Mississippi State football: What 2019 team can learn from 2018
By Nick Knudsen
High Point: Won 23-9 vs. #8 Auburn (Starkville, MS) (Game 6, October 6, 2019)
Back-to-back disappointing losses to open SEC play left Mississippi State football unranked and in a must-win situation entering their Week 6 matchup with Auburn. The Tigers (4-1) had worked their way back into the Top 10 a few weeks after a devastating 22-21 home loss to LSU, but the winner of this game could hold onto a longshot hope of winning an SEC West title. Several lines saw Auburn as the favorite by about a field goal.
Fitzgerald and the offense produced only a single touchdown in the two previous games at Kentucky (16-32 passing, 145 yards, 1 INT) and vs Florida (11-26 passing, 98 yards) and Moorhead voiced support for his senior starter heading into the Auburn game at his weekly press conference.
The offense continued to struggle in the first half against Auburn, but the defense and special teams took over.
Mississippi State’s defense shut down Auburn’s offense in the first half:
- Drive #1: 3 plays, 6 yards, PUNT
- Drive #2: 3 plays, -3 yards, PUNT
- Drive #3: 4 plays, 9 yards, FIELD GOAL (Fitzgerald threw a pick and Auburn started this drive on MSU 39)
- Drive #4: 11 plays, 42 yards, MISSED FIELD GOAL
- Drive #5: 4 plays, 20 yards, PUNT
Auburn fumbled a Bulldogs punt with 4:23 in the second quarter. Mississippi State recovered on the AUB 36 and began its slow march down the field to close out the half. This eight-play, 36-yard drive featured seven running plays and four plays inside the AUB 5 yard line including three shots at the end zone from the AUB 1.
Moorhead rolled the dice and went for 4th & Goal from the AUB 1 with 0:04 left in the first half. Fitzgerald lowered his shoulder and took a shot on his way into the end zone, but the gamble paid off as the Bulldogs went into the locker room with a 13-3 lead.
The offense rode that momentum into the third quarter as they bled over half of the quarter away and tacked on a field goal to take a commanding 16-3 lead in this defensive struggle.
Auburn responded quickly with a field goal to cut the lead to 16-6. On their next drive, the Tigers nearly punched it in on an explosive 42 yard run by RB Boobee Whitlow, but Whitlow’s attempt to extend the ball toward the goal line ended up being ruled a fumble, was recovered by Mississippi State in the end zone and served as one of several missed opportunities by Auburn on the night.
Mississippi State would go on to seal the 23-9 win with a hurdling touchdown run from Fitzgerald (pictured above) with 2:02 left in the game.
The Bulldogs offense woke up against Auburn as Moorhead simplified the offense by fully embracing the ground game. Mississippi State put up 419 total yards on the day with 349 yards coming on the ground.
Fitzgerald carried the ball 28 times for 195 and 2 TDs and added 69 yards through the air on 9-17 passing through the day with 1 INT.
Though this game lost its significance as the year progressed, at the moment, this was a huge win for Mississippi State football and showed that the Bulldogs could bounce back from two difficult defeats.