Dan Mullen bolted for the sunshine of Florida, but the cupboard is not bare in Stark Vegas.
Mississippi State was tabbed No. 18 in the preseason Coaches Top 25 for the upcoming football season. That is the highest preseason ranking for the Bulldogs since 1981. It’s the first time since 2011 (No. 20) that MSU will enter the season ranked.
New head coach Joe Moorhead inherits a roster with the bulk of the talent back from a 9-4 team that capped their season with a blowout bowl win over Louisville.
“We look at the preseason polls and what people say about our team because we have a lot of starters returning and a lot of production coming back. It’s probably elevated the level of expectation for us, which is fine, because no one is going to have higher expectations than us,” said Moorhead.
Moorhead says the “foundation is laid” for football success at MSU, and he looks forward to trying to lead the Bulldogs to the top of the SEC. State brings back nine offensive and eight defensive starters.
MSU brings back one of the league’s most talented quarterbacks in Nick Fitzgerald. “We are very excited about the quarterback room,” said MSU head coach Joe Moorhead. “We have top guys in Nick and Keytaon (Thompson). They are guys that understand the game, understand the offense and are going to make correct decisions the majority of the time and will continue to improve.”
Moorhead comes to Starkville from Penn State where he was offensive coordinator last season. Penn State was tied for sixth nationally in points per game (41.1) a year ago. He will have the talents of Fitzgerald, running back Aeris Williams and the top JUCO receiver in the country last year in Stephen Guidry. Williams is a terrific back who will work behind a veteran offensive line that returns four starters. Moorhead’s offense will be new to the SEC, but he inherited a lot of talent that should show immediate results.
The talented Bulldogs defense is led by tackles Jeffery Simmons and Montez Sweat. The secondary is led by two dynamic safeties in Mark McLaurin and Jonathan Abram, along with a potential star in Ben Cole. The linebackers, led by Willie Gay, are versatile.
The 44-year-old Moorhead has been telling the State players and fans that winning the SEC is possible. Could this team be talented enough to beat Alabama for the first time since 2007? We shall see, but the program seems to be heading in the right direction.
MSU in the Preseason AP Top 25 Poll
2018 – No. 18
2011 – No. 20
2001 – No. 20
1993 – No. 24
1992 – No. 22
1981 – No. 14
1977 – No. 16
1958 – No. 15
* - preseason AP Top 25 Poll data available from 1958-present by CollegePollArchive.com
MSU in the Preseason Coaches Poll
2018 – No. 18
2011 – No. 20
2001 – No. 19
1993 – No. 25
1981 – No. 15
* - preseason Coaches Poll data from 1950-75 unavailable.
(only final available)
