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 4^th 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 16^th 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 21^st: Kentucky comes to Starkville in an evenly matched game. Nick Fitzgerald will be the difference and MSU wins.

October 28^th @ Texas A&M: MSU upset the Aggies in 2016. That won’t happen in 2017 in College Station.

November 18^th @ 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.