MISSISSIPPI STATE GAME NOTES MSTATE (3-1, 1-1 SEC) VS. SOUTH CAROLINA (3-1, 1-1 SEC) WILLIAMS-BRICE STADIUM (80,250) • SEPTEMBER 29, 2007 • 11:30 A.M. MSTATE SCHEDULE & RESULTS MISSISSIPPI STATE RETURNS TO SEC PLAY AT SOUTH CAROLINA Date Opponent W-L Score/Time Following last week's 31-15 non-conference victory over Gardner-Webb at Davis Wade Stadium at Aug. 30 * LSU L 0-45 Scott Field, Mississippi State returns to Southeastern Conference action when it travels to South Sept. 8 at Tulane W 38-17 Carolina, Saturday, Sept. 29. State's game against the SEC East Gamecocks will be televised by Sept. 15 * at Auburn W 19-14 Lincoln Financial Sports and will kick off at 12:30 ET at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C. Sept. 22 GARDNER-WEBB W 31-15 Sept. 29 * at South Carolina 11:30 a.m. MISSISSIPPI STATE SEEKS FOURTH- MISSISSIPPI STATE SEEKS CONTINUED Oct. 6 UAB (Homecoming) 1:30 p.m. Oct. 13 * TENNESSEE TBA STRAIGHT WIN AT SOUTH CAROLINA ROAD SUCCESS AT SOUTH CAROLINA Oct. 20 at West Virginia 11 a.m. When Mississippi State makes the trip to South Carolina Mississippi State will be aiming to win its third-straight Oct. 27 * at Kentucky TBA this weekend, the Bulldogs will be looking for their fourth- road game to open the 2007 season at South Carolina. Nov. 10 * ALABAMA TBA Nov. 17 * at Arkansas (Little Rock) TBA straight victory. MSU has not won four in a row in eight The Bulldogs have not won three road games in a season Nov. 23 * OLE MISS 11:30 a.m. years. The Bulldogs opened the 1999 season with nine since the 2000 campaign, have not won three in a row All times Central consecutive triumphs. during the same season since 1994, and have not won The Series three-straight road contests to open a season since 1986, Overall Record . .Series tied, 6-6 IT HAS BEEN SEVEN SEASONS SINCE under then-head coach Rockey Felker. at Starkville . .Series tied, 3-3 at Columbia . .Series tied, 3-3 MSU OPENED WITH A 4-1 SLATE at Neutral Sites . Never Met Mississippi State looks to open the 2007 season the same TWO MISSISSIPPI STATE COACHES HAVE Last meeting: . South Carolina, 15-0, 2006 Last meeting in Columbia:. South Carolina, 34-10, 2002 way it did the 2000 campaign, with a 4-1 record. That is TIES TO THE PALMETTO STATE Last 10 meetings: . .Series tied, 5-5 the last time that the Bulldogs won four of their first five Two Mississippi State assistant coaches have connections Current Series Win Streak: . South Carolina four games games in a season. to the state of South Carolina. Offensive coordinator Sylvester Croom vs. South Carolina: . 0-1 at Columbia . Never Met and quarterbacks coach Woody McCorvey tutored the Steve Spurrier vs. Mississippi State: . 5-2 MISSISSIPPI STATE LOOKS TO REGAIN Gamecock wide receivers under head coach Brad Scott in at Columbia . Never Met Croom vs. Spurrier: . .Spurrier leads 1-0 TOUCH AGAINST SEC EAST OPPONENTS 1998. Defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson, though never Mississippi State has registered a 21-24 record against having worked in Columbia, is a native of Winnsboro, S.C., Broadcast Information schools from the Southeastern Conference Eastern graduated from The Citadel in Charleston, S.C., and has Television . .Lincoln Financial Sports Announcers . Dave Neal, Dave Archer and Dave Baker Division since the league established the divisional format worked 11 years in the Palmetto State. Radio . Mississippi State Radio Network system in 1992. The series against the East has been a bit Announcers . Jack Cristil, Jim Ellis, John Correro XM Radio. Channel TBA of a roller coaster ride for the Bulldogs. After winning 18 TWO SOUTH CAROLINA COACHES in Starkville . 107.9, WFCA of the first 30 games against the Eastern Divison, MSU has WELCOME BACK PREVIOUS EMPLOYER posted just a 3-12 mark since. South Carolina assistant head coach and secondary instruc- Quick Facts - Mississippi State Record . 3-1 tor Ron Cooper served one season (2003) as Mississippi Ranking (AP/Coaches'). .NR / RV MISSISSIPPI STATE RETURNING TO EARLY State's defensive coordinator in Jackie Sherrill's final sea- Last Game . W, vs. Gardner-Webb, 31-15 Head Coach . .Sylvester Croom MORNING SUCCESS ON TELEVISION? son as head coach. Gamecock outside linebackers coach Career Record . .12-26 / fourth season Mississippi State is 18-23 (.439) in games aired by the Shane Beamer is in his first season in Columbia, having MSU Record . .12-26 / fourth season Southeastern Conference's current early television win- joined head coach Steve Spurrier's staff after three years Quick Facts - South Carolina dow partner (Lincoln Financial Sports/Jefferson Pilot as an assistant at Mississippi State. Record . 3-1 Sports). That record has been skewed by a 3-12 mark Ranking (AP/Coaches'). 16 / 21 Last Game . L, at LSU, 16-28 in televised morning games since 2001, however, the BULLDOG DE JIMMIE HOLMES RETURNS Head Coach . Steve Spurrier Bulldogs have now won two straight in the early morning HOME TO SOUTH CAROLINA SATURDAY Career Record . 160-51-2 / 18th season time slot. And those three winswere big Bulldog victo- Mississippi State defensive end Jimmie Holmes joined South Carolina Record . .18-11 / third season ries -- a 38-31 win over Florida in 2004, a 24-16 win at the Bulldog football program following two seasons at MISSISSIPPI STATE ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS Alabama last fall, and a 19-14 victory at Auburn two weeks Mississippi Delta Community College, but he achieved ini- P.O. Box 5308 Mississippi State, MS 39762 ago. Prior to that stretch, State was 15-11 in such games. tial football sucess in the state of South Carolina. Holmes Football Contacts: Mike Nemeth, Joe Galbraith MSU is 3-3 all-time vs. South Carolina on TV. is a native of Aiken, S.C., and was selected to play in the Phone: (662) 325-2703 • Fax: (662) 325-2563 Mississippi State Bulldogs vs South Carolina Gamecocks • September 29, 2007 • Football Game Notes • Early Week Notes Shrine Bowl, the North Carolina vs. South Carolina high MEDIA SERVICES school all-star game following his senior season at Aiken STATISTICAL COMPARISON MONDAY TELECONFERENCE High School. Mississippi State vs. South Carolina MSU head football coach Sylvester Croom will conduct a Monday teleconference (10 a.m. CT) prior (2007 per-game averages) to Bulldog games this year. Contact the MSU Athletic AT LEAST ONE OTHER TIE EXISTS Media Relations Office (662-325-2703) for access info. BETWEEN TWO TEAMS' PLAYERS Mississippi State USC TUESDAY PRESS CONFERENCE Despite the fact that Mississippi State has just the one Overall Record . 3-1. 3-1 Coach Croom will conduct a weekly press confer- player -- Jimmie Holmes -- with any association to the state Conference Record . 1-1. 1-1 ence each Tuesday prior to an MSU game. The confer- of South Carolina, and no Gamecock players hail from the Points Scored . 22.0. 24.5 ence will be held at the Bryan Athletic Administration Building. Coach Croom's press conference begins at Magnolia State, at least one other connection does exist Points Allowed . 22.8. 14.2 1 p.m. (CT). Selected players will be available following on the two teams' rosters. MSU junior defensive back Total Offense . 306.8. 354.0 Croom's presentation (approximately 1:30 p.m.). To Keith Fitzhugh and USC sophomore defensive back both Rushing Yards . 165.2. 143.8 request specific players, media members must contact MSU Athletic Media Relations (662-325-2703) by 5 p.m. prepped at Lovejoy High School in Georgia. Passing Yards . 141.5. 210.2 the Monday preceding each respective press confer- Yards Allowed. 311.8. 320.0 ence. MISSISSIPPI STATE CONTINUES TO PROVE Rushing Yards Allowed . 147.2. 216.5 WEDNESDAY SEC WEEKLY TELECONFERENCE STINGY TO SCORE TOUCHDOWNS UPON Passing Yards Allowed. 164.5. 103.5 Coach Croom will join the league's other 11 coach- Mississippi State's defense continues to make it difficult First Downs. 17.3. 22.0 es on the SEC's Wednesday teleconference. Coach for the opposition to drive the football and put it in the Time of Possession. 30:54. 29:03 Croom's seven-minute segment is scheduled from 11:03-11:10 a.m. (CT). The teleconference phone num- end zone. This past Saturday in State's win over Gardner- 3rd Down Conversion . 41%. 39% ber can be obtained by calling the MSU Athletic Media Webb, the Bulldogs allowed just one touchdown in the Relations office. 31-15 win. It was the third time in four games this season INDIVIDUAL COMPARISON WEEKLY PLAYER INTERVIEWS that the defense has allowed 17 points or less in a game. Mississippi State vs. South Carolina During game week, all player interviews must Since Sylvester Croom named Ellis Johnson his defensive (2007 per-game averages) be conducted by Tuesday evening and need to be coordinator in 2004, MSU has permitted its opponent 17 arranged at least 24 hours in advance. Players MAY NOT be interviewed after Tuesday evening. Players points or less 15 times in 38 games. Mississippi State USC will be notified of requested telephone interviews via a Rushing Yards-per-Game message placed on the player's locker. The player will STATE'S DEFENSE REMAINS DIFFICULT TO Dixon . 87.2. 68.0 . Boyd call following practice at his convenience. Please coordinate all player requests with the MSU RUN THE FOOTBALL AGAINST AS WELL Ducre . 40.5. 65.5 . Davis Athletic Media Relations office (662-325-2703). Mississippi State ranks fifth in the Southeastern Conference Williams . 24.2.