Mississippi State vs. South Carolina: Three Keys To Victory For The Bulldogs

After last week's embarrassing performance, how will the Mississippi State Bulldogs bounce back in Columbia?

Mississippi State (2-1) suffered its first loss of the season in Week 3 as the Bulldogs were downed, 41-14 by the visiting LSU Tigers in embarrassing fashion as they opened up SEC play.

In order to contend, MSU is going to have to make some notable improvements on either side of the football as they continue through SEC play against the South Carolina Gamecocks on the road.

Here's a look at three keys to the Bulldogs coming out on the right side of the win column against their next opponent:

1. Consistent Quarterback Play

There were multiple reasons for last week's dismal offensive showing. However, it all falls on Will Rogers. Whether that's fair or not, it just comes with the territory. 

Rogers struggled with accuracy and being able to stand in and make throws despite the pressure. If MSU wants to rebound this week, either Rogers needs to play well, or a change needs to be made to a dynamic runner in Mike Wright.

2. Getting A Pass Rush

The Bulldogs did a decent job of keeping LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels contained in the pocket last week, but with all that time, he torched the Bulldogs. Daniels threw for 364 yards and frequently had all the time he wanted in the pocket. 

The Bulldogs start three seniors across the defensive line, and they need the veterans to step up and get pressure on the inconsistent Spencer Rattler.

3. A Better Game Plan

For the second straight week, Zach Arnett blamed his team's performance on a poor plan from the coaching staff. Both offense and defense were dominated throughout the entirety of the game. 

The coaches need to put together a plan this week to put this team in a position to win that will obviously have to have some stark differences from the one in the previous week. Columbia is a tough place to play, and if they come in poorly coached again, it will be more of the same for Arnett and his staff.

If the Bulldogs can complete all three of these, they will be in good shape. There is a lot of concern for Arnett and his players. If MSU can pull the upset, it will ease the minds of many Bulldog fans.