The Mississippi State Bulldogs were stellar throughout this past Saturday's 41-20 victory over Southern Miss. The game was interim head coach Greg Knox's first in that role this season, and it will also be his penultimate one.
When Knox took over after previous head coach Zach Arnett was fired on Nov. 13, he stated that the ultimate goal was to win the state title. Mississippi State handled Southern Miss, but its next matchup against No. 12 Ole Miss in the 120th annual Egg Bowl won't be so easy.
Knox previewed the Rebels during Monday's press conference, and emphasized that "very very good" quarterback Jaxson Dart may bring the most trouble to the Bulldogs' defense.
"He's confident," Knox said. "I've been watching him all year and he plays with a sense of maturity, he throws the ball well and knows where he wants to go with it. He's the complete package. When protection breaks down, he can run. I like his style and his attitude. I think he's doing a really good job for them right now and he's the key to their offense."
In his second year as the starter, Dart has completed 194-of-292 attempts (66.4 percent) for 2,889 yards (sixth-most in the SEC) and 19 touchdowns (tied for fourth-most). His five interceptions this season are a significant improvement from last year's 11. Additionally, the Davey O'Brien Award semifinalist spreads the ball so well that three of his receivers are in the top 10 in the conference in receiving yards.
As Knox mentioned, Dart can also run the ball well. His 347 rushing yards are 22nd among all players in the SEC, and his seven touchdowns on the ground are tied for the fifth-most in the conference.
Knox and his defense don't have much time to prepare for Dart, as they play the first game (among power five teams) of rivalry week on the night of Thanksgiving at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.
More must-reads: