Cowbell Corner

Mississippi State vs. Georgia: What Went Wrong?

Some familiar problems resurfaced in Saturday's game against No. 5 Georgia. Read here to find out what some of those problems are.

Taylor Hodges

Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck (15) passes the ball against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the second half at Sanford Stadium.
Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck (15) passes the ball against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the second half at Sanford Stadium. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
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ATHENS, Ga. – Mississippi State’s football team should get a confidence boost off its much-closer-than-expected game against No. 5 Georgia.

But a 41-31 loss is still a loss and there are some major concerns Mississippi State needs to address if it hopes to pull of an upset or two in the final six games.

Here are some of the things that went wrong for Mississippi State on Saturday against Georgia.

Mississippi State Offense

What went wrong?

Run game. Mississippi State ran the ball 26 times for a total of 79 yards. That’s an average of only three yards per carry. Johnnie Daniels’ 19-yard touchdown run was the longest rushing play in the game. Mississippi State appeared to have found a ground game before the bye week, but it was practically non-existent against Georgia.

Mississippi State Defense

What went wrong?

Pass defense. Carson Beck set a new career-best with 459 yards and wasn’t sacked a single time. He was rarely pressured when he dropped back for a pass and saw wide open receivers downfield all game. Sure, the defense had two interceptions, but those were more a by-product of being in the right place at the right time.

Mississippi State Special Teams

What went wrong?

Kickoff out-of-bounds. The only “bad” kick of the game for Mississippi State was on a kickoff by Nick Barr-Mira that went out-of-bounds and gave Georgia a short field.

Read More Mississippi State Bulldogs On SI:

What Went Right? Mississippi State’s Comeback Falls Short vs Georgia

Mississippi State Football: Why Every Team Should Be on Upset Alert

Mississippi State Makes Georgia Sweat But Falls 41-31

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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