Mississippi State enters 2018 with high expectations, both on the outside and within.

The USA Today Preseason Coaches Poll ranked the Bulldogs No. 18 in the nation ahead of the likes of Florida State, West Virginia and LSU.

Recently, ESPN analyst Trevor Matich said the Bulldogs are going to “break a lot of hearts in the SEC West” because of the amount of NFL talent they have on the team.

“Mississippi State is going to break a lot of hearts in the SEC West, and it’s because they’re experienced and loaded with NFL talent,” Matich said on ESPN. “No SEC has ever returned from the previous season two first-team All-SEC defensive linemen, but in Montez Sweat and Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi State will be the first in history to do that. Sweat led the SEC in sacks last year; Mark McLaurin behind him led the SEC in interceptions.

“This is a team that I think will obliterate their school record of most players drafted in a single year,” he continued. “That’s six back in 1995. This year, I think they will break that record, because they have so many talented juniors and seniors. They’ll win games, because they’re just better than you.”

Those are certainly high expectations that Joe Moorhead and his team won’t run from. The Clarion Ledger recently caught up with Moorhead and asked him what he wants his team’s reaction to be about being ranked in the top 25.

“I don’t think you can ignore it,” Moorhead told the outlet. “I don’t think that’s necessarily the right thing to do. Any time that someone’s keeping score and we’re competing, I want us to be first. But ultimately, whether we’re ranked 25th, 18th, 10th or first, that doesn’t have a bearing on our approach. Our team understands that we don’t compete against an opponent or a ranking. We compete against a standard. There is a tendency to look at that rank and want to have to live up to it. It’s great – I would rather be 18th than not ranked, but if we’re going to be any good, it shouldn’t affect our approach.”

With a veteran QB and dynamic defensive line, the Bulldogs could certainly surprise folks in the West. It should be an interesting year in Starkville.