LSU Football: Welcome to Mississippi State hate week

LSU Football begins their in-conference schedule this Saturday vs. the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Here’s the early info on the road game in Starkville.

Last year, LSU Football rode a dominating fourth quarter to beat the Mississippi State Bulldogs 31-16 in Baton Rouge. This season, the Tigers travel back to Starkville to play MSU for the first time since Mike Leach’s tragic death.

We know that the game will kick-off at 11 CST on ESPN. The morning kick might not be popular among LSU fans, but the game appearing on network TV is. Last week, many LSU fans could not watch the game vs. Grambling because it was only available through ESPN+ streaming.

We also know that LSU Football is the early favorite to beat Mississippi State. The Caesar’s Sportsbook currently lists the Tigers at -10 point favorites.

Mississippi State is coming off a 31-24 overtime win over Arizona. The intense game followed up their 48-7 drudging of Southeast Louisiana State in Week 1. The Bulldogs are 2-0 but remain unranked in the AP and Coaches polls. A win over LSU on Saturday will likely change that.

However, LSU Football has other ideas and will look to silence all the cowbell swingers in Davis Wade Stadium. ‘SEC Nation’ will be on site to witness the result.

Using the term ‘hate week’ while thinking about Leach feels wrong. However, the late head coach was as competitive as he was unscripted. LSU Football fans remember Leach’s infatuation with pirates and pirate history. Indeed, the master of the Air Raid offense stepped onto the field like a ruthless pirate captain ready to impose his will on merchant ships.

Nevertheless, there’s a different dynamic among coaches in Starkville this season. Zach Arnett was promoted from his defensive coordinator position over the offseason. Arnett brought in Kevin Barbay from Appalachian State to run the offense. As such, the Bulldogs are running a pro-style offense in 2023.

Quarterback Will Rogers remains Mississippi State’s most important player. The three-year starter has completed 33 passes for 389 yards and five touchdowns this season.