First-And-10 To Know: State vs. Georgia

STARKVILLE – After a bye week, it's back to action for Mississippi State.

MSU faces No. 5 Georgia between the hedges in Athens on Saturday at 3:15 p.m. It'll be a battle of the Bulldogs as State looks to secure its first Southeastern Conference victory of the season. That much you know, but there are some things you might not.

So, let's have a look at 10 items to be aware of headed into State's showdown against Georgia:

It's another Saturday and another Top-5 opponent for Mississippi State. In its last game, MSU faced off with No. 1 Texas. By staring down No. 5 Georgia this week, it makes State the first FBS team this season to play back-to-back games against teams ranked inside the Top 5 of the Associated Press poll.
Battling back-to-back Top-5 foes isn't just unique this college football season. It's unique in Mississippi State history. The last time MSU had back-to-back games against AP Top-5 teams was in 1971 against No. 4 Alabama and No. 5 Auburn. It's also the first time since 2019 that State has played multiple games in one season against teams ranked in the AP Top 5.
Saturday marks the 27th all-time meeting between MSU and Georgia. It's the first meeting between the two schools since Georgia defeated State in Starkville 45-19 in 2022. Mississippi State's last trip to Athens came in 2020, when a shorthanded MSU roster that'd been hit hard by injury and ailments narrowly fell 31-24.
True freshman quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. is set to make his second career start Saturday at Georgia. He is only the ninth true freshman signal caller to start a game in State football history. Van Buren, who passed for 144 yards and also had a 12-yard rushing touchdown in his start against No. 1 Texas, was only the sixth MSU true freshman quarterback all-time to make his first career start against an SEC squad.
Mississippi State hopes to keep up its recent rushing success in Athens. MSU has gotten things going on the ground each of its last two times out, rushing for a season-high 240 yards against Florida ahead of a 150-yard rushing output against Texas. The 150 yards against the Longhorns were the most rushing yards Texas has allowed in a game all season.
State also heads into this week looking to build on one of its best defensive showings of the season. MSU limited Texas to its lowest first-half point and yardage totals this year. State was especially stingy giving up rushing yardage in the first half against the Longhorns. Texas mustered only 10 yards on the ground in the first two quarters against MSU.
Safety Issac Smith missed the Texas game and didn't get to participate in the defensive success, but even so, he still heads into this week atop the SEC in total tackles. Smith has 51 stops this season, which stands not only as the best mark in the SEC, but 14th nationally.
MSU punter Nick Barr-Mira has been another bright spot for the Maroon and White. Headed into action this week, Barr-Mira's punting average of 45.94 yards per punt ranks second in the SEC and 13th in the country. As it currently stands, Barr-Mira's punting average would be the highest for a State punter in a single season since Jeff Walker in 1997 when Walker averaged 45.5 yards per punt.
Mississippi State will be looking to snap the longest home winning streak in all of FBS football on Saturday. Georgia has won its last 27 games played in Athens dating back to 2019.
Following Saturday's affair, MSU's gauntlet of a schedule continues on the back half of the 2024 slate. Of State's final six regular season opponents, four are currently ranked inside the AP Top 25, with four of those inside the Top 15 and three of those ranked inside the Top 10.

Mississippi State University Athletics

First-And-10 To Know: State vs. Georgia

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Nick Barr-Mira

Michael Van Buren Jr.

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