Saturday, September 22
Lexington, Ky.
6:00 PM CT
Mississippi State
at
Kentucky
MSU looks to begin a season 4-0 for the first time since 2014.
Gameday: No. 14 MSU Travels to Kentucky for Primetime SEC Opener
September 21, 2018 | Football
by Brandon Langlois, Associate Director/Communications
LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 14 Mississippi State will open its SEC slate Saturday on the road at Kentucky. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
State (3-0, 0-0 SEC) improved to 3-0 for the second straight year and the fourth time since 1999 with a 56-10 win against Louisiana last Saturday. The Bulldogs look to start a season 4-0 for the first time since the historic 2014 season and just the third time since 1999. Kentucky (3-0, 1-0 SEC) is coming off a 48-10 win at home against Murray State.
Through three weeks, the Bulldogs are either first or second in the SEC in nine different team statistical categories: scoring offense (No. 2 – 50.0), rushing offense (No. 1 – 311.7), scoring defense (No. 2 – 8.7), total defense (No. 2 – 259.0), kickoff returns (No. 2 – 24.9), sacks (No. 1 – 10), third down offense (No. 1 – 61.1 percent), sacks against (No. 2 – 2) and third down defense (No. 2 – 23.3 percent).
Viewing Information
The game will be televised live on ESPN2 with Beth Mowins (play-by-play), Anthony Becht (analyst) and Rocky Boiman (sideline) set to call the action. Live streaming video is available via the Watch ESPN app and WatchESPN.com.
Listening Information
The MSU Sports Network C Spire Tailgate Show goes live at 5:30 p.m. CT Neil Price, Matt Wyatt and Jay Perry will call the game on the network (check for affiliates here). Live audio is also available for FREE at HailState.com and via the TuneIn app. Fans in Starkville can tune to 100.9 FM. Fans inside the stadium can tune to 107.5 or 90.3.
Cowbells
Cowbells will not be permitted at Kroger Field.
Social Media/Live Stats
Live updates from the game are available via MSU's official social media channels: Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (click the links). Live Stats are available via UKAthletics.com.
Weather
PM showers, hi 66, low 58, NE wind 11 mph … 63 degrees and showers at kickoff
Series History
– MSU and Kentucky are meeting for the 46th time and the 29th straight year.
– MSU holds a slight 23-22 advantage all-time, including a 14-9 mark in Lexington.
– The Bulldogs have won eight of the last nine meetings with five of those coming of the double-digit variety.
– Kentucky won the last meeting in Lexington (2016) when it kicked a 51-yard field goal as time expired.
– Since 2011 (last seven meetings) MSU has outscored the Wildcats 138-59 in the first half.
– The Bulldogs have held double-digit halftime leads in five of the last seven meetings (17-7 last year).
– The last meeting in Lexington in 2016 (40-38) was the largest scoring game (78 points) in series history.
– This is the earliest meeting between the two teams since they met in the SEC opener on Sept. 6, 1997 in Starkville.
– This is only the second meeting between the two squads in the month of September.
By The Numbers
196 – Rush yards needed for QB Nick Fitzgerald to break Tim Tebow's SEC record for career rushing yards by a quarterback (2,947)
66 – Percentage of MSU's rushing plays in 2018 that have gone for 4+ yards, which is the best at the FBS level
6 – Straight games State has had at least 8 TFLs dating back to last year. MSU has 62 TFL in those games, including 33 this season (leads SEC, No. 2 in FBS)
124 – State's scoring differential through three games this season (41.3 points per game)
30 – Number of 20+ yard offensive plays in MSU's first three games (leads FBS). State had 52 in 13 games in 2017.
0 – The Bulldogs have not allowed a touchdown in the first half so far this season.
Storylines
Joe Moorhead became the second Bulldog coach since 1939 to open a career with a 3-0 record, joining Jackie Sherrill (1991), and College Football Hall of Famer Allyn McKeen (1939). Moorhead looks to be the first to win his first four games as MSU's head coach.
MSU is No. 14 in both the Associated Press Top 25 and Amway Coaches Poll. It's the 11th consecutive week that State has been ranked dating back to Oct. 29 last season. It's also the first time since 2001 that the Bulldogs are in both rankings for the first four weeks of a season. The No. 14 national ranking is MSU's highest in either poll since finishing the 2014 campaign Nos. 11 (AP) and 12 (Coaches), respectively.
Fitzgerald accounted for six touchdowns - four rushing and two passing - against Louisiana, upping his career totals to 37 (rushing) and 43 (passing). He became only the third player in SEC history with at least 35 touchdowns both rushing and passing. Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow of Florida (2006-09) and former Bulldogs star Dak Prescott (2012-15) were the others.
Fitzgerald had his second career game with four rushing touchdowns. The first was against Arkansas on Nov. 19, 2016. He joined Peyton Barber (Auburn) and Tre Mason (Auburn) as the only SEC players in the last 20 seasons with multiple games of four rushing scores.
There have been seven games of 600+ yards of total offense in school history. Two have occurred in the first three games of the Moorhead era (607 vs. Louisiana; 618 vs. SFA). MSU has produced 500+ yards of total offense in all three games in 2018 and 24 times since 2014, a mark that leads the SEC in that span.
MSU has won eight of the last nine over Kentucky and the Bulldogs lead the all-time series 23-22. State is 14-9 against the Wildcats in Lexington and has won five of the last six there. Kentucky won the last meeting in Lexington, 40-38 in 2016.
State has won each of its last two SEC openers, defeating No. 11 LSU, 37-7, in 2017 and South Carolina, 27-14, in 2016.
Preseason All-Americans DE Montez Sweat and NG Jeffery Simmons lead the SEC in TFLs with 5.5 each.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 14 Mississippi State will open its SEC slate Saturday on the road at Kentucky. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
State (3-0, 0-0 SEC) improved to 3-0 for the second straight year and the fourth time since 1999 with a 56-10 win against Louisiana last Saturday. The Bulldogs look to start a season 4-0 for the first time since the historic 2014 season and just the third time since 1999. Kentucky (3-0, 1-0 SEC) is coming off a 48-10 win at home against Murray State.
Through three weeks, the Bulldogs are either first or second in the SEC in nine different team statistical categories: scoring offense (No. 2 – 50.0), rushing offense (No. 1 – 311.7), scoring defense (No. 2 – 8.7), total defense (No. 2 – 259.0), kickoff returns (No. 2 – 24.9), sacks (No. 1 – 10), third down offense (No. 1 – 61.1 percent), sacks against (No. 2 – 2) and third down defense (No. 2 – 23.3 percent).
Viewing Information
The game will be televised live on ESPN2 with Beth Mowins (play-by-play), Anthony Becht (analyst) and Rocky Boiman (sideline) set to call the action. Live streaming video is available via the Watch ESPN app and WatchESPN.com.
Listening Information
The MSU Sports Network C Spire Tailgate Show goes live at 5:30 p.m. CT Neil Price, Matt Wyatt and Jay Perry will call the game on the network (check for affiliates here). Live audio is also available for FREE at HailState.com and via the TuneIn app. Fans in Starkville can tune to 100.9 FM. Fans inside the stadium can tune to 107.5 or 90.3.
Cowbells
Cowbells will not be permitted at Kroger Field.
Social Media/Live Stats
Live updates from the game are available via MSU's official social media channels: Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (click the links). Live Stats are available via UKAthletics.com.
Weather
PM showers, hi 66, low 58, NE wind 11 mph … 63 degrees and showers at kickoff
Series History
– MSU and Kentucky are meeting for the 46th time and the 29th straight year.
– MSU holds a slight 23-22 advantage all-time, including a 14-9 mark in Lexington.
– The Bulldogs have won eight of the last nine meetings with five of those coming of the double-digit variety.
– Kentucky won the last meeting in Lexington (2016) when it kicked a 51-yard field goal as time expired.
– Since 2011 (last seven meetings) MSU has outscored the Wildcats 138-59 in the first half.
– The Bulldogs have held double-digit halftime leads in five of the last seven meetings (17-7 last year).
– The last meeting in Lexington in 2016 (40-38) was the largest scoring game (78 points) in series history.
– This is the earliest meeting between the two teams since they met in the SEC opener on Sept. 6, 1997 in Starkville.
– This is only the second meeting between the two squads in the month of September.
By The Numbers
196 – Rush yards needed for QB Nick Fitzgerald to break Tim Tebow's SEC record for career rushing yards by a quarterback (2,947)
66 – Percentage of MSU's rushing plays in 2018 that have gone for 4+ yards, which is the best at the FBS level
6 – Straight games State has had at least 8 TFLs dating back to last year. MSU has 62 TFL in those games, including 33 this season (leads SEC, No. 2 in FBS)
124 – State's scoring differential through three games this season (41.3 points per game)
30 – Number of 20+ yard offensive plays in MSU's first three games (leads FBS). State had 52 in 13 games in 2017.
0 – The Bulldogs have not allowed a touchdown in the first half so far this season.
Storylines
Joe Moorhead became the second Bulldog coach since 1939 to open a career with a 3-0 record, joining Jackie Sherrill (1991), and College Football Hall of Famer Allyn McKeen (1939). Moorhead looks to be the first to win his first four games as MSU's head coach.
MSU is No. 14 in both the Associated Press Top 25 and Amway Coaches Poll. It's the 11th consecutive week that State has been ranked dating back to Oct. 29 last season. It's also the first time since 2001 that the Bulldogs are in both rankings for the first four weeks of a season. The No. 14 national ranking is MSU's highest in either poll since finishing the 2014 campaign Nos. 11 (AP) and 12 (Coaches), respectively.
Fitzgerald accounted for six touchdowns - four rushing and two passing - against Louisiana, upping his career totals to 37 (rushing) and 43 (passing). He became only the third player in SEC history with at least 35 touchdowns both rushing and passing. Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow of Florida (2006-09) and former Bulldogs star Dak Prescott (2012-15) were the others.
Fitzgerald had his second career game with four rushing touchdowns. The first was against Arkansas on Nov. 19, 2016. He joined Peyton Barber (Auburn) and Tre Mason (Auburn) as the only SEC players in the last 20 seasons with multiple games of four rushing scores.
There have been seven games of 600+ yards of total offense in school history. Two have occurred in the first three games of the Moorhead era (607 vs. Louisiana; 618 vs. SFA). MSU has produced 500+ yards of total offense in all three games in 2018 and 24 times since 2014, a mark that leads the SEC in that span.
MSU has won eight of the last nine over Kentucky and the Bulldogs lead the all-time series 23-22. State is 14-9 against the Wildcats in Lexington and has won five of the last six there. Kentucky won the last meeting in Lexington, 40-38 in 2016.
State has won each of its last two SEC openers, defeating No. 11 LSU, 37-7, in 2017 and South Carolina, 27-14, in 2016.
Preseason All-Americans DE Montez Sweat and NG Jeffery Simmons lead the SEC in TFLs with 5.5 each.
Players Mentioned
Blake Shapen To Seydou Traore For Six
Saturday, September 20
Brenen Thompson Finds The End Zone
Saturday, September 20
FOOTBALL | Trevion Williams Game Week vs. Northern Illinois Media Session
Monday, September 15
FOOTBALL | Blake Shapen Game Week vs. Northern Illinois Media Session
Monday, September 15