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MSU News & Notes | Monday, September 17, 2012

By cristilmethod

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Well it wasn't pretty, but a win is a win, and I'll take it. After a late scare and a Bumphis TD, State rolls into week 4 at 3-0, a place we have not been since 1999. State has only started 4-0 once since the 1960's, which also coincidentally happened in 1999 as well, during the 8-0 start that year. Now we turn our attention to South Alabama, a school who sits at 1-2 after a 31-7 loss to North Carolina State this past weekend.

Let's get your week started off right with another packed to the brim edition of MSU News and Notes.

  • We will always tell you to come here, to FWtCT, first for your Bulldogs news, but if you had to also go to a second place, I'd certainly suggest reading Bob Carskadon. Anything my man Bob writes is worth your time, and yesterday's Sunday ThingamaBob is no exception.
  • I've told you this once, but I'll probably do it once a week: you should be following Kyle Niblett on Twitter, if you aren't already. Kyle is chock full of information. Here's your weekly post-game dose from his Twitter feed:

  • Here's the photo gallery from State's 30-24 victory over Troy:

  • Despite how ugly the win was, State jumped into both the AP and USA Today Top 25 Polls for the first time this season. State entered both rankings at #23, respectively.
  • Here's your animated drive chart from Saturday's game:
FULL SCREEN VERSION

Animated Drive Chart brought to you by Gameday Depot.

  • Justin Malone started at Right Guard for Senior Tobias Smith Saturday. Could there be injury concerns with Smith? I imagine it will be asked of Coach Mullen at his weekly press conference this afternoon. I did not notice Tobias at all on the field Saturday, and he is not listed on the game's official list of participants for MSU. Also of note: it will be interesting to see Mullen's comments as to the health of Arceto Clark. Clark took a nasty hit on a crossing route early in the game Saturday night and did not return, although he stayed on the sidelines.
  • Stat of the game? How about 3 - as in 3 TD passes dropped. State dropped 2 SURE TD passes Saturday night, and 1 that most likely would have gone the distance. Overall the State receiving corps dropped 7 passes, which plagued them severely in the second half. Although we are happy to have come away with a win, that's definitely something that will need to be corrected before opponents Tennessee and Texas A&M come to town in the upcoming months.
  • State opens as a 35.5 point favorite over South Alabama, according to Wynn (and B Marcello)

  • That big matchup State has looming at home on October 13th? It was made a bit smaller Saturday, as the Volunteers of Tennessee took a lump at home, losing 37-20 to Florida in Knoxville. The loss made it eight straight to Florida for the Vols.
  • Another potentially big matchup in State's schedule was one in week 12 with Arkansas. That matchup has changed dramatically after two weeks, as Arkansas lost to UL-Monroe two weeks ago and followed that up Saturday with a 52-0 loss at home to Alabama. If John L. Smith is still the Razorback coach by the time we play them, then I'll be very surprised.
  • With 8 TDs so far on the season through 3 games, Tyler Russell already has more TD passes than MSU QB's did... in 10 of the previous 16 entire regular seasons. Russell is on pace to throw for 32 TDs and 2,604 yards for the season. Those averages could also spike after Saturday's game versus South Alabama. Russell is on pace to break the MSU record for passing TD's in a single season... October 20th, half way through the season against Middle Tennessee State. His current pace (217 ypg) would put him at second best all time if he maintains it behind Dave Marler's 220.18 yards per game average in 1978 (all information per the MSU Football Media Guide).
  • Chad Bumphis, if he increases his average of 78.8 yards per game ever so slightly, could become the first 1,000 yard receiver in MSU history since 1978, when Mardye McDole registered 1,035 yards and 7 TDs on an SEC-leading 48 receptions.
  • Miss any of our game recaps? Here's Metal Building Dawg's Quick Hits, Justin Sutton's at-the-game recap, and Winstoncountysfinest's game recap. All 3 are suggested reads, my friends.

That's all for today's MSU News and Notes. We'll have more recap material on this past weekend's action, both for MSU and the rest of the SEC, on the blog today and tomorrow, as we begin preparations for South Alabama soon thereafter.

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