Kennesaw State Owls Preview
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Entering its third year of existence the Kennesaw State University football program, by playing well and providing some big wins for two years, has something it didn’t have before. It has something that, usually, no third-year program has any right to have. It has expectations.
Knights Early Journey
By: Alex Mathis
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
After two weeks, Brandon Derrick’s Knights are 1-1.
Their first game was in Montgomery, Alabama against Parklane Academy of Mississippi.
On top of first game jitters, the Knights faced extreme heat and a very big and talented Parklane team. The Knights kicked off at 230 central time. The on field temperature had to be close to 110 degrees. The Knights started off very sloppy.
Glynn Academy’s Season Opener
By: Christian Goeckel
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The football season in Glynn County began with a resounding thud, as Glynn Academy fell to Benedictine 33-8.
What was expected to be a heavyweight fight became more of a “Who can put the ball on the ground more?”.
Mississippi State Bulldogs Preview
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Richmond Hill’s own Nick Fitzgerald is back for his junior season in Starkville, Mississippi as he leads his Mississippi State Bulldogs into SEC play.
When Fitzgerald played for Richmond Hill he ran the triple option system and dominated Coastal Georgia during his time as the Wildcats starting quarterback. He was rated a three star QB when he signed with the Bulldogs in 2014. Fitzgerald redshirted in 2014 and served as Dak Prescott’s back-up in 2015.
Fitzgerald got his chance in 2016 to be the face of Bulldog football and did not disappoint. Fitzgerald led the Bulldogs to an upset win over No. 4 Texas A&M, recording 391 yards of total offense and scoring 4 total touchdowns, including a 74-yard touchdown run on the Bulldogs’ first offensive play.
In the Egg Bowl, the Bulldogs’ annual season finale against in state rival Ole Miss, Fitzgerald led Mississippi State to a 55-20 victory and accounted for 5 total touchdowns (3 passing 2 rushing) while setting a Mississippi State single game rushing record with 258 yards.
Here is a mind blowing stat; Fitzgerald, who plays QB, was the second leading rusher in the SEC in 2016 with 1375 yards and a 7.1 YPC average.
Derrius Guice of LSU led the SEC with 1387 yards rushing. Fitzgerald had more rushing yards in 2016 than Leonard Fournette, Nick Chubb, and Kamryn Pettway. That is saying a lot folks.
Fitzgerald also passed for 2400 yards. He accounted for 37 TD’s in 2016 (21 passing and 16 rushing) and accounted for 3,800 yards of total offense. Fitzgerald has the perfect skill set to run Dan Mullen’s spread attack in Starkville. Fitzgerald is a developing passer who must improve on his completion percentage. It was 54.3% in 2016.
Offensive line is a huge question mark for the Bulldogs. Donald Gray and Keith Mixon lead the WR group. Farrod Green and Justin Johnson are good TE’s and could be good options as well in the passing game.
Aeris Williams is a solid RB who had 720 yards in 2016 and could take on a bigger role in running game and could take some of the rushing load off Fitzgerald.
Former UGA DC Todd Grantham takes over the MSU defense in 2017. Grantham is the 4th DC in 4 years in Starkville. Grantham has an attacking style and has some players in place to make a difference.
Defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons, a former five-star recruit, and linebacker Leo Lewis are both top tier talents in the SEC. Chauncey Rivers road to Starkville was chronicled in Last Chance U and he will provide a spark on defense. Johnathan Abram a UGA transfer will help in the secondary.
The Schedule/Predicted win/loss: The Bulldogs will beat Charleston Southern, Louisiana Tech, UMass, BYU, and Ole Miss who will be beaten to a pulp by the NCAA. That is five sure wins I see.
Losses: I don’t see the Bulldogs beating UGA and Auburn on the road. They will not beat Alabama at home.
So the Bulldogs are sitting at 5-3. Let’s take a look at the toss-up games I see on the MSU schedule:
September 16th LSU in Starkville. I’m not sold on LSU in 2017 yet. Especially at the QB position. I think the Bulldogs get Davis Wade Stadium rocking and pull the upset.
October 21st: Kentucky comes to Starkville in an evenly matched game. Nick Fitzgerald will be the difference and MSU wins.
October 28th @ Texas A&M: MSU upset the Aggies in 2016. That won’t happen in 2017 in College Station.
November 18th @ Arkansas: Tough game for the Bulldogs. I think they find a way to beat Arkansas on the road.
Season Record: 8-4 and 4-4 in the SEC with a Liberty Bowl berth in Memphis.
Georgia State Panthers Preview
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
As an Atlanta native I’m still getting used to Georgia State having a football program.
The Panthers began playing football in 2010. By comparison Georgia and Georgia Tech’s inaugural season was 1892. Georgia Southern started playing in 1924. So, it’s an understatement to say GA State lacks in tradition.
South Carolina Gamecocks Preview
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
As a college football fan what would you rather see: Your team struggle to a below .500 record and finish near the bottom of your division, but have your in-state rival go through those same pains; or would you want to have a successful season only to see those same rivals win a national title? Basically, is it more important to you that your favorite team wins, or that your least favorite loses?
When it comes the University of South Carolina and their fans, last year was the worst of both those scenarios.
Not only did the Gamecocks finish the season with a record of 6-7 and tied for fifth in the SEC East, but they had to sit and watch the one team they despise more than winning be crowned “Champions”.
Alabama Crimson Tide Preview
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Nick Saban nearly capped off his first decade as head coach for Alabama with his fifth national championship, but fell short at the last second.
Now in his 11th season, the Crimson Tide look to right that wrong and bring the title to where it they think it’s the most comfortable; Tuscaloosa.
Florida State Seminoles Preview
By: Alex Mathis
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Florida State Seminoles had a season of ups and downs during the 2016 season.
For most teams a 10-3 record would be called a success, but for FSU, not so much.
Valdosta State Blazers Preview
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Coming off a solid 8-3 season in Kerwin Bell’s first season as head coach the Valdosta State University Blazers have high hopes for the 2017 season.
LSU Tigers Preview
By: Christian Goeckel
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Bayou Bengals found themselves in a situation last year very reminiscent to the one UGA faced at the end of 2015.
Season after season ended in mediocrity, and elite player after elite player never realized their potential, only to dominate later in the NFL. In a word, the program had stagnated.
So, like Georgia, they moved on from their long time coach in Les Miles. Unlike Georgia however, they didn’t go for the upstart coordinator, and didn’t even flirt with the usual suspects that fans typically clamor for when a job of this magnitude opens up.
They, instead, went with a coach already on the staff, one the players would rally around during a turbulent time; Ed Orgeron. A Louisiana native with an accent thicker than jambalaya, and a coaching resume that spans the length of the country.
Today we take a look at what to expect out of the Tigers in 2017.
