MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY Primary .Contact: .Joe .Galbraith .• .jgalbraith@athletics .msstate .edu .• .Office .- .662 .325 .0967 .• .Cell .- .662 .418 .3970 Secondary .Contact: .Kyle .Niblett .• .kniblett@athletics .msstate .edu .• .Office .- .662 .325 .0972 .• .Cell .- .662 .418 .9139 Game Seven • South Carolina (5-1, 3-1 SEC) vs. Mississippi State (3-3, 0-3 SEC) • Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011 • Davis Wade Stadium • 11:21 a.m. CT • SEC Network Broadcast Information STATE RETURNS HOME TO FACE SOUTH CAROLINA DOGS NEARLY FLAWLESS IN SECOND STANZA AT UAB Kickoff . 11:21 .a .m . .CT Mississippi . State . and . South . Carolina . are . set . to . kick . off . on . The . Bulldog . offense . racked . up . 16 . first . downs, . 132 . rushing . TV . SEC .Network .(Dave .Neal, .Andre Ware. .& .Cara .Capuano) Saturday .at .Davis Wade. .Stadium .at .11:21 .a .m . .CT .The . .game .will . yards . and . connected . on . 11-of-13 . passes . for . 166 . yards . in . the . Online .Streaming . ESPN3 .com be .televised .on .the .SEC .Network . second .half .against .UAB . .Over .the .final .four .possessions .of .the . Radio . Mississippi. .State .Radio .Network Dave .Neal, .Andre Ware. .and .Cara .Capuano .will .call .the .action . game, .State .picked .up .14 .first .downs, .scored .three .touchdowns . Announcers . .Jim .Ellis, .Matt Wyatt. .and .John .Correro on .television, .while .Jim .Ellis, .Matt .Wyatt .and .John .Correrro .will . and .ran .out .the .final .3:18 .of .the .game . XM .Radio .Network . .Channel .199 have .the .radio .call .on .the .Bulldog .Sports .Network . Sirius .Radio .Network . .Channel .220 TURNOVER MARGIN CONTINUES TO TELL STORY . in .Starkville . 100 .9, WKBB. BULLDOGS GETTING ACCUSTOMED TO MORNING KICKS One . of . the . most . telling . stats . for . Mississippi . State . in . recent . Saturday’s . game . will . mark . the . Bulldogs . third . consecutive . years . has . been . the . turnover . differential . This . season, . the . Mississippi State . pre-noon kickoff. and. the. fourth. morning. game. in. the. first. seven. Bulldogs .are .plus-six .in .takeaway .margin .in .victories .and .minus- Ranking . .NR .AP ./ .NR .USA TODAY. weeks .of .the .season . .In .contrast, .the .2010 .season .featured .only . one .in .losses . Head .Coach . .Dan .Mullen one . morning . kickoff . (against . Alcorn . State) . and . one . afternoon . Career .Record . 17-14 .(7-12 .SEC) ./ Third. .Season game .(Gator .Bowl) . .None .of .the .11 .other .games .last .season .did . DOGS UNBEATEN WHEN VICTORIOUS ON TURNOVERS . MSU .Record . .Same not .kickoff .before .6 .p .m . Since he. arrived. in. 2009,. head. coach. Dan. Mullen. has. stressed. 2011 .Record . 3-3 the .importance .of .ball .security .on .offense .and .forcing .turnovers . Conference .Record . 0-3 BULLDOGS AND GAMECOCKS HAVE BEEN RARE FOES on defense. .Over . the. past. three. seasons,. Mississippi. State. is. 15-0. Mississippi .State .and .South .Carolina .have .only .faced .off .on . when .winning .the .turnover .battle .and .2-14 .when .tied .or .having . South Carolina the . gridiron . 13 . times, . and . did . not . play . until . South . Carolina . a .negative .margin . Ranking . 18 .AP ./ .14 .USA TODAY. joined . the . Southeastern . Conference . in . 1992 . The . two . teams . Head .Coach . Steve .Spurrier played . each . year . from . 1992-2002 . as . permanent . crossover . GROUND GAME TRYING TO GET BACK ON TRACK . Career .Record . 191-74-2. .(116-43 .SEC) ./ .22nd .Season . School .Record . 49-34. opponents . before . the . SEC . scheduling . format . changed . to . one . Mississippi .State .has .rushed .for .100 .or .more .yards .in .28 .of .31 . 2011 .Record . 5-1 permanent .cross-division .game . games .under .head .coach .Dan .Mullen . Conference .Record . 3-1 The .Bulldogs .won .six .of .the .first .eight .meetings .between .the . State .rushed .for .100+ .in .each .game .last .season, .and .eclipsed . two .teams, .but .have .dropped .the .last .five .contests . the . 300-yard . mark . each . of . the . first . two . games . this . year . The . Series History Bulldogs .ran .for .204 .yards .in .the .win .at .UAB .and .currently .aver- Overall .Series .Record: . South .Carolina .leads .7-6 LAST HALF OF SEASON FEATURES MORE HOME DATES age . 188 .3 . yards . per . game, . ranking . fifth . among . Southeastern . in .Starkville: . Tied .3-3 After . playing . four . of . the . first . six . contests . away . from . Davis . Conference .teams . Last .meeting: . South .Carolina, .38-21, .9/29/07 Wade .Stadium, .the .Bulldogs .return .home .for .four .of .the .final .six . in .Starkville: . South .Carolina, .15-0, .8/31/06 games .of .the .season . RUNNING BACK BALLARD CONTINUES TO IMPRESS Last .10 .meetings: . South .Carolina .leads .6-4 State .has .won .six .of .its .last .nine .home .games .and .has .a .four- Senior .running .back .Vick Ballard has .amassed .1,499 .rushing . Current Series. Win. .Streak: . South. .Carolina, .5 .games game .winning .streak .in .home .games .in .the .month .of .October . yards . in . his . Mississippi . State . career, . the . 20th . most . all . time . in . school . history . In . just . 18 . career . games . (missed . one . game . last . Mississippi State Contacts SECOND HALF SURGES HAVE HIGHLIGHTED DOG WINS season) . he . has . scored . 25 . total . touchdowns . (third . all . time . at . MEDIA .RELATIONS .- .662-325-0967 Mississippi .State .has .done .much .of .the .heavy .lifting .in .three . MSU) .and .had .five .three-touchdown .games . Joe .Galbraith .- .662-418-3970 victories .after .the .halftime .break . .The .Bulldogs .have .outscored . Ballard .has .rushed .for .531 .yards .and .five .touchdowns .over . MISSISSIPPI .STATE .RADIO .NETWORK .- .662-325-4171 opponents .58-17 .after .intermission .in .the .three .wins, .including . the .first .five .weeks .of .the .season, .and .currently .is .ranked .fifth .in . Don Williams. .- .662-312-2564 a .21-0 .outburst .at .UAB .last .weekend . yards .per .game .in .the .Southeastern .Conference . TELEVISION .CENTER .- .662-325-1332 Bennie .Ashford .- .662-418-2165 DOGS AGAIN FACE ONE OF NATION’S TOP SCHEDULES RUSSELL HAS DAY TO REMEMBER AT UAB FTP Information Last . season . Mississippi . State . played . five . teams . ranked . at . Sophomore .quarterback .Tyler Russell’s second .half .at .UAB . Located .on .XOS .Digital .Xchange the .time .of .the .game .and .four .teams .that .finished .among .the . last .weekend .was .one .of .the .better .30-minute .performances .in . Contact .Bennie .Ashford .in Television. .Center .for .login nation’s .top .12 . Mississippi .State .history . .The .Meridian, .Miss ., .native .completed . This .year, .State .faces .four .teams .ranked .in .the .top .12 .of .this . 11-of-13 .passes .for .166 .yards .and .touchdowns .on .three .consec- 2011 Mississippi State Schedule week’s .polls, .including .the .#1 .and .#2 .squads . utive possessions. as. the. Bulldogs. rallied. to. beat. the. Blazers. 21-3. Date Opponent Result/Time Russell .now .has .nine .touchdown .passes .in .his .young .career . Sept . 1 . at .Memphis .(Thurs .) . W, .59-14 ON THIS DATE... and . already . has . a . pair . of . three-TD . games . (threw . four . against . Sept . 10 . * .at .#23 .Auburn . L, .34-41 On . October . 15, . 1994, . head . coach . Jackie . Sherrill’s . team . Memphis .in .2010 .opener) . Sept. 15 * #3 LSU (Thurs.) L, 6-19 defeated .South .Carolina .41-36 .in .Columbia . .The .Bulldogs .built . Sept. 24 Louisiana Tech W, 26-20 (OT) a . 35-14 . lead . before . USC . took . a . 36-35 . advantage . with . three . DOG DEFENSE HAS BIG PLAY ABILITY Oct . 1 . * .at .Georgia . L, . .10-24 minutes .remaining .in .the .game . .Derrick .Taite .tossed .a .26-yard . The . Bulldog . defense . has . had . a . propensity . for . the . big . play . Oct . 8 . at .UAB . W, .21-3 touchdown .to .Chris .Jones .with .1:04 .remaining .in .the .game .to . and .have .intercepted .nine .passes .(returning .two .for .scores) .and . Oct. 15 * South Carolina 11:21 a.m. give .State .the .win . recovered .four .fumbles .The . .Bulldogs .are .tied .for .eighth .nation- Oct . 29 . * .at .Kentucky . TBA This .Saturday’s .game .will .mark .the .first .game .for .Mississippi . ally .and .rank .third .in .the .SEC .with .nine .passes .intercepted . Nov. 5 UT-Martin (HC) TBA State .on .October .15th .since .that .1994 .visit .to .Columbia . With .13 .turnovers .gained, .the .Bulldogs .rank .22nd .nationally . Nov. 12 * Alabama TBA in .that .category .and .third .in .the .SEC . Nov . 19 . * .at .Arkansas .(L .R .) . TBA MISSISSIPPI STATE HOPING TO REKINDLE OFFENSE Nov. 26 * Ole Miss TBA Mississippi .State .got .off .to .a .blistering .offensive .start .in .the . SECOND HALF DOMINATION BECOMING NORM FOR D * Denotes SEC Game first .two .games .of .the .season .before .hitting .a .bump .in .the .road . Halftime . has . marked . a . turning . point . for . the . Bulldogs . this . The .Bulldogs .gained .1,176 .yards .over .the .first .two .games, .the . season . .The .defense .has .allowed .only .43 .points .in .the .second . most .in .a .two-game .span .in .school .history . .After .struggling .at . half .all .season .(7 .2 .ppg) . times, . State . reawakened . in . the . second . half . at . UAB . where . the . In .State’s .three .victories, .the .defense .has .allowed .only .touch- Dogs .scored .touchdowns .on .three .consecutive .possessions . down .drives .of .34 .and .32 .yards .and .a .46 .yard .field .goal .drive . Monday 10 Tuesday 11 Wednesday 12 Thursday 13 Friday 14 Saturday 15 Sunday