Texas is coming off a much needed win over Ole Miss and now turns their attention towards their in-state rival. Mississippi State makes their way into Austin this weekend without their starting QB Kamario Taylor.
Redshirt freshman Parker Puckett, who has struggled when filling in for Taylor, is the expected starter under center. Despite that, the Bulldogs have enough difference makers to pull the upset if Texas isn’t careful.
Here are the six Bulldogs that you’ll want to know before kickoff:
Mississippi State RB Fluff Bothwell
Texas has played a number of great RBs this season and Bothwell is another on the list. He transferred in from South Alabama last season and immediately made an impact, rushing for 677 yards and 6 TDs. He’s already at 514 rushing yards and 3 TDs this season,
averaging 5.6 yards/carry. He went down with an injury against Alabama but he’s topped 100 in the last four complete games he’s played. The Texas defense has been great against elite run games this season and that’ll have to continue against the Bulldogs bowling ball in the backfield.
Mississippi State WR Sanfrisco Magee
Anthony Evans III will(rightfully) earn much of the attention from the Texas secondary on Saturday night. Sanfrisco Magee is also capable of changing the game at any time. The redshirt sophomore has 360 receiving yards and 6 TDs on the season, but is averaging 16.4 yards/catch, which leads the Bulldogs consistent contributors. Jeff Lebby does a great job creating explosives for each of his WRs and Magee can take advantage if Texas isn’t careful.
Mississippi State TE Sam West
Sam West is one of the more underrated offensive pieces in the SEC. Like Michael Masunas, he’s not a major part of the passing game for the Bulldogs(8 catches for 69 yards) but he is one of the best inline blockers in the conference. He’s also flashed his dynamic ability, adding an 18-yard TD pass to his stat sheet vs. Oklahoma. Without Colin Simmons, the Texas edge defenders will have to contend with a great blocker to slow down Bothwell and the Bulldogs rushing attack.
Mississippi State DL Jaray Bledsoe
This is a very familiar name for Longhorn fans. Bledsoe spent his first three seasons of college football at Texas, appearing in 12 games and tallying just 7 tackles and 1 FR. Since making the move to Starkville, he’s reached his potential, racking up 51 tackles, 4 sacks and a FF in 20 games for the Bulldogs. He’s upped his pass rush ability his season, already nearly doubling his sack total from last season. The Texas IOL will need to contend with the former Longhorn if they’re going to get Manning in a rhythm.
Mississippi State LB Tyler Lockhart
The leading tackler for the Bulldogs is the sophomore linebacker that’s become a breakout star in the SEC. Lockhart has 48 tackles, 2.5 TFLs and 2 sacks on the season, consistently flashing his elite versatility. Last week, Raleek Brown did a great job forcing missed tackles from the Ole Miss LBs. This will be another difficult task and will require some great individual efforts from the Texas running backs.
Mississippi State CB Jett Jefferson
When many talk about this Bulldog defense, they’ll start with Kelley Jones. The star CB could end up in the first round of the NFL draft next spring. Despite that, Jefferson has become the breakout star on the defensive side of the ball. The 6’1”, 190lbs CB leads Mississippi State in pass deflections, with 9 and added a FF and FR to his tally. Wingo, Mosley and Coleman will need to contend with the talented senior to create consistent explosives on Saturday.
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This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Mississippi State Bulldogs to watch vs. Texas: Bothwell, Bledsoe
