Louisiana Tech @ Mississippi State preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 9, 2017 ) Mississippi State 57, Louisiana Tech 21

Mississippi State's offense sinks or swims with Nick Fitzgerald and it hopes its senior quarterback keeps his head above water again when it hosts Louisiana Tech in a battle of Bulldogs on Saturday. Fitzgerald bounced back from a four-interception performance at No. 4 LSU two games ago by passing for 241 yards and accounting for four touchdowns in Mississippi State's 28-13 victory over Texas A&M last week.

"I'm happy for every single person in our program, but I'm most happy for that kid, because he deserves it," Mississippi State coach Joe Moorhead told reporters after Fitzgerald passed for more yards than he did in his previous three games combined. "That's the way we expect Fitzgerald to play." Mississippi State, which is ranked 21st and bidding for its ninth straight bowl appearance, averaged 50 points in three non-conference victories this season but 13.4 in five SEC contests. Fitzgerald, who missed the season-opening 63-6 win over Stephen F. Austin because he violated a team rule, is completing only 49.1 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and seven interceptions but paces the team with 732 rushing yards and nine scores. Louisiana Tech, which is 4-1 in Conference USA, is riding a three-game winning streak after prevailing at Florida Atlantic 21-13 last week to become bowl-eligible for the fifth straight season.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network. LINE: Mississippi State -23.5

ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (6-2): Senior defensive end Jaylon Ferguson is the FBS active leader in career sacks with 38, including a nation-best 10.5 this season, and set the C-USA all-time record after recording one last week. Junior quarterback J'Mar Smith completes 57 percent of his passes and has thrown 12 touchdowns and six interceptions with sophomore wideout Adrian Hardy (38 catches, 644 yards) on the receiving end of five scores. Junior running back Jaqwis Dancy, who is cancer-free after completing treatment for stage 3 Hodgkin lymphoma last year, has rushed for team highs of 485 yards and six touchdowns.

ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE (5-3): The defense yields an SEC-low 283.8 yards per game -- sixth nationally -- and its 13.5 points allowed is fourth in the country. The unit is led by senior defensive end Montez Sweat, who has 8.5 sacks and seven quarterback hurries while sophomore linebacker Erroll Thompson and sophomore cornerback Cam Dantzler have two interceptions apiece. Sophomore running back Kylin Hill, who rushed for 337 of his 516 yards this season in two contests, missed the Texas A&M game because of a hamstring injury but Moorhead is optimistic Hill will play Saturday.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Mississippi State has allowed only four passing touchdowns this season -- fewest in FBS -- while Louisiana Tech has yielded seven.

2. Fitzgerald has rushed for 100 or more yards 18 times -- a school record -- with Mississippi State 15-3 in such games.

3. Mississippi State has won three straight meetings, including 57-21 last season in a contest that included an 87-yard fumble in the fourth quarter that caused a third-and-93 for Louisiana Tech and Fitzgerald accounting for five touchdowns.

PREDICTION: Mississippi State 35, Louisiana Tech 10