Ahead of Auburn's matchup with Mississippi State, our Christian Clemente chatted with Daniel Black of BulldogBlitz.com. Dive in for his assessment of the Tigers-Bulldogs matchup and how he sees things shaking out Saturday in Starkville.
CC: We saw Miss. State come out hot against LSU then had some struggles, now they seem to be finding their footing, what's been the biggest change that's helped them improve?
DB: I think the biggest improvement has been the offensive line. After the LSU game, the o-line started to severely struggle, and it caused the entire offense to implode alongside it. Defenses started to rush three and drop eight defenders, and the three rushers were able to penetrate the line with ease, causing problems for the quarterback. The last two performances, Georgia and Ole Miss, have been two of the offensive line's best, and it's helped generate solid offensive performances. The offense goes as the line goes, and that'll be key for State on Saturday.
CC: Offensively with the air raid, who are some of the receivers to look out for?
DB: The air raid presents a situation where a multitude of receivers touch the ball, and the number of receptions for each player fluctuates each week. However, if I were to trim it down to a select few, I'd say you need to watch out for Jaden Walley, Osirus Mitchell, and Malik Heath. Walley, a true freshman, has emerged as a potential superstar for State in recent weeks. His breakout game was against Georgia, in which he caught seven passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. He was targeted even more against Ole Miss with nine receptions for 176 yards. Walley has been the hot hand recently in the receiving department. Mitchell is the veteran of the receiving corps, a senior, and he is targeted frequently. This season, he's caught 38 passes for 431 yards and three scores. Malik Heath is another newcomer this year, a junior from Copiah-Lincoln CC, and he is a frequent contributor. He's caught nine passes in his last two games with two touchdowns and is the 4th-leading receiver on the team in terms of yardage.
CC: Defensively, what does this Bulldogs team excel at?
DB: State's defense has been the surprise of the season. Coming into the year, expectations were not high for this group, with an abundance of youth and a first-year defensive coordinator who runs a system MSU hasn't seen since 2002 (the 3-3-5). However, DC Zach Arnett and his crew have been nothing short of exceptional, and it starts up front. State does a great job being able to stop the run. The Bulldogs have been able to hold their opponents to just under 117 yards per game on the ground with only six touchdowns. Their most impressive performance in that category this season, and probably in recent memory, was against Georgia, in which MSU held UGA to just eight yards on the ground. The secondary leaves much to be desired, where there is tons of youth, but the strength is up front.
CC: Who are some playmakers on the defensive side of the ball?
DB: Some of the guys who have shown out this season on defense are linebacker Erroll Thompson, cornerback Martin Emerson, and linebacker Aaron Brule. Thompson, a senior, is a team leader on and off the field, helping keep the team together during a pretty tumultuous season. He leads the team in tackles with 74. Emerson, a sophomore, is one of the shining lights of the secondary. He is right behind Thompson in tackles with 56. Third in tackles is Brule with 55, along with 3.5 sacks. Kobe Jones, a senior linebacker, is one of the most talented players on the team and is another player to watch out for.
CC: Game prediction? Who wins and why?
DB: If you were to ask me a month ago who wins this game, I'd say Auburn in a blowout. However, as State has improved, my opinion has started to change. The last two performances, despite being losses, have given MSU fans a lot of confidence in where the program is headed, at least comparing it to where it was before the Georgia game. I think State can keep it close, but I find it difficult to pull the trigger and say they win. I think State can be able to hold Bo Nix and the Auburn offense in check, and the offense will be able to score, but I don't have the full confidence in saying they will be able to score enough. I say Auburn wins, 28-24.
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