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SDS takes a position-by-position look at the Orange Bowl between No. 7 Mississippi State and No. 12 Georgia Tech to see which team has the advantage.
Quarterback — Mississippi State: Dak Prescott may have fallen back to earth a bit in the latter part of the season, but the junior still finished in the top 10 in Heisman voting and was a finalist for several major awards, including the Davey O’Brien Award for the nation’s top passer. Justin Thomas is a dual-threat for Georgia Tech, but is not quite the passer operating the triple option that Prescott is for Mississippi State’s spread attack. Both are very dangerous threats on the ground, but Prescott is a much better overall quarterback.
Running back — Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets run a tough-to-stop triple-option offense, complete with two dangerous running backs that piled up more than 750 yards this year and Thomas as the leading rusher and trigger. Zach Laskey functions as the de facto fullback and was the team’s second-leading rusher despite missing two games, while Synjyn Days is just as much of a physical force. MSU’s Josh Robinson was a breakout star during the Bulldogs’ run to the top of the rankings, but his production suffered late in the season.
Wide receiver — Mississippi State: Georgia Tech lost its best receiver, DeAndre Smelter, in the team’s regular season finale. They don’t pass much, but it’s certainly a loss to take away Thomas’ main deep threat. For the Bulldogs, De’Runnya Wilson has emerged as a budding star, a physical force out wide, while Jameon Lewis can provide a versatile option when healthy.
Offensive line — Georgia Tech: This is perhaps the closest position battle between the two teams. Mississippi State has one of the best interiors in the country, with center Dillon Day and guard Ben Beckwith clearing holes for Robinson and Prescott. GT’s lighter, athletic offensive front does a great job of disguising what the Yellow Jackets are doing, and the collective height helps hide the 5-foot-11 Thomas.
Defensive line — Mississippi State: Preston Smith is by far the best defensive lineman playing in the Orange Bowl, a player that defends the run and the pass equally well from defensive end. He’s joined by versatile players like Kaleb Eulls, Chris Jones and Ryan Brown. The Yellow Jackets don’t sack the quarterback often, with just 9.5 sacks from the defensive line this season, but Adam Gostis was a second-team All-ACC performer.
Linebackers —Mississippi State: The Bulldogs have one of the very best linebackers in the country in Benardrick McKinney, who should be a first-round NFL draft pick this spring. He’s flanked by Matthew Wells, Beniquez Brown and Christian Holmes, all smart and instinctive players. Quayshawn Nealy can do it all for the Yellow Jackets, but GT gives up more than 5 yards per carry.
Secondary — Georgia Tech: Led by safety Jamal Golden and cornerback D.J. White, who tied for the team lead with four interceptions each, Georgia Tech far outpaces Mississippi State’s secondary. The Bulldogs gave up the most pass yards per game in the SEC, thanks to a defensive backfield that allowed the most explosive passing plays in the conference.
A former freelance journalist from Philadelphia, Brett has made the trek down to SEC country to cover the greatest conference in college football.
