Dawgs Play The Bulldogs

FOOTBALL

 Dawgs

at

Mississippi State

Overall: 1-2                          7 p.m. ET                          Overall: 1-2
SEC: 0-2                              Starkville, Miss.                              SEC: 0-1
Davis Wade Stadium
at Scott Field (55,082)

THE COACHES

Mark Richt is in his 10th season at Georgia and overall with a record of 91-29 (.758).
The Bulldogs’ offensive coordinator is Mike Bobo and Todd Grantham serves as the
defensive coordinator.

Dan Mullen is in his second season at MSU and overall with a record of 6-9 (.400).
Les Koenning serves as the offensive coordinator and the co-defensive coordinators are Manny Diaz and Chris Wilson.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN GEORGIA HAS THE BALL

With junior flanker A.J. Green sidelined because of a suspension, senior flanker Kris
Durham has developed into Georgia’s primary receiving threat who is enjoying a career
season. Durham hauled in a career-high 101 yards on five catches, including a 46-
yarder, against #12 Arkansas. Durham has been the leading receiver in each of the three games. He has 13 catches for 260 yards and one touchdown on the year. Aaron Murray posted a career-high 253 yards passing in a touchdown during the 31-24 loss to #12 Arkansas. In the Arkansas game, Washaun Ealey scampered for 87 yards and a TD.

Senior linebacker K.J. Wright was all over the field on Saturday night in Tiger
Stadium. Wright was credited with 12 total tackles, one-half tackle for loss and a pass
breakup. He had eight tackles in the first quarter alone, and he now leads the team with 23 total stops on the season. Chris White is among the top 10 in the SEC in both total tackles and tackles behind the line of scrimmage. The defense held LSU to only 264 yards of total offense, including only 97 passing, the lowest total since holding
Vanderbilt to 61 through the air] in 2008.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN MISSISSIPPI STATE HAS THE BALL

Sophomore strong safety Bacarri Rambo leads the Bulldog defense with 25 tackles.
At #24 South Carolina, Rambo registered a career-best 12 tackles. He followed that
performance up with a team-high seven tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss, in a loss
to #12 Arkansas. Junior DeAngelo Tyson has started at nose for Georgia the first three
games as the team showcases its new 3-4 defense. Justin Houston is tied for third in
the league with three sacks through three games.

In his 15 games as head coach at Mississippi State, Dan Mullen’s team has eclipsed
the 100-yard rushing mark in all but one contest. Through just three games, nine different offensive players have at least one rushing attempt and 11 different players have at least one reception. Dating back to last season, State has scored on its first touch of the second half in five consecutive games and seven of its last eight. Tyler Russell played only one drive against Auburn, but returned to the field at LSU after starter Chris Relf was temporarily sidelined.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Georgia junior punter Drew Butler and junior place-kicker Blair Walsh rank among the
nation’s best at their respective positions. So far in 2010, Butler has averaged 44.6
yards on 16 punts, four that went for 50+. Walsh connected on two FGs, one from 52
yards and the other from 48 yards, in the 2010 season opener. The 52 yarder tied for
the second-longest of his career. Walsh was also 7-for-7 in PATs versus UL and is now 102-for-102 in his career. Against Arkansas, Walsh drilled a 43-yarder and is now 5-for-5 on the year.

Punter Heath Hutchins averages nearly 41 yards per kick and has landed five inside
the 20 so far this season. Fletcher Cox blocked a fourth-quarter field goal attempt by
Auburn two weeks ago, the second such block of his young career. Cox also swatted
away a field goal attempt against Houston last season. MSU is last in the SEC in kickoff coverage with no touchbacks.

SERIES/GAME NOTES

Record: Dawgs lead 16-5 (Won Last 9)

Mississippi State and Georgia, two charter members of the SEC, meet for just the
22nd time on the gridiron... Of all the original schools in the SEC, the Bulldogs have only played Vanderbilt (also 21 games) as less often as Georgia...The Magnolia State
Bulldogs look to end a nine-game losing streak to their nickname counterparts, dating
back to a 38-14 MSU victory in Jackson in 1974. The Bulldogs haven’t played each
other since 2006.

Radio / TV

Dawgs: Fun 101 FM (101.1) – Pre-Game Starts At 4:00 pm / XM: 141 / Sirius: 121

Bulldogs: WXWX-FM (96.3) / XM: 200 / Sirius: 219

TV: FSN - Bob Rathbun, play-by-play; Tim Couch, analyst; Jen Hildreth, sidelines

On Line: Georgiadogs.com