The Matchup: Mississippi State (3-0) at No. 8 LSU (3-0)
The Venue: Tiger Stadium
The Kick: 7 PM ET
TV: ESPN
Series record: 71-33-3, LSU leads
Last meeting: LSU went into Starkville and dominated the Bulldogs, 59-26. Jeremy Hill averaged nearly 10 yards per carry on his way to 157 yards and 2 TDs.
Coaches: Les Miles (126-45 overall, 98-24 at LSU), Dan Mullen (39-28, all at Mississippi State)
Last game (Alabama): LSU put the clamps on Louisiana-Monroe and ground their way to a 31-0 win.
Last game (Mississippi State): Dak Prescott had a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown and led the Bulldogs to a 35-3 win over South Alabama.
LSU wins if: They can shut down Dak. The Bulldogs can put up points, averaging 43.7 through three games, and LSU isn’t built for a shootout.
Mississippi State wins if: They can make LSU beat them through the air. Anthony Jennings has struggled at times, and Brandon Harris isn’t ready to lead a passing attack. If the Bulldogs stop LSU’s running game, the Tigers are in trouble.
What it means if LSU wins: Their defense is for real. The Tigers haven’t been tested by a dynamic quarterback like Prescott, and shutting down Mississippi State’s offense would go a long way toward proving they can hang with anyone.
What it means if Mississippi State wins: The Bulldogs are an SEC West dark horse. It’s been nearly five years — since their 2009 finale against Ole Miss — since Mississippi State beat a ranked team. They might not win the division, but they have a chance to prevent a few teams from doing it.
A former freelance journalist from Philadelphia, Brett has made the trek down to SEC country to cover the greatest conference in college football.
