Miss. State Stats
Event Details
- What: Tennessee at Mississippi State
- When: Saturday, Oct. 13, 2007, 2:30 p.m.
- Where: Away Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field
- Cost: Not available
- Age limit: All ages
Tennessee Stat Book
Last week, the University of Tennessee played for its head coach and its home field in front of millions on television and more than 100,000 in the seats.
Next week, the Vols face off against a huge rival in front of hostile fans and a possible national television audience.
This week … Well, this week it’s Mississippi State.
On pay-per-view. In the SEC’s second-smallest stadium. Six hours from home.
See the problem?
It’s the dreaded sandwich game, and the Vols sure don’t want get caught in the middle.
Coming off an emotional, 35-14 drubbing of then-No. 12 Georgia last week in Neyland Stadium, and a week away from a trip to face Alabama and first-year coach Nick Saban, it’s one of those weeks where anything can happen.
But No. 25 Tennessee (3-2, 1-1 SEC) enters today’s 2:30 p.m. EDT kickoff at Davis Wade Stadium (TV: Pay-per-view) determined not to lose focus — or control of its fate in the SEC East — with a slip-up against Mississippi State.
“They’re a good team in disguise,” says defensive end Xavier Mitchell, one of four Mississippi natives on UT’s roster. “They’re 4-2 and we’re 3-2. That goes to show you right there that they can play some football. You can’t sleep and just think you’re going to walk all over them.”
Indeed, the Bulldogs (4-2, 1-2) have their best team in Sylvester Croom’s four seasons as coach.
This season, Mississippi State has already won four games, a feat it hasn’t accomplished since finishing 7-4 in 2000.
The Bulldogs won at Auburn, a week after the Tigers lost to South Florida.
They’ve done it with limited help from their passing game, too.
Quarterback Michael Henig missed two games with a broken bone in his throwing hand — and threw two interceptions last week in eight attempts.
True freshman Wesley Carroll will start this week after throwing for 93 yards in a come-from-behind victory over UAB last week.
Tailback Anthony Dixon, a 6-foot-1, 240-pound power runner, leads the offense and has three 100-yard games, including last week’s career high 152-yard, three-touchdown performance.
And the Bulldogs will run, as evidenced by Croom’s feather-ruffling declaration that Tennessee “better get nine of ‘em at the line of scrimmage” to stop Mississippi State’s run game.
The Vols, meanwhile, enter today having built plenty of confidence both in their ability to run the ball and their ability to stop it.
UT rushed for 190 yards last week, three yards shy of its season-best performance against Southern Miss, and held Georgia to just 69 yards on the ground.
The performance was especially big for Tennessee’s defense, which entered last week ranked 88th nationally against the run.
Middle linebacker Jerod Mayo knows it has to continue this week for the Vols to be successful again.
“We definitely need to build on it,” he said. “We’ve been doubted all year. Especially after the California game that this defense wasn’t the typical Tennessee defense.
“We took that chip on our shoulders and went out and performed Saturday. Hopefully, we’ll continue that the rest of the season.”
The Bulldogs are certainly a better matchup for UT than either Cal or Florida was in Tennessee’s only losses this season.
Last week, the Vols didn’t give up a play longer than 26 yards after surrendering big play after big play, even in games against Arkansas State and Southern Miss.
Mississippi State hasn’t had an offensive play go longer than 45 yards or a rush longer than 27 yards.
Tennessee will need more of the same this week to ensure it doesn’t fall victim to Mississippi State, a seven-point underdog.
For Tennessee’s defense, coordinator John Chavis wants to make sure his club not only avoids a step backward, but also takes another one forward.
“(Mississippi State is) capable of beating anybody they line up against,” Chavis said. “We’re going to have to make a tremendous amount of improvement from the Georgia game to this game to be where we want to be.”
And that’s definitely not in a sandwich.
Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.
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Comments » 18
DennisVols writes:
UT defensive backfield is finally coming together. There years squad has struggled with youth and injuries and the coaching staff has had to shuffle players around to find the right mix. Many have questioned the coaches for not being able to get the right players in the right spots sooner. With reductions in scholarships playing full contact and full speed during practices has not been the smartest thing for teams to do. You risk even more injuries and without the depth of players it is a risk that you cannot take. That being said it is game experience that coaches have to review and make the decisions as to who and where players best fit into their schemes. Last week we saw a UT defense that reminded us of the ‘90’s when there was swarming tackles and running backs found walls when they attempted to bust through the line. When catches were made by the opponents receivers we saw 3, 4 or even 5 UT players surround them to stop the play were it was.
This week against an up-start MSU team UT will need to repeat that kind of performance. With youth the biggest challenge can be keeping them focused after a big win like last week. This year has showed us that no matter how good you look one week the next you can stink it up. UF beat down UT badly 4 weeks ago but turned around and lost to a struggling Auburn squad and then surrendered a lead to lose to LSU.
So another weekend of college football is at hand and not to many marquee games seem to be on the slate but with the way this year has played out so far one would have to believe that every game is up-set possible and every team had better bring their “A” game in order to avoid it.
Keeping It Real!!!!!
GO VOLS!!!!
mtnvol writes:
Bring on the run! Jackie Sherrill used to try to run it with big (really big) but slow O linemen. In the SEC, speed kills, and I like the speed of our D. Go Vols! Another Bulldog bites the dust!
phi0129 writes:
OMG the game is today? I have likely already missed the first half...I see more typos from writers on this site than anywhere else in the world. Do they just sit down at their little computer for 2 hours and throw out some phooey?
MOOREVOLS writes:
This article was written to be in the paper tomorrow, Saturday. That's why it mentions Saturday or references today as being Saturday. You're just getting a chance to view it a day early.
yeavols#228407 writes:
The VOLS can't even afford a slip up in practice. The damage has been done, but the repairs seem to be working. We'll wait and see what happens in the next 2 weeks. In the meantime, I am waiting in Atlanta for what hopefully seems a salvagable season..I don't think we can settle for anything less at this point.
cdldoc#211897 writes:
Phil0129, lighten up.
RangerForSix writes:
If we get a lead early, it's a UT blow-out...
If we let them get 'a couple scores early' and start believing they're for real, well........
we'll 'still steal one' late on the road.
60 minutes is a lot of time.
I like what our senior QB has been able to do in the clutch, over his career!
In addition the defense is getting better, tougher and faster!
Add Colquitt and Lincoln who both can kick, we just have too much!
Pretty sure UT will Come to Win; and won't just come to play...
DCVolFan writes:
Go get 'em Big Orange.
Play to win!!
ThurmondEppy writes:
I don't know why, but I'm still laughing at Phi's comment about missing the first half. I'm officially coming unglued.
threehundredbowler writes:
phi0129,everyone knows these articles are posted here the day before they come out in the next days KNS.Calm down and enjoy getting tomorrows news today.
gohawks1 writes:
The Vols won't have to "get nine of ‘em at the line of scrimmage" to stop the run, no matter what Croom says. Even if we did, a true freshman QB will not be that effective against our D.
Let's go big orange! We put a butt whoopin' on the dawgs last week. Now let's spank the puppies in Starkville.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
We always get people posting the negative comments from sports writers on this board. Mama said if you can't say something nice..., anyway, here is a little something for the vols, scroll halfway to the bottom and read Matthew Zemek's comment.
http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/73...
Basketball_Jones writes:
Go Vols! But I do find something very curious. How all of a sudden did UT's defense get so fast and so aggressive when it really hasn't shown up but for one game? UT needs to watch it, this game has upset written all over it. MSU at home and with a better record but being hailed as a underdog. UT's defense has payed one game well against the run and MSU loves to run it. Croom may play a clock mgmt game and keep Ainge and Co. off the field. Could be interesting. Then again it could be 41-7 but why should I think I can predict the score...who am I John Adams?
jandjhome#228397 writes:
The fact that we have three excellent running backs with each of them having a different running style, will cause Mississippi State problems. They may scare us a little in the first half but we will taste victory by 14 points.
waterskier3#226480 writes:
why are we thinking of losing this game... that's why we sux becasue we've fallen to the point that we think we'll lose to miss state.. this has always been a gimmie just like vandy kent memphis etc..... so they will win and then its bama week......
dfreeman writes:
If that drop by Rogers just before halftime was thrown to Jabar Gaffney that's a called touchdown!! hahahaha Come on Vols beat those Bulldogs!!
utmdm writes:
Solid Sandwich win! Go Vols!!
Anyone else get tired of hearing the pay per view clowns call wrong names on plays, lose track of field goals and continue to refer to the game as "tonight". You would think if they were the Vol network they would have some memory of jersey numbers.
dfreeman writes:
amen utmdm! They were weak!!
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