Three Takeaways From Mississippi State’s 45-19 Loss to Georgia

Mississippi State soccer held on for a half, but it surely could not overcome a top-ranked Georgia squad and in the end fell by a rating of 45-19.

MSU (6-4, 3-4) struggled in lots of areas throughout the sector, particularly offensively. The group already has bowl eligibility however will look to complete the season with some large wins in opposition to ETSU and Ole Miss to go into the postseason with momentum. Georgia (10-0, 7-0) clinched the SEC East and hopes to achieve the Faculty Soccer Playoff once more after successful all of it final season.

There are definitely some issues that Mississippi State should clear up within the remaining stretch. Listed below are three takeaways from the Bulldogs’ robust loss on Saturday night time.

1. Mississippi State is harmful on returns.

The Bulldogs have recorded a particular groups landing for 2 weeks in a row. In final weekend’s win over Auburn, Tulu Griffin returned a kickoff for a 92-yard rating. This time, freshman Zavion Thomas recorded his first collegiate landing with a 63-yard punt return with just some seconds remaining within the first half. Mississippi State has not one, however two speedy returners which have every made an enormous distinction over the previous few weeks. Even after they aren’t scoring, they constantly give their offense a good subject place and make enormous variations in small methods. Subsequent yr, each will likely be again and ought to be making large performs on offense as effectively.

2. A protection cannot win championships if an offense cannot win video games.

Mississippi State’s protection held its personal for a lot of the sport and served as an enormous a part of the explanation why the Bulldogs saved issues aggressive for almost three quarters. The issue was the offense, which could not appear to achieve a lot traction when it was crucial. MSU had two three-and-outs, three different punts and three turnovers on downs. The Bulldogs solely really scored one landing on offense, because the remaining 13 factors got here off of a particular groups landing and a pair of subject targets. Regardless of how effectively the group’s protection performs, it could possibly solely accomplish that a lot with out offensive help earlier than fatigue and frustration set in. Mississippi State must regain a lot of the momentum that it had earlier within the season if it plans to face an opportunity within the remaining few video games of the yr.

3. Nathaniel Watson is extraordinarily underrated.

Might Watson be probably the most underrated gamers within the SEC, and even in your complete FBS? It definitely looks like it. The linebacker had one other strong night time, recording 16 tackles, 1.5 tackles-for-loss and one quarterback hurry. That brings his totals on the season to 94 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 4 sacks and two quarterback hurries. Watson has additionally accounted for a pressured fumble and an interception returned for 51 yards. He has had greater than 10 tackles in six of his 10 video games, and that features the half of two video games he missed just a few weeks in the past attributable to an ejection stemming from a focusing on penalty. Regardless of all of this, Watson has seemingly flown underneath the radar within the eyes of the SEC. Because the redshirt senior begins to wrap up his school profession, it is doubtless that he’ll proceed setting new private bests in lots of defensive classes and will see large issues coming sooner or later.