Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen
By Brett Hudson
Nearing the conclusion of the 2012 season, the Mississippi State Bulldogs were reaching unparalleled heights. The Bulldogs were ranked in the top 25, undefeated with seven wins and on their way to Bryant-Denny Stadium to face the soon-to-be national champions in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
The Bulldogs left that game losers, as they did in four of their last five games, not including the loss to Northwestern in the Gator Bowl.
“We’ve got to find a way to bounce back and find a way to win the next game,” Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen said. “That’s what it’s all about in our conference.”
There’s more than just a bitter taste in the mouth to kick the Bulldogs into gear for the season opener: the season opener itself helps, too, as a marquee matchup with the Oklahoma State Cowboys in Houston, Texas, looms in the near future.
“It changes the sense of urgency,” Mullen said of the last six games of the season. “There are guys that have been around our program a while and are used to winning.
“That really draws that sense of urgency right from day one that kickoff is coming. I want to see how that affects us.”
Mullen will have to do so with some fresh faces, as the Bulldogs will look to the next generation for playmakers with only ten seniors on the roster.
“A lot hinges on how fast these young guys step not only into playmaking roles, but leadership roles from the big senior class that walked out the door,” Mullen said.
