09-21-2006, 04:21 PM
Quote:The Sports Network
DATE & TIME: Saturday, September 23rd, 7:00 p.m. (et).
FACTS & STATS: Site: Legion Field (72,000) -- Birmingham, Alabama. Television: None. Home Record: MSU 0-3, UAB 1-0. Away Record: MSU 0-0, UAB 0-2. Neutral Record: MSU 0-0, UAB 0-0. Conference Record: MSU 0-2, UAB 1-0. Series Record: UAB leads, 1-0.
GAME NOTES: The Mississippi State Bulldogs will try to post their first victory of the season as they take the road for the first time in 2006 to clash with the UAB Blazers in a non-conference battle at Legion Field. The 2006 season got off to a horrible start for the Bulldogs, as the team was shut out twice on its homefield, falling to South Carolina and Auburn by a combined score of 49-0. MSU finally got on the scoreboard last week against Tulane, but the team suffered its third loss of the year by a score of 32-29. Hopefully this weekend the Bulldogs will not only post their first victory of the season, but also snap a 15-game road losing which dates back to the 2002 season. As for the Blazers, they suffered an embarrassing 34-0 setback to ninth-ranked Georgia last week. UAB opened the 2006 campaign with a slim 24-17 setback to the powerful Oklahoma Sooners. Fortunately the Blazers did not loss their edge and posted a hard-fought 17-12 victory over East Carolina the following week. UAB will play one more non-conference game next week before diving into the rest of their Conference-USA schedule. This is just the second-ever meeting between Mississippi State and UAB on the gridiron. The only other time these two schools clashed on a football field was back in 2004, when the Blazers posted a solid 27-13 victory.
The Bulldogs' season has been a disaster thus far and a main reason is the lack of production offensively. MSU is averaging a putrid 9.7 ppg behind just 224 total ypg. The team has struggled on the ground and through the air, posting just 85.3 rushing ypg and only 138.7 passing ypg. After being shut out in their first two contests, the bulldogs had their best offensive performance against Tulane, finishing the game with 350 yards, including 252 passing yards. Unfortunately it was not enough and MSU was defeated by three-points. Quarterback Omarr Conner completed 15-of-25 passes for 241 yards in the loss and also tossed an interception. Conner found himself under center after Tray Rutland proved he was incapable of handling the task. In two starts, Rutland completed just 43.5 percent of his passes and had no touchdowns against three interceptions. Conner could be a better fit for MSU considering he is a threat to run with the ball. In the loss to Tulane, the sophomore led the team with 71 rushing yards and one score. Anthony Dixon currently leads the squad with 146 rushing yards on the season, but finished with just 13 yards in the setback to Tulane.
Much like the offense, the MSU defensive unit has been atrocious throughout the beginning of the 2006 season. The Bulldogs have allowed 27 ppg and 363 total ypg as well. The team has done a solid job against the run, surrendering just 107 ypg on just 3.2 ypc, but the defensive backfield has been lit up for 256 ypg. The defense has allowed 10 total touchdowns this season and seven have come via the pass. In the loss to Tulane, the Bulldogs surrendered 427 total yards, including 298 yards through the air. MSU held the Green Wave to just 4-of-12 on third down conversions, but allowed Tulane to convert on all three redzone chances. Mississippi State has seven sacks on the season, but has forced just four turnovers thus far. Against Tulane, star linebacker Quinton Culberson led the team with 12 tackles, while Deljuan Robinson added eight stops and two TFLs. Culberson has been the only bright spot for the defense this season and currently leads the squad with 29 tackles and also has 3.5 TFLs, one sack and one interception.
Much like their counterpart, the Blazers have struggled mightily on the offensive side of the ball in 2006. UAB is posting a pathetic 11.3 ppg, while averaging an equally bad 263.3 ypg. The Blazers have been unable to produce on the ground or through the air and are currently averaging just 109 rushing ypg on just 2.7 ypc and only 154.3 passing ypg. The team's offensive inability was evident in the 34-0 loss to Georgia, as the Blazers racked up just 163 total yards, including a meager 68 rushing yards on 37 carries (1.8 ypc). Sam Hunt and Chris Williams both saw time under center, but neither player was effective, as Hunt was just 6-of-10 for 49 yards, while Williams finished with just 46 passing yards on 5-of-10 passing. On the season, Williams has played slightly better, completing 67.9 percent of his passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns. As mentioned before the ground game also struggled, and was led by Dan Burks who churned out just 46 yards on 10 carries (4.6 ypc). On the season Burks leads the squad with 120 yards, but is averaging just 3.4 ypc.
Defensively the team has performed well this season and is surrendering just 23.3 ppg behind only 339 total ypg. Although the team fell to Georgia last week, 34-0, the defensive unit was good, holding the Bulldogs to just 271 total yards, including just 125 yards through the air. UAB also did a commendable job against the run, holding Georgia to just 146 yard son 38 carries (3.8 ypc). UAb held the Bulldogs to just 2-of-9 on third down, but struggled inside its own red zone, allowing Georgia to convert on 3-of-4 chances. The Blazers did record two sacks in the loss, but were unable to create a single turnover. Mustaki Smith led the defense with eight tackles against Georgia, while Orlandus King added six stops and one TFL. King and Smith have been the top two defenders for UAB thus far and have combined for 37 tackles and three TFLs.
Neither team has performed well offensively this season, however the Bulldogs have also struggled on the defensive side, while the Blazers have been solid. Not much has gone right for MSU this season and considering the team is currently in the midst of a long road losing streak, expect to see the Blazers pull out the victory in this matchup.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: UAB 27, Mississippi State 9
09/20 11:50:53 ET
Interesting they've got us winning by that kind of margin. I certainly hope so, but I'm expecting a close game.