogs have relied heavily on senior transfer quarterback Blake Shapen. So far this season, the Baylor transfer has thrown for 974 yards and eight touchdowns while rushing for two more scores. Unfortunately, Shapen suffered a shoulder injury in the loss to Florida, meaning freshman Michael Van Buren will start against Texas. As a result, the Longhorns are likely to test his composure with frequent blitzes. In order to succeed, the Bulldog offense will need big games from their trio of receivers: Kevin Coleman Jr., Jordan Mosely, and Mario Craver.

In the backfield, Mississippi State has struggled to gain momentum this season. Against Texas, they will look to Penn State transfer Keyvone Lee, Johnnie Daniels, and Davon Booth. The Bulldogs will need strong performances from everyone if they wish to stay competitive in this SEC home opener against Texas.

Messinger’s Scouting Report of the MSU Defense:

Defensively, the Bulldogs have left something to be desired. At safety, sophomore Isaac Smith leads the team with 51 tackles. Meanwhile, the secondary is tied for 64th in the country for passing yards allowed, which is middle of the pack. Furthermore, the unit has tallied one interception to this point in the season.

Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, the secondary has been the team’s strength. That is because Mississippi State’s defense is 123rd in the country in rushing defense, and has only forced three sacks. The leader of the front seven is junior linebacker Stone Blanton, who has 32 tackles and will have his hands full in stopping Jaydon Blue.

All in all, Mississippi State will enter Saturday’s game motivated after a blowout loss at home to Florida. However, with an offense as potent as Texas’, the Bulldogs will have to quickly find their identity on defense.