Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low
The open date this week was exactly what Mississippi State needed.
While it might have been nice to continue some of the Bulldogs’ best momentum of the season, it was more important for everybody to catch their breath and get their legs back under them.
These final three games are crucial for this program, in particular, the development of this program under first-year coach Dan Mullen.
The Bulldogs (4-5, 2-3) need to find two more wins to become bowl eligible, and there certainly aren't any sure things left.
Alabama comes to Starkville on Nov. 14. Mississippi State then travels to Little Rock to face Arkansas on Nov. 21 and gets Ole Miss at home on Nov. 28.
The prestige of getting to a bowl in Mullen’s first year on the job would obviously help recruiting, but even more important would be the extra practice time the team would get there in Starkville and then at the bowl site.
Mullen said it equates to about 18 more practices, essentially another spring practice. And with all the young players on this team who’ve already played key roles, and especially those who haven’t played and are redshirting like quarterback Tyler Russell, that extra practice time with the staff would be vitally important.
While there remain limitations on offense, this is a team that’s gotten better as the season has progressed.
Finding two more wins will be difficult, but the Bulldogs are playing their best football right now.
The open date this week was exactly what Mississippi State needed.
While it might have been nice to continue some of the Bulldogs’ best momentum of the season, it was more important for everybody to catch their breath and get their legs back under them.
These final three games are crucial for this program, in particular, the development of this program under first-year coach Dan Mullen.
The Bulldogs (4-5, 2-3) need to find two more wins to become bowl eligible, and there certainly aren't any sure things left.
Alabama comes to Starkville on Nov. 14. Mississippi State then travels to Little Rock to face Arkansas on Nov. 21 and gets Ole Miss at home on Nov. 28.
The prestige of getting to a bowl in Mullen’s first year on the job would obviously help recruiting, but even more important would be the extra practice time the team would get there in Starkville and then at the bowl site.
Mullen said it equates to about 18 more practices, essentially another spring practice. And with all the young players on this team who’ve already played key roles, and especially those who haven’t played and are redshirting like quarterback Tyler Russell, that extra practice time with the staff would be vitally important.
While there remain limitations on offense, this is a team that’s gotten better as the season has progressed.
Finding two more wins will be difficult, but the Bulldogs are playing their best football right now.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Chris Low
Low joined ESPN.com in 2007 after 10 years with The (Nashville) Tennessean covering the University of Tennessee and SEC. The Rock Hill, S.C., native lives with his wife in Knoxville and has three sons.
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