Bowling Green @ Mississippi State preview

Mississippi State tries to recover from a shellacking at the hands of LSU when it hosts Bowling Green on Saturday. The game has the makings of a shootout as the Bulldogs average 32.4 points and the Falcons 32.0. It’s the first-ever meeting and Mississippi State’s first game ever against a current Mid-American Conference team.

Bowling Green enters on a three-game win streak, but the Falcons got whipped 42-10 by Indiana in their only game against a BCS conference team. Mississippi State’s only wins came against Alcorn State and Troy. This is homecoming for the Bulldogs, who will play six straight SEC games after this one, and a chance to make a statement for Bowling Green, which is 4-6 all-time against SEC foes.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN, ESPN3. LINE: Mississippi State -10.5

ABOUT BOWLING GREEN (5-1, 3-0 MAC): The Falcons went from two wins in 2010 to five in 2011 to eight last year and are off to a great start again under fifth-year coach Dave Clawson. Redshirt sophomore QB Matt Johnson made his first start in Week 2 and has been dynamite, throwing for 1,395 yards and nine touchdowns against three interceptions while rushing for another score. Watch out for freshman WR Ronnie Moore, who already has three plays of 37 yards or more.

ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE (2-3, 0-2 SEC): Senior QB Tyler Russell returned from a concussion last week to throw two touchdowns, giving him a school-record 39, but sophomore Dak Prescott started against the Tigers and continued to shine as well. Prescott has three passing touchdowns, four rushing scores and a receiving touchdown in three home games. Senior RB LaDarius Perkins averaged 8.1 yards per carry in the 59-26 loss to LSU, but has yet to score a touchdown.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Under coach Dan Mullen, the Bulldogs are 11-2 at home in non-conference games.

2. Bowling Green returned nine starters on defense and leads the MAC in scoring defense, total defense and red-zone defense.

3. Bowling Green hasn’t beaten an SEC school since defeating Kentucky in 1985.

PREDICTION: Mississippi State 31, Bowling Green 27