(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Will Rogers, RB Jo’Quavious Marks, WR/KR Lideatrick Griffin, WR Jaden Walley, OC Cole Smith, OG Nick Jones, OT Kwatrivous Johnson, OT Kameron Jones, DE Jaden Crumedy, NT Nathan Pickering, LB Jett Johnson, LB Nathaniel Watson, CB Decamerion Richardson, NB Shawn Preston Jr. and PR Zavion Thomas.
Key Players Departing:
RB Dillon Johnson, WR Caleb Ducking, WR Rufus Harvey, WR Rara Thomas, WR Austin Williams, OC LaQuinston Sharp, DE Randy Charlton, NG Cameron Young, LB DeShawn Page, LB Sherman Timbs, LB Tyrus Wheat, CB Emmanuel Forbes, NB Jackie Matthews, FS Collin Duncan, SS Londyn Craft, SS Jalen Green, PK Massimo Biscardi and PT George Georgopoulos.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: ATH Creed Whittemore (Gainesville, Florida), WR Issac Smith (Fulton, Mississippi), TE Seydou Traore (Colorado transfer), RB Ty Jones (Bay Springs, Mississippi) and DS Brice Pollock (Snellville, Georgia).
3 Star Recruits: RB Keyvone Lee (Penn State transfer), WR Freddie Roberson (Eastern Washington transfer), CB Khamauri Rogers (Miami, FL transfer), DL Jonathan Davis (Monticello, Mississippi) and CB Raydarious Jones (LSU transfer).
2022 Results:
G01 MEMPHIS W 49-23
G02 @ Arizona W 39-17
G03 @ LSU L 16-31
G04 BOWLING GREEN W 45-14
G05 #17 TEXAS A&M W 42-24
G06 ARKANSAS W 40-17
G07 @ #22 Kentucky L 17-27
G08 @ #6 Alabama L 6-30
G09 AUBURN W | OT 39-33
G10 #1 GOERGIA L 19-45
G11 EAST TEENESSEE STATE W 56-7
G12 @ #20 Ole Miss W 24-22
BOWL vs. Illinois W 19-10
Team Info:
2022 Overall: 9-4 (3rd in SEC West)
Home: 6-1
Away: 2-3
Neutral: 1-0
SEC: 4-4
Non-SEC: 5-0
Head Coach: Zach Arnett
Mississippi State: 1-0
Career: 1-0
Bowls: 1-0
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Will Rogers (415-610, 3974 yards, 68.0 avg., 6.5 avg., 35 TD, 8 INT)
Rushing: Jo’quavious Marks (113 car., 582 yards, 5.2 avg., 9 TD)
Receiving: Jo’quavious Marks (48 rec., 288 yards, 6.0 avg., 0 TD)
TD’s Scored: Jo’quavious Marks (9)
Sacks: Nathanial Watson (6)
Tackles: Jett Johnson (115)
Interceptions: Shawn Preston Jr./Nathanial Watson (1)
Pass Deflections: Decamerion Richardson (3)
Tackles For Loss: Nathanial Watson (12)
Forced Fumbles: Jordan Davis/Nathanial Watson (1)
Kick Returns: Lideatrick Griffin (19 ret., 613 yards, 32.3 avg., 1 TD)
Punt Returns: Zavion Thomas (15 ret., 202 yards, 13.5 avg., 1 TD)
Kicking: None
Punting: None
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 2 Will Rogers (SR)
RB: 7 Jo’quavious Marks (SR)
WR: 3 Justin Robinson (RS JR/TR)
WR: 1 Zavion Thomas (SO)
WR: 5 Lideatrick Griffin (SR)
TE: 88 Ryland Goede (GR/TR)
LT: 69 Kwatrivous Johnson (GR)
LG: 66 Nick Jones (SR/TR)
OC: 57 Cole Smith (GR/TR)
RG: 64 Steven Losoya III (RS SR/TR)
RT: 58 Kameron Jones (GR)
KR: 5 Lideatrick Griffin (SR)
PK: 80 Kyle Ferrie (FR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 9 De’Monte Russell (RS SR)
NT: 22 Nathan Pickering (SR)
DE: 94 Jaden Crumedy (GR)
LB: 44 Jett Johnson (GR)
LB: 14 Nathanial Watson (GR)
LB: 00 DeShawn Page (RS SR/TR)
NB: 7 Shawn Preston Jr. (GR)
CB: 3 Decamerion Richardson (SR)
CB: 2 Esaias Fudge (GR)
FS: 21 Hunter Washington (RS SO/TR)
BS: 1 Marcus Banks (SR/TR)
PR: 1 Zavion Thomas (SO)
PT: 83 Keelan Crimmins (FR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: A
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: A
Kickers: C
Punters: B
Schedule:
09/02 SE LOUISIANA LIONS | Hail State won (34-10) the only prior meeting between schools in 2008.
09/09 ARIZONA WILDCATS | Last season’s 39-17 win was the first meeting between schools.
09/16 LSU TIGERS | Hail State trails the series 38-75-3. The Bulldogs are 3-7 since 2013 and their last series win (44-34) was in 2020.
09/23 @ South Carolina Gamecocks | Hail State trails the series 7-9. The Bulldogs won (27-14) the last meeting between schools in 2016.
09/30 ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE | Hail State trails the series 17-87-3. The Bulldogs are 0-10 since 2013 and their last series win (17-12) was in 2007.
10/07 WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS | First meeting between schools.
10/21 @ Arkansas Razorbacks | Hail State trails the series 14-18-1. The Bulldogs are 7-3 since 2013 and their last series loss (28-31) was in 2021.
10/28 @ Auburn Tigers | Hail State trails the series 31-62-3. The Bulldogs are 5-5 since 2013 and their last series loss (10-24) was in 2020.
11/04 KENTUCKY WILDCATS | Hail State leads the series 26-24. The Bulldogs are 6-4 since 2013 and their last series win (31-17) was in 2021.
11/11 @ Texas A&M Aggies | Hail State leads the series 9-7. The Bulldogs are 6-4 since 2013 and their last series loss (14-28) was in 2020.
11/18 SOUTHERN MISS GOLDEN EAGLES | Hail State leads the series 17-12-1. The Bulldogs won (38-15) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
11/23 OLE MISS REBELS | Hail State trails the series 49-64-6. The Bulldogs are 5-5 since 2013 and their last series loss (21-31) was in 2021.
Predictions:
Home: 7-1
Away: 4-0
Neutral: 0-1
SEC: 8-0
Non-SEC: 3-2
Overall: 11-2 (1st in SEC West)
gridironpredictions.net 