2018 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team

Last updated

2018 Mississippi State Bulldogs football
Mississippi State Bulldogs logo.svg
Outback Bowl, L 22–27 vs. Iowa
Conference Southeastern Conference
DivisionWestern Division
Ranking
CoachesNo. 25
Record0–5, 8 wins vacated (0–4 SEC, 4 wins vacated)
Head coach
Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy (1st season)
Offensive scheme Spread
Defensive coordinator Bob Shoop (1st season)
Base defense 4–3
Home stadium Davis Wade Stadium
Seasons
←  2017
2019  →
2018 Southeastern Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
East Division
No. 7т Georgia x  7 –1   11 –3  
No. 12 Kentucky  5 –3   10 –3  
No. 7т Florida  5 –3   10 –3  
South Carolina  4 –4   7 –6  
Missouri  4 –4   8 –5  
Vanderbilt  3 –5   6 –7  
Tennessee  2 –6   5 –7  
West Division
No. 2 Alabama x$^  8 –0   14 –1  
No. 16 Texas A&M  5 –3   9 –4  
No. 6 LSU  5 –3   10 –3  
Mississippi State* 4 –4   8 –5  
Auburn  3 –5   8 –5  
Ole Miss  1 –7   5 –7  
Arkansas  0 –8   2 –10  
Championship: Alabama 35, Georgia 28
  • ^ – College Football Playoff participant
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • * Mississippi State vacated four conference and eight total wins due to NCAA violations. [1]
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2018 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bulldogs played their home games at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi and competed in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by first-year head coach Joe Moorhead. Mississippi State subsequently vacated all eight victories due to NCAA sanctions due to academic misconduct involving 10 players and a tutor in online coursework. [1] [2]

Contents

Preseason

Award watch lists

Listed in the order that they were released

AwardPlayerPositionYear
Lott Trophy [3] Jeffery Simmons DTJR
Rimington Trophy [4] Elgton Jenkins CSR
Chuck Bednarik Award [5] Montez Sweat DESR
Jeffery SimmonsDTJR
Maxwell Award [6] Nick Fitzgerald QBSR
Davey O'Brien Award [7] Nick FitzgeraldQBSR
Doak Walker Award [8] Aeris Williams RBSR
Bronko Nagurski Trophy [9] Jeffery SimmonsDTJR
Montez SweatDESR
Outland Trophy [10] Jeffery SimmonsDTJR
Lou Groza Award [11] Jace ChristmannKSO
Paul Hornung Award [12] Deddrick ThomasWR/KRJR
Wuerffel Trophy [13] Gerri Green LBSR
Ted Hendricks Award [14] Montez SweatDESR
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award [15] Nick FitzgeraldQBSR
Manning Award [16] Nick FitzgeraldQBSR

SEC media poll

The SEC media poll was released on July 20, 2018 with the Bulldogs predicted to finish in third place in the West Division. [17]

Media poll (West)
Predicted finishTeamVotes (1st place)
1Alabama1,971 (263)
2Auburn1,664 (19)
3Mississippi State1,239 (2)
4Texas A&M1,091
5LSU1,025
6Ole Miss578
7Arkansas412

Preseason All-SEC teams

The Bulldogs had five players selected to the preseason all-SEC teams.

Schedule

All eight victories were subsequently vacated as part of NCAA sanctions due to academic misconduct involving a tutor and online coursework. [1] [2]

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 16:30 p.m. Stephen F. Austin *No. 18
 ESPNU W 63–6 (vacated)54,289
September 811:00 a.m.at Kansas State *No. 18
 ESPN W 31–10 (vacated)49,784
September 156:30 p.m. Louisiana *No. 16
  • Davis Wade Stadium
  • Starkville, MS
 ESPN2 W 56–10 (vacated)56,505
September 226:00 p.m.at Kentucky No. 14
ESPN2L 7–2860,037
September 295:00 p.m. Florida No. 23
 ESPN L 6–1361,406
October 66:30 p.m.No. 8 Auburn
  • Davis Wade Stadium
  • Starkville, MS
ESPN2W 23–9 (vacated)60,635
October 206:00 p.m.at No. 5 LSU No. 22
ESPNL 3–19101,340
October 276:00 p.m.No. 16 Texas A&M
  • Davis Wade Stadium
  • Starkville, MS
ESPNW 28–13 (vacated)57,085
November 36:30 p.m. Louisiana Tech *Dagger-14-plain.pngNo. 18
  • Davis Wade Stadium
  • Starkville, MS
 SECN W 45–3 (vacated)58,709
November 102:30 p.m.at No. 1 Alabama No. 16
 CBS L 0–24101,821
November 1711:00 a.m. Arkansas No. 21
  • Davis Wade Stadium
  • Starkville, MS
ESPNW 52–6 (vacated)57,772
November 226:30 p.m.at Ole Miss No. 18
 ESPN W 35–3 (vacated)56,561
January 111:00 a.m.vs. Iowa *No. 18
ESPN2L 22–2740,518
Schedule Source: [18]

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend:██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
RV = Received votes.
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314Final
AP 1818161423RV2422RV211825222018RV
Coaches 1818161419RVRVRVRV21152320191825
CFP Not released181621181818Not released

Game summaries

Stephen F. Austin

1234Total
Lumberjacks03306
No. 18 Bulldogs2114141463

At Kansas State

1234Total
No. 18 Bulldogs3147731
Wildcats307010

Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald made his first appearance on the football fields since November 2017, when a foot injury sidelined him for the season and a 1-game suspension kept him out of the season opener. Fitzgerald threw for 154 yards with two touchdowns and ran for another 159 yards. Mississippi State compiled a total of 538 yards of total offense where Kansas State only managed 213.

Kansas State continued with its two-quarterback system, switching snaps between Skylar Thompson and Alex Delton. Kansas State running back Alex Barnes managed 75 yards rushing, but the Wildcats fell short to lose the game 31-10. [19]

Louisiana

1234Total
Ragin' Cajuns300710
No. 16 Bulldogs142114756

At Kentucky

1234Total
No. 14 Bulldogs07007
Wildcats0771428

Florida

1234Total
Gators037313
No. 23 Bulldogs33006

Auburn

1234Total
No. 8 Tigers30339
Bulldogs3103723

At LSU

1234Total
No. 22 Bulldogs30003
No. 5 Tigers736319

Texas A&M

1234Total
No. 16 Aggies0103013
Bulldogs7071428

Louisiana Tech

1234Total
LT Bulldogs30003
No. 21 MSU Bulldogs21107745

At Alabama

1234Total
No. 18 Bulldogs00000
No. 1 Crimson Tide1470324

Arkansas

1234Total
Razorbacks03306
No. 25 Bulldogs314211452

At Ole Miss

1234Total
No. 22 Bulldogs7147735
Rebels03003

Vs. Iowa (Outback Bowl)

1234Total
Hawkeyes0177327
No. 18 Bulldogs6013322

Players drafted into the NFL

RoundPickPlayerPositionNFL Club
119 Jeffery Simmons DT Tennessee Titans
126 Montez Sweat DE Washington Redskins
127 Johnathan Abram S Oakland Raiders
244 Elgton Jenkins C Green Bay Packers
6199 Gerri Green LB Indianapolis Colts

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Egg Bowl</span> American college football rivalry

The Egg Bowl is the name given to the Ole Miss–Mississippi State football rivalry. It is an American college football rivalry game played annually between Southeastern Conference members Mississippi State University and Ole Miss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 South Carolina Gamecocks football team</span> American college football season

The 2010 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Steve Spurrier, who was in his sixth season at USC. The Gamecocks played their home games at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina and were members of the East Division of the Southeastern Conference. The Gamecocks finished the season 9–5, 5–3 in SEC play to win the East Division for the first and only time in program history. They earned their first appearance in the SEC Championship where they were defeated by Auburn 17–56. They were invited to the Chick-fil-A Bowl, where they were defeated by Florida State 17–26.

Joe Moorhead is an American college football coach. He is the head football coach at the University of Akron, a position he has held since the 2022 season. Moorhead served as the head football coach at Fordham University from 2012 to 2015 and Mississippi State University from 2018 to 2019. Prior to entering coaching, Moorhead played as a quarterback at Fordham from 1992 to 1995 and professionally for the Munich Cowboys of the German Football League from 1996 to 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LSU–Mississippi State football rivalry</span> American college football rivalry

The LSU–Mississippi State football rivalry, sometimes informally known as “Cowbells vs Cajuns” is an American college football rivalry between the LSU Tigers and Mississippi State Bulldogs. Both universities are founding members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and are currently members of the SEC West with a total of 117 meetings. This rivalry is LSU's longest and Mississippi State's second behind the Egg Bowl against the University of Mississippi. LSU leads the series 75–36–3.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Fitzgerald (American football)</span> American football player (born 1996)

Nicholas Dylan Fitzgerald is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He played college football for the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Southeastern Conference football season</span> Sports season

The 2018 Southeastern Conference football season represents the 86th season of SEC football taking place during the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The season began on August 30 and will end with the SEC Championship Game, between Alabama and Georgia, on December 1. The SEC is a Power Five conference under the College Football Playoff format along with the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Big 12 Conference, the Big Ten Conference, and the Pac-12 Conference. For the 2018 season, the SEC has 14 teams divided into two divisions of seven each, named East and West.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Alabama Crimson Tide football team</span> American college football season

The 2018 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. This season marked the Crimson Tide's 124th overall season, 85th as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and 27th within the SEC Western Division. They played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and were led by twelfth-year head coach Nick Saban.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Tennessee Volunteers football team</span> American college football season

The 2018 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Volunteers played their home games at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee and competed in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by first-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt. They finished the season 5–7, 2–6 in SEC play to finish in last place in the Eastern Division.

The 2018 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented Pennsylvania State University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by fifth-year head coach James Franklin and played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. They were a member of the East Division of the Big Ten Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Ole Miss Rebels football team</span> American college football season

The 2018 Ole Miss Rebels football team represented the University of Mississippi in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Rebels played their home games at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi and competed in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by second-year head coach Matt Luke. They finished the season 5–7, 1–7 in SEC play to finish in sixth place in the Western Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 South Carolina Gamecocks football team</span> American college football season

The 2018 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. This season marks the Gamecocks 125th overall season, 27th as a member of the SEC, and 3rd under head coach Will Muschamp. The Gamecocks play their home games at Williams–Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Vanderbilt Commodores football team</span> American college football season

The 2018 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Commodores played their home games at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee and competed in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by fifth-year head coach Derek Mason. Vanderbilt finished the season 6–7, 3–5 in SEC play to finish in 6th place in the East Division. They were invited to play in the Texas Bowl where they were defeated by Baylor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Texas A&M Aggies football team</span> American college football season

The 2018 Texas A&M Aggies football team represents Texas A&M University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Aggies play their home games at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas and compete in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by first-year head coach Jimbo Fisher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Auburn Tigers football team</span> American college football season

The 2018 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers played their home games at Jordan–Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama and competed in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by sixth-year head coach Gus Malzahn. The Tigers finished the season 8–5, 3–5 in SEC play to finish 5th in the West Division. They were invited to the Music City Bowl, where they defeated Purdue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Florida Gators football team</span> American college football season

The 2018 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Gators played their home games at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida. Florida played as a member of the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by first-year head coach Dan Mullen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Georgia Bulldogs football team</span> American college football season

The 2018 Georgia Bulldogs football team represented the University of Georgia during the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bulldogs played their home games at Sanford Stadium and competed as members of the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference. They were led by third-year head coach Kirby Smart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 LSU Tigers football team</span> American college football season

The 2018 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University during the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and competed in the West Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by second-year head coach Ed Orgeron.

The 2018 Missouri Tigers football team represented the University of Missouri in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers played their home games at Faurot Field as members of the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference. They were led by third-year head coach Barry Odom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Kentucky Wildcats football team</span> 2018 University of Kentucky football season

The 2018 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats played their home games at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky and competed in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by sixth-year head coach Mark Stoops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Georgia Bulldogs football team</span> American college football season

The 2022 Georgia Bulldogs football team represented the University of Georgia in the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bulldogs played their home games at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia, and competed in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by seventh-year head coach Kirby Smart. They entered the season as the defending consensus national champions.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Journal, Logan Lowery Daily. "MSU fires Moorhead after two seasons". Daily Journal. All eight of Moorhead's victories in 2018 had to be vacated after 10 football players were reprimanded by the NCAA for academic misconduct involving a former part-time tutor and an online chemistry class.
  2. 1 2 "Mississippi State placed on 3 years probation by NCAA". WTVA News. Associated Press. Mississippi State has received three years' probation from the NCAA after an investigation determined a part-time student tutor completed coursework for 10 football players and one men's basketball player in an online class.
  3. ↑ "2018 Watch List | Lott IMPACT Trophy | Honoring College Football's Defensive Best". lottimpacttrophy.org. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Rimington Trophy Press Release". May 30, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  5. ↑ "2018 Bednarik Award Watch List". July 16, 2018. Archived from the original on July 16, 2018. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
  6. ↑ "2018 Maxwell Award Watch List". July 16, 2018. Archived from the original on July 16, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Davey O'Brien Award Watch List includes 26 players". July 17, 2018. Archived from the original on July 17, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  8. ↑ "2018 Doak Walker Award Candidates". July 18, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  9. ↑ "2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Preseason Watch List". July 24, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  10. ↑ "22018 OUTLAND TROPHY WATCH LIST UNVEILED". July 24, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Announces 2018 Preseason Watch List". July 25, 2018. Archived from the original on August 17, 2009. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
  12. ↑ "43 PLAYERS NAMED TO 2018 PAUL HORNUNG AWARD WATCH LIST". July 26, 2018. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Wuerffel Trophy Unveils 2018 Watch List". July 26, 2018. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Preseason Watch List - 2018 edition of the Ted Hendricks Award" (PDF). August 14, 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 14, 2018. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Watch List for 2018 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award ® Presented by A. O. Smith Announced". August 14, 2018. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Manning Award: See which quarterbacks made the preseason watch list for 2018". August 16, 2018. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Media predicts Alabama to win 2018 SEC Championship". www.secsports.com.
  18. ↑ "2018 Mississippi State Bulldogs Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Fitzgerald leads No. 18 Miss St to 31-10 rout of K-State". ESPN. September 15, 2018. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.