Quarterbacks
Nick Fitzgerald (111-217-7, 1,377 yards, 10 TD) has put his name in the school and SEC record books as the all-time rushing leader for a quarterback with 3,302 yards. He is No. 6 in the SEC and No. 51 nationally with 243.7 total yards per game. Fitzgerald has accounted for 713 total yards and 9 TDs in 2 games vs. Arkansas. He is last among the 14 SEC starters in pass efficiency (153.0).
Ty Storey (125-216-7, 1,423 yards, 11 TD) is set to make his eighth start in search of his first win as the starter. Ball security has been an issue. He is 12th in SEC passing efficiency (177.9). Cole Kelley (35-67-5, 455 yards, 5 TD) gets short-yardage and deep-shot snaps and the coaches say freshman Connor Noland (14-23-2, 149 yards, 1 TD) will play under the right circumstance.
ADVANTAGE Miss. State
Running backs
Rakeem Boyd (104 carries, 645 yards, 2 TD) and Devwah Whaley (65-298, 2) might not be 100 percent after ankle injuries, but should be good enough to play in tandem for the first time since Oct. 13. Boyd averages 6.2 yards per carry, Whaley 4.6, the same as Chase Hayden (55-252, 1). Maleek Williams (20-115, 2, 5.8 ypc) has been solid in limited duty.
Lead tailback Kylin Hill (88-583, 3) is questionable with a lower leg injury. The 5-11, 215-pounder averages 6.6 ypc. Last year’s starter Aeris Williams (53-334, 2, 6.3 ypc) is a high quality reserve. The pair combine for 22 catches. QB Nick Fitzgerald (169-816, 9) has been a standout runner since he landed the starting job as a sophomore in 2016. He averages 4.8 ypc, sacks included.
ADVANTAGE Even
Receivers/tight ends
Cheyenne O’Grady (27-359, 6 TD) took over the team receptions lead last week during a 2-TD game vs. LSU. La’Michael Pettway (23-387, 4, 16.8 yards per catch) had a big grab last week. Jordan Jones (15-186, 1), Mike Woods (15-191, 1), Deon Stewart (14-153), TE Austin Cantrell (8-119, 1) and Jordan Cornelius (7-99), who had a big game last week, are in the second wave of targets.
Osirus Mitchell (22-364, 3, 16.5 ypc) is the lone Mississippi State wideout with more than 16 receptions. Stephen Guidry (16-349, 3) has made his grabs count with a 21.8-yard average. TE Justin Johnson (12-174), 6-3, 245 pounds, hasn’t caught a pass in the end zone. Austin Williams (8-85, 1) and TE Farrod Green (7-62), who has 21 career starts, are capable.
ADVANTAGE Arkansas
Line
Arkansas is led by senior LG Hjalte Froholdt (35 starts), who has allowed 1 sack in his last 746 pass protection snaps, as well as seniors in RG Johnny Gibson (22) and RT Brian Wallace (31). C Ty Clary will make his sixth straight start and has improved markedly on snap delivery. LT Colton Jackson is set for his 7th start of the year, 20th of career. The Hogs average 6-5, 309 pounds.
The Bulldogs are loaded with experience. The sophomore OTs — 6-8, 335-pound LT Greg Eiland and 6-5, 340-pound RT Stewart Reese, with 22 consecutive starts — are both massive. C Elgton Jenkins, a Rimington Trophy candidate, and RG Deion Calhoun, who has 33 career starts, are seniors. The LG is Darryl Williams, who has 22 starts. The group averages 6-5, 329 pounds.
ADVANTAGE Miss. State
Defense
Line
Armon Watts (37, 7.5 TFL, 7 sacks, 2 hurries) is tied for the NCAA lead for sacks by a DT. McTelvin Agim (39, 9.5, 4.5, 11 hurries) had a FF for a TD vs. MSU last year. Randy Ramsey (28, 6, 3) was not credited with a tackle last week. T.J. Smith (21, 2.5, 1.5), Jamario Bell (16, 1 TFL), Michael Taylor (15, 2.5, 1.5), Gabe Richardson (12, 1.5 TFL), Jonathan Marshall (11) and Dorian Gerald (10) contribute.
Montez Sweat (41, 12 TFL, 9.5 sacks) is the returning SEC sack leader and a likely first-round NFL Draft pick. Jeffery Simmons (48, 11.5, 5 hurries) is a 300-pound NG and Bednarik Award semifinalist. End Gerri Green (24, 4 TFL, 2.5 sacks) is a defensive captain. Fifth-year Sr. Braxton Hoyett (17, 2.5 TFL, 1 sack) has made 19 consecutive starts.
ADVANTAGE Miss. State
Linebackers
De’Jon Harris (105, 9 TFL, 2 sacks, 5 PBU) re-took the SEC tackle lead two weeks ago. He also has a forced fumble and a hurry. Dre Greenlaw (74, 6.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 2 INT) has played on sore ankles all season and averages 9 tackles per game. Hayden Henry (24) got extensive work vs. run-heavy LSU but the Hogs will go with more nickel backs against Mississippi State.
WLB Leo Lewis (37, 3 TFL, 1 hurry) is expected back after missing the Alabama game with an illness. MLB Erroll Thompson (67, 4, 1.5 sacks, 2 INT) has started 13 in a row and made the game-clinching INT vs. Texas A&M. SLB Willie Gay Jr. (37, 3.5, 3 sacks, 4 hurries), a Starkville native, had 9 tackles, 2 sacks and an INT at Alabama. Tim Washington (19) is the top sub.
ADVANTAGE Even
Secondary
Safeties Santos Ramirez (74, 0.5 TFL, 1 FR) and Kam Curl (49, 5 PBU, 1 hurry) had strong showings vs. LSU. Ryan Pulley (36, 3.5 TFL, 1 sack, 3 INT, 7 PBU) and Jarques McClellion (23, 6 PBU), who has made 7 starts, play the CB spots. D’Vone McClure (21, 2, 1, 3 PBU), Kevin Richardson (12, 1 PBU) and Derrick Munson (13, 2, 1) are the nickel backs.
SS Jonathan Abram (77, 3 TFL, 1 sack, 1 INT, 3 PBU), the team tackle leader, has stats for everything but fumbles. FS Mark McLaurin (62, 3.5 TFL, 3 hurries) has 8 career INTs. The top CBs are Cam Dantzler (34, 2 INT, 8 PBU) and Jamal Peters (19, 1 TFL, 3 PBU), while the “star” spot is manned mostly by Jaquarius Landrews (21, 4.5 TFL, 3 sacks).
ADVANTAGE Miss. State
Special teams
PK Connor Limpert is 17 of 21 on FGAs and has 14 touchbacks on 55 kickoffs. Reid Bauer’s punting average is 39.0 and the Razorbacks are No. 119 in net punting (33.6). De’Vion Warren, who averages 25.9 yards per KOR, might be back from an ankle issue. Deon Stewart averages 11 yards on eight punt returns. Arkansas is No. 42 on punt returns (11.0) and No. 55 on kickoff returns (20.9).
Mississippi State has used two punters, Tucker Day (37.9) and K Schexnayder (36.1) and ranks No. 85 in net punting (36.5), Kicker Jace Christmann is 8 of 12 on FGAs, and 31 of 31 on PATs. He missed a 41-yarder at Alabama last week. Scott Goodman has touchbacks on 21 of 50 kickoffs. The Bulldogs are No. 92 in punt returns (6.7) and No. 50 on kickoff returns (21.2).
ADVANTAGE Arkansas
Intangibles
The Razorbacks haven’t played a true road game since Sept. 22 at Auburn and haven’t had to get up and play at 11 a.m. away from home since Sept. 29. Arkansas has clearly not folded up its tents, but the Hogs haven’t shown they have the wherewithal to close out a tight game yet this season. How they respond to the clanging bells and certain adversity will tell whether they have a chance today.
Mississippi State, once a near sure-fire victory for the Razorbacks, has won five of the last six games in this series, including a 28-21 decision after falling behind 14-0 in the first quarter. The Bulldogs are at home, where fans are allowed to bring cowbells into the stadium against SEC rules, as long as they “ring responsibly.” They are easily the better team on paper with an ace QB.
ADVANTAGE Miss. State