MISSISSIPPI STATE GAME NOTES MSTATE (6-4, 3-3 SEC) VS. ARKANSAS (6-4, 2-4 SEC) WAR MEMORIAL STADIUM (53,727) • NOVEMBER 17, 2007 • 1:00 P.M. CT MSTATE SCHEDULE & RESULTS MISSISSIPPI STATE CLOSES ROAD SLATE IN LITTLE ROCK VS. ARKANSAS Date Opponent W-L Score/Time Following last week's 17-12 Southeastern Conference Western Divison win over nationally No. 21- Aug. 30 * LSU L 0-45 ranked Alabama, Mississippi State takes to the road for the final time in the 2007 regular season Sept. 8 at Tulane W 38-17 when the Bulldogs travel to Little Rock, Ark., Saturday, Nov. 17, for an SEC West game against the Sept. 15 * at Auburn W 19-14 Arkansas Razorbacks. The game will kick off at 1 p.m. CT and will not be televised. Sept. 22 GARDNER-WEBB W 31-15 Sept. 29 * at South Carolina L 21-38 BULLDOGS ACHIEVE BOWL ELIGIBILITY GRIMES SERVED AS AN ASSISTANT WITH Oct. 6 UAB (Homecoming) W 30-13 Oct. 13 * TENNESSEE L 21-33 FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2000 CURRENT RAZORBACK HEAD MAN NUTT Oct. 20 at West Virginia L 13-38 Mississippi State won its sixth game of the 2007 season Mississippi State offensive line coach J.B. Grimes worked Oct. 27 * at Kentucky W 31-14 this past weekend against Alabama, qualifying the school as offensive line coach for the Razorbacks under three Nov. 10 * ALABAMA W 17-12 Nov. 17 * at Arkansas (Little Rock) 1 p.m. for post-season bowl consideration for the first time in head coaches from 1989-92. During those final three Nov. 23 * OLE MISS 11:30 a.m. seven years. MSU has now beaten two teams ranked in years, present UA head coach Houston Nutt was the All times Central the nation's top 25 when it played them (in back-to-back Razorback wide receivers coach. The Series weeks), and won three road games in the same season Overall Record . .Arkansas leads, 11-5-1 overall, for the first time since 2000. State has not won MSU RUNNING BACK COACH FELKER at Starkville . Arkansas leads, 5-3 at Fayetteville . Arkansas leads, 3-0 four true road games in the same season since 1986 and VISITS HIS FORMER EMPLOYER AS WELL at Neutral Sites . .Arkansas leads, 3-2-1 has not won four league games since 2000. Mississippi State running back coach Rockey Felker in Little Rock . .Arkansas leads, 3-0-1 Last meeting: . .Arkansas 28-14, 2006 in Starkville spent four seasons at the University of Arkansas (1993- Last meeting in Little Rock: . .Arkansas 44-10, 2005 MISSISSIPPI STATE SEEKS FIRST-EVER 96), including the final three as offensive coordinator of Last 10 meetings: . .Arkansas leads 9-1 VICTORY IN THE STATE OF ARKANSAS the Razorbacks. He helped UA win the Southeastern Current Series Win Streak: . .Arkansas, 8 games Sylvester Croom vs. Arkansas: . 0-3 Mississippi State is 0-6-1 all-time in the state of Arkansas, Conference Western Division title and earn a berth in the at Little Rock . 0-1 having lost three times to Arkansas in Fayetteville and SEC Championship Game in 1995. Houston Nutt vs. Mississippi State: . 8-1 at Little Rock . 2-0 three times to the Razorbacks in Little Rock. The Croom vs. Nutt: . 0-3 Bulldogs' 1993 team tied Arkansas 13-13 in the Natural TEAMS' DEFENSIVE COORDINATORS State's capital city. WORKED TOGETHER AT CLEMSON Broadcast Information Radio . Mississippi State Radio Network Mississippi State defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson and Announcers . Jack Cristil, Jim Ellis, John Correro TELEVISION LIGHTS MISSING FROM MSU Arkansas defensive boss Reggie Herring were on the same XM Radio. Channel 201 (Arkansas) in Starkville . 107.9, WFCA FOOTBALL FOR JUST THE FOURTH TIME coaching staff at Clemson (1994-96). In fact, Herring coached Mississippi State's game vs. Arkansas in Little Rock this the linebackers that '96 season under Johnson, who had Quick Facts - Mississippi State Saturday will be just the fourth, and last, time this year been elevated to Tiger defensive coordinator. Additionally, Record . .6-4, 3-3 Ranking (AP/Coaches'). RV / RV that the Bulldogs will be missing from a live network tele- MSU safeties coach Charlie Harbison worked with the Last Game . W, vs. Alabama, 17-12 cast. MSU is 2-1 in such previous contests, wins against Clemson defensive backs at that time. Head Coach . .Sylvester Croom Career Record . .15-29 / fourth season Gardner-Webb and UAB, and a loss to Tennessee. MSU Record . .15-29 / fourth season MSTATE WIDE RECEIVERS COACH HAS MSTATE OFFENSIVE LINE COACH TIES TO TWO UA STAFF MEMBERS Quick Facts - Arkansas Record . .6-4, 2-4 GRIMES RETURNS TO HOME STATE First-year Mississippi State wide receivers coach Pat Ranking (AP/Coaches'). RV / RV Mississippi State offensive line coach J.B. Grimes, a native Washington coached with one Arkansas assistant coach Last Game . L, at Tennessee, 13-34 Head Coach . Houston Nutt of Clarendon, Ark., and graduate Henderson (Ark.) State and played collegiately with another. Washington's first Career Record . 109-70 / 15th season in 1977, has worked eight years in the state of Arkansas. job after starring as the quarterback at Auburn was to Arkansas Record . .73-48 / 10th season In addition to two stints at the University of Arkansas serve his alma mater as a graduate assistant. Arkansas MISSISSIPPI STATE ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS (1981-82 and 1989-92), he began his coaching career on defensive coordinator Reggie Herring was on that Auburn P.O. Box 5308 the high school level in the state. staff as linebackers coach. The two assistants later worked Mississippi State, MS 39762 Football Contacts: Mike Nemeth, Joe Galbraith together at Texas Christian (1992-93). Washington was Phone: (662) 325-2703 • Fax: (662) 325-2563 a senior at Auburn when Arkansas defensive line coach Tracy Rocker was a freshman. Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Arkansas Razorbacks • November 17, 2007 • Football Game Notes • Early Week Notes TWO TRUE FRESHMAN BULLDOGS HAIL MEDIA SERVICES FROM THE STATE OF ARKANSAS STATISTICAL COMPARISON MONDAY TELECONFERENCE Mississippi State head football coach Sylvester Croom Mississippi State vs. Arkansas MSU head football coach Sylvester Croom will conduct a Monday teleconference (10 a.m. CT) prior signed two players this past February from Arkansas, (2007 per-game averages) to Bulldog games this year. Contact the MSU Athletic the only players on the roster from that state. Fullback Media Relations Office (662-325-2703) for access info. Ethan Stockett (Fort Smith) and linebacker Jamie Jones Mississippi State Arkansas TUESDAY PRESS CONFERENCE (Springdale) grew up in Arkansas. There are no UA players Overall Record . 6-4. 6-4 Coach Croom will conduct a weekly press confer- with ties to the state of Mississippi. Conference Record . 3-3. 2-4 ence each Tuesday prior to an MSU game. The confer- Points Scored . 22.1. 38.3 ence will be held at the Bryan Athletic Administration Building. Coach Croom's press conference begins at SOME ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN THE Points Allowed . 23.9. 22.8 1 p.m. (CT). Selected players will be available following TWO SCHOOLS' PLAYERS EXIST Total Offense . 289.0. 454.7 Croom's presentation (approximately 1:30 p.m.). To MSU true freshman linebacker Jamie Jones played with Rushing Yards . 146.3. 297.0 request specific players, media members must contact MSU Athletic Media Relations (662-325-2703) by 5 p.m. Arkansas tight end Ben Cleveland, UA place-kicker Alex Passing Yards . 142.7. 157.7 the Monday preceding each respective press confer- Tejeda and Razorback flanker Andrew Norman at Springdale. Yards Allowed. 334.6. 338.0 ence. State's Ethan Stockett and Arkansas punter/place-kicker Rushing Yards Allowed . 149.8. 147.6 WEDNESDAY SEC WEEKLY TELECONFERENCE Jeremy Davis and cornerback Sean Penix each attended Passing Yards Allowed. 184.8. 190.4 Coach Croom will join the league's other 11 coach- Southside High School in Fort Smith. State defensive back First Downs. 16.9. 21.3 es on the SEC's Wednesday teleconference. Coach Keith Fitzhugh and UA defensive tackle Patrick Jones both Time of Possession. 31:03. 29:50 Croom's seven-minute segment is scheduled from 11:03-11:10 a.m. (CT). The teleconference phone num- hail from Hampton, Ga., and were separated by two years 3rd Down Conversion . 41%. 45% ber can be obtained by calling the MSU Athletic Media at Lovejoy High School. Relations office. INDIVIDUAL COMPARISON WEEKLY PLAYER INTERVIEWS MSTATE OFFENSE CONTINUES TO Mississippi State vs. Arkansas During game week, all player interviews must CONVERT, MAINTAIN BALL CONTROL (2007 per-game averages) be conducted by Tuesday evening and need to be Mississippi State made seven-of-16 third-down conversion arranged at least 24 hours in advance. Players MAY NOT be interviewed after Tuesday evening. Players attempts against Alabama this past Saturday, and has now Mississippi State Arkansas will be notified of requested telephone interviews via a converted third down opportunities at a 41.3 percent rate Rushing Yards-per-Game message placed on the player's locker. The player will (seventh in the SEC). The Bulldogs also held onto the Dixon . 91.4. 143.1 . McFadden call following practice at his convenience. Please coordinate all player requests with the MSU football for 30:31 in the win over the Crimson Tide, an Ducre . 44.0. 103.2 . Jones Athletic Media Relations office (662-325-2703). edge that now has the team ranking fourth in the league Williams . 9.6. 41.0 . M. Smith in time of possession average (31:03 average per game). PRACTICE COVERAGE The first six periods (approximately one hour) of By comparison, the Bulldogs converted 36 percent of its Passing Yards-per-Game MSU's practice sessions are open to the media (still third-down opportunities a year ago, and averaged only Carroll.