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No. 19 Mississippi St. prepares for Tennessee

Published: October 12, 2012 Comment on this article

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi State might have a really good football team.

The five straight games the Bulldogs have won to start the season would certainly indicate that's the case.

photo - FILE- In this Sept. 22, 2012, file photo, Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley watches his team warm up before an NCAA college football game against Akron in Knoxville, Tenn. Dooley working from the press box Saturday as he recovers from hip surgery, the rest of his staff is preparing to adjust to his absence from the sidelines. The change in routine comes as the Volunteers prepare for a critical game at No. 19 Mississippi State. (AP Photo/Wade Payne, File)

FILE- In this Sept. 22, 2012, file photo, Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley watches his team warm up before an NCAA college football game against Akron in Knoxville, Tenn. Dooley working from the press box Saturday as he recovers from hip surgery, the rest of his staff is preparing to adjust to his absence from the sidelines. The change in routine comes as the Volunteers prepare for a critical game at No. 19 Mississippi State. (AP Photo/Wade Payne, File)

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But delve deeper into Mississippi State's schedule and it quickly becomes apparent that the 19th-ranked Bulldogs (5-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) haven't had a particularly tough road this season. Their victories have come over teams with a combined 8-19 record, so Saturday's game against Tennessee (3-2, 0-2) represents the toughest challenge to date.

Tennessee comes to Davis Wade Stadium with an explosive offense, one that ranks second in the SEC with more than 506 yards per game. The Volunteers are led by quarterback Tyler Bray, who has thrown for 1,582 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Both of Tennessee's losses have come to ranked opponents.