Mississippi State-Middle Tennessee: The Prediction

Mississippi State is trying to get off the schneid, as they say, and this could be the weekend to do it.

The Bulldogs (2-3) visit the cozy confines of Middle Tennessee State (3-2), the first time an SEC team has visited Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro.

There are questions at quarterback for MSU because backup QB Chris Relf's status is up in the air. The bigger question, though, is whether starter Tyson Lee can find a cure for the turnover bug.

Lee was getting most of the snaps the two games before Relf’s suspension anyway, but he’s committed nine turnovers over the last three games.

Middle Tennessee’s defense isn’t dynamite by SEC standards, but MSU should respect it. Lee’s scouting report: “Really physical. Outside of physical, really fundamental. I would say really the same as last year. The front four really are kind of their go-to guys, they make things happen.”

Can that defense handle RB Anthony Dixon? I highly doubt it. He’s running as well as ever, and he needs just 49 yards Saturday to break Jerious Norwood's school career rushing record. He should have that by halftime.

MTSU, by the way, has questions at quarterback too. Starter Dwight Dasher, who by all accounts is playing very well, was relegated to second-string duty at Tuesday’s practice, according to The Daily News Journal. No report on if that’s changed.

All this said, MTSU will be no cakewalk, and MSU is not at a place where it can consider anyone a cakewalk. State has lost its last three games—two against top-25 teams, the other against a team now back in the rankings—by a grand total of 22 points. All at home.

I think the road will cure what ails the Bulldogs.

My prediction: MSU 35, Middle Tennessee 23.