Bleav in Mississippi State

Mississippi State's path to the SEC Tournament is narrow indeed. The Bulldogs must win at least twice against SEC Champions Tennessee on Dudy Noble Field this weekend. But they also need help elsewhere, with Kentucky or Alabama losing two more times than State does; and Missouri losing at least once. This is the price of inconsistent offense relying too much on power, of slow starting pitching and unreliable relief work. State will stick with the same all-right-handed rotation one last weekend. Tennessee is playing for the #1 overall NCAA seeding. Bulldog RJ Yeager is a finalist for the Boo Ferriss Trophy given to the state of Mississippi's top college ballplayer.

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Mississippi State's fragile grip on the last berth in the SEC Tournament slipped at last. The Bulldogs were swept at Texas A&M and now are 13th overall in the league, one spot out of the 12-team conference tourney field. State can still sneak into Hoover but need to beat #1-ranked Tennessee and have either Kentucky or Alabama, or both, get swept in their final series. Bullpen breakdowns and lack of timely hitting are the obvious issues. But starting pitching has not begun games well either and too many home runs have been solo shots. State is also staring at a losing record for the first time since 2015.

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Mississippi State is at Texas A&M for a series that may well settle the Bulldogs' 2022 fate. State is tied for the last available berth in the SEC Tournament with six league games left. The tiebreaks which favor State today will change by next weekend. State can only control any fate by winning against the Aggies and next weekend the top-ranked Tennessee Vols. An offense relying on power has been unplugged in recent games. A slow-starting rotation is giving away early leads while a battered bullpen can't hold up in late games.

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Mississippi State's must-win series with Florida was not just a loss but a sweep. The Bulldogs now are tied for the last SEC Tournament berth. The tiebreak would favor MSU today but will tilt to Kentucky in two weeks. A number of NCAA Champions have failed to make the national tournament the next season, but missing their conference tournament is unthinkable. State has out-hit six of the eight series opponents but lost five of them. Clutch hitting is at fault more than a shaky pitching staff which got three respectable starts.

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Mississippi State hosts Florida in a crucial SEC weekend for both ball clubs. Winning this series won't lock up a SEC Tournament berth for either. But a lost weekend can put that team close to elimination from the entire post-season. Both teams began the season in the top-ten of all polls, now neither is ranked at all. Mississippi State shows significant statistical advantages in almost all offensive categories for SEC play only. The pitching stats are close enough to each other save for State's edge in strikeouts thrown. But Florida is not a strikeout order. The key to State coming out ahead is getting runs early and often so a thin pitching staff can work more innings without tight-game stresses.

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Mississippi State lost a must-win and even must-sweep series at Missouri, yet somehow improved the SEC standings with three weekends left. But the NCAA's updated RPI finds the Bulldogs eleven spots lower and that much farther from Tournament selection. The remaining SEC slate does provide RPI opportunities only if the Bulldogs can win at least five of the nine games.

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Charles Cross made more Mississippi State history as a first-round NFL Draft selection, highest by a Mississippi State player in four decades. An All-SEC tackle and three-season Bulldog, Cross turns 22 in November so his best years are ahead. Mike Leach and staff members attended the Las Vegas Draft event where Leach saw his fourth career first-round draft player. Bulldog baseball is on the road needing not just to beat Missouri but score a sweep to get over .500 SEC and keep improving the NCAA ratings. Coach Chris Lemonis will ride the same all-righthander rotation. Bulldog batters maintain a program record home run pace but need more clutch RBI hits to take this weekend.

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Mississippi State won a tight three-game series at Ole Miss to improve both the SEC Tournament standings and NCAA Tournament chances. Bulldog teams have won the last six series in this rivalry. State used muscle to knock out the home-team Rebels, a marked role-reversal for both programs. State is 9th now in the SEC standings with a two-game margin over teams tied for 10th place. The Bulldogs still need more wins of any sort to improve their national RPI. Spring football concludes Tuesday for Mike Leach's 2022 team with their 15th practice.

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Mississippi State plays at Ole Miss. The weekend’s winner gains mid-SEC season momentum, the loser falls farther off post-season pace. The remaining schedules are just about equal which makes this weekend mean more. Mississippi State has owned the series since 2016, a streak the Rebels will give anything to end on their field. On the football field Mike Leach is making up for a washed-out spring game with a pair of scrimmage-type practice this week and another session moved to next Tuesday. Athletic director John Cohen talks about additions and renovations to Davis Wade Stadium and why an indoor practice facility will wait.

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A holiday weekend was good not great for Mississippi State. The Bulldogs took two but were short of sweeping Auburn. They are tied for 9th in the SEC as the league’s season second half begins with post-season status very much in question. State is at rival Ole Miss this weekend. Sustained success is what the Bulldogs need now to improve in the standings and raise their NCAA ratings. Football’s spring game was washed out so Mike Leach will hold a public scrimmage this Saturday to end camp.

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