Mississippi State enters this matchup with a few clear pressure points, and the quarterback spot is one of them. At the time this is being written, A.J.
Swann is not listed on Wednesday night’s availability report for the game. He was 12 of 15 for 97 yards against Texas before leaving late in the second quarter with what appeared to be an arm/shoulder injury.
If Swann can’t go, Vanderbilt turns to Jared Curtis, a five-star true freshman who has completed 65% of his passes for 1,489 yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions.
The passing game has been a mixed bag for Vanderbilt either way. The receivers have found a little more life with Swann at center against Texas, but the unit still hasn’t produced a true difference-maker.
Junior Sherrill leads the group with 27 catches for 545 yards, which ranks third and second in the SEC, respectively. Beyond him, no other Commodore receiver has more than 13 catches, 250 yards or two touchdowns.
Mississippi State’s offense has its own issues, but the Bulldogs do have a more reliable ground game. Fluff Bothwell also left the Texas game with an injury, though he was not listed on Wednesday’s availability report.
He ran for 2.8 yards per carry against the Longhorns before departing and was involved in a handful of wildcat packages. Gollin Wilson and J.J.
Hill combined for nine carries behind Bothwell. Vanderbilt’s rushing attack is led by pair of Sedrick Alexander and Makhi Young.
They have combined for 268 yards and seven touchdowns on 115 carries.
Up front, Vanderbilt’s offensive line has been a big reason the run game averages just 1.95 yards per carry, the second-lowest mark in the SEC.
Mississippi State’s defense has been sturdier against the run than the numbers might suggest. The unit allowed just 60 rushing yards and a handful of scramble yards by Arch Manning, and it sacked him five times, tying a season high. The Commodores’ defense has been even better in one key area: it is the third fewest sacks per game in the conference, with just five of those 15 sacks coming in the last six games.
The Bulldogs’ front line has been one of the better parts of the defense all season. It has allowed 127.5 rushing yards per game in the conference, but just five of those 15 sacks have come in the last six games.
Special teams could also matter. Kyle Ferrie had his first outright miss of the season last week, making him 6 for 10 on the year.
Ethan Pulliam continues to be unable to reach the heights he did last season. His 42.8 yards per punt is the fourth-worst mark in the conference among qualified punters.
Vanderbilt’s placekicker from Brock Taylor, who is 5 of 6 on field goals and 4 for 4 on kicks 39 yards away or closer. Punts will come from Tyler Ebel, whose 42.6 yards per boot is the fourth-best mark in the SEC.
Defensively, Mississippi State’s front has been one of its better groups against Texas, allowing just 60 rushing yards and a handful of scramble yards by Arch Manning, and sacking him five times, tying a season high. The Commodores’ defense has also been strong in that area, ranking third fewest in the conference in sacks per game. Just five of those 15 sacks have come in the last six games.
In the secondary, Mississippi State will likely be without Junior Sherrill, who has nine and seven pass breakups, while the trio of Marcus Williams, Cardin Gilbert and Kendal Dolby should all be available. The three combined for 12 total and 10 solo tackles last week.
Safety C.J. Heard leads Vanderbilt with 60 total tackles and 24 for loss to go with three sacks.
In Other News...
Kamario Taylors Rise Just Made Mississippi States Next Decision Bigger
Kamario Taylors emergence has given Mississippi State something every program wants and every rival fears: a quarterback whose rise changes the conversation around retention almost as much as it changes the one on the field. Around college football, breakout seasons are now tied to NIL leverage and roster stability, and Taylor has become part of that broader trend after putting together a strong run that turned heads well beyond Starkville.
For Mississippi State, the bigger question is no longer whether Taylor can play, but how the Bulldogs handle the next step with a player who has already said he wants to stay put despite transfer chatter. Other breakout names like Jesse Legree, Nate Sheppard, Andrew Zock, Braden Atkinson and Matt Fuller are part of the same wave of players forcing schools to make tougher decisions, and Taylors situation may end up being one of the more important ones in the SEC. [Read more 🡒]
Mississippi State Faces Mounting Pressure In A Game It Can't Waste
Mississippi States fast start has given way to a rough stretch, and the Bulldogs now head into a home game against Vanderbilt needing to steady themselves before the season slips further off course. After opening 4-0, Mississippi State has dropped four straight, turning what once looked like a promising run into a test of resilience, with a chance to reset against a conference opponent that has struggled at the bottom of the standings.
AJ Swann has been handling the offense in place of the injured Kamario Taylor, and he could be back under center again as Mississippi State tries to stop the slide. Both coaches have already weighed in on where their teams are heading and how they are preparing for the matchup, which adds a little more edge to a game the Bulldogs cant afford to treat lightly. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Hubbard Is Chasing Mississippi State History In A Bigger Early Test
Mississippi State got its season rolling with a 106-88 win over Tennessee Tech, and Josh Hubbard wasted no time setting the tone. The guard led the Bulldogs with 25 points, while Chris Jans pointed to Hubbards leadership as part of what made the opener look so polished, even with plenty of season still ahead.
Now the schedule brings a different kind of early test, with Northwestern State coming in after a loss to Baylor. For Mississippi State, the matchup is another chance to build on a strong start, and for Hubbard it adds a little more attention to a chase that is already beginning to loom over the season, with his place in program history becoming harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]