The Mississippi State Bulldogs coasted to a 3-0 start this season, but they’ll face their biggest test of 2014 on Saturday night when they travel to take on the LSU Tigers in Death Valley.

Dan Mullen has dropped 14 straight regular season games against ranked opponents, and Mississippi State has not beaten LSU since the 1999 season. To make matters worse, the Bulldogs haven’t beaten LSU in Baton Rouge since 1991, and Mullen knows the odds will be stacked against his squad on Saturday.

“That is always a tough environment to go in to,” Mullen said in his weekly press conference Monday. “That is a team that brings so many weapons to the table.  On defense, they have given up seven points in the last 10 quarters. They are giving up 200 yards total per game. I know that is No. 1 in the SEC and probably in the country. So it is obviously a huge challenge for our offense. Statistically, this is the best LSU defense we have ever played going into the game.”

Upon fact-checking Mullen’s comments, LSU is No. 3 in the nation and No. 1 in the conference in total defense, allowing just 205 yards per game. The Tigers are also No. 2 in the nation and No. 1 in the SEC in scoring defense, allowing just eight points per contest.

The Mississippi State offense, meanwhile, is No. 21 in the nation (No. 5 in the SEC) in total offense and No. 20 in the nation (No. 6 in the SEC) in scoring offense at better than 43 points per game.

Saturday Down South analysts Stephen Garcia and Ethan Levine held a roundtable discussion this week regarding Mississippi State’s upcoming road trip to Death Valley, and both like MSU’s chances to pull an upset this weekend. Among the topics they discussed were the Bulldogs’ front seven, Dak Prescott’s play at quarterback and a difficult road atmosphere in Baton Rouge.