K.J Wright News

Dan Mullen believes the foundation has been laid for Mississippi State football program.

Carl Torbush has been on both sides of the Egg Bowl rivalry between Mississippi State and Ole Miss.

Mississippi State's Quentin Saulsberry celebrates his team's 41-27 win over Ole Miss on Saturday in Starkville.

Mississippi State's Dan Mullen and his defensive coordinator, Carl Torbush, were looking for playmakers when they arrived on campus about 11 months ago.

LITTLE ROCK - Carl Torbush offered a chuckle earlier in the week when asked if he was nervous about his young secondary facing such an accomplished quarterback as Arkansas' Ryan Mallett.

STARKVILLE - Spend a moment with K.J. Wright and you'll hear a soft-spoken guy who smiles a lot and says "yes sir" and "no sir" just as much.

Mississippi State's bye week comes at the right time. The Bulldogs are catching a break just as they prepare to make a run at bowl eligibility, a possibility that didn't seem likely a few weeks ago.

Sporting the nation's longest current win streak, the Florida Gators hit the road this week for an SEC showdown with the Mississippi State Bulldogs in Starkville.

Published: Monday, October 19, 2009 at 4:39 p.m. Last Modified: Monday, October 19, 2009 at 4:39 p.m. The Florida Gators travel to Starkville, Miss.

"This was a chance to play another good football team from the best conference in America," MTSU coach Rick Stockstill said.

Georgia Tech's Anthony Allen breaks away from Mississippi State linebacker K.J. Wright during the fourth quarter of their NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Oct.

Mississippi State's defense gave a good account of itself in last week's loss to fourth-ranked LSU.

They were one play away from rocking the college football world last weekend. But Dan Mullen doesn't care about coming close.

Mississippi State defenders Damein Anderson , K.J. Wright , Charles Mitchell, right, gang tackle LSU wide receiver Brandon LaFell during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Sept.

Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen, left, leaves the field with Pernell McPhee after beating Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday.

Mississippi State running back Anthony Dixon breaks a tackle against Tennessee last season.

There is no doubt that Mississippi State should have one of the strongest linebacking corps in the Southeastern Conference this season.

Mississippi State's long preseason is almost over. The Bulldogs, who started preseason camp earlier than any other team in the Southeastern Conference, have but one more practice before they slip into game week mode.

Olive Branch High School football coach Scott Samsel says new regulations regarding the recruitment of athletes in DeSoto County are aimed at his program but dismissed the notion that he steers his players away from Ole Miss or any other school.

After a few years of leading the program, Croom had made very little improvement, and the leash typically isn't very long for SEC coaches that don't produce.Certainly, Croom's critics were provided with immediate ammunition when MSU was knocked off by Louisiana Tech in the 2008 opener by a 22-14 final.