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Auburn Visits Mississippi State With Both Teams Seeking Late-Season Momentum
By Hollis Brandt
Photo: Nateb2003 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Auburn travels to Starkville on Saturday to face Mississippi State in a Southeastern Conference matchup between two teams looking to improve their records as the regular season approaches its final weeks.
Auburn enters the game at 5-4, while Mississippi State is 4-5. The records give the visitors a one-win advantage, but both teams have an opportunity to make progress toward their respective late-season goals. For Auburn, a victory would move the Tigers to 6-4 and give them a winning record through 10 games. Mississippi State, meanwhile, can reach .500 with a win on its home field.
The setting gives the Bulldogs an opportunity to use home-field advantage in a game with significance for both programs. Davis Wade Stadium will host the matchup in Starkville, where Mississippi State will have the benefit of playing in front of its home crowd.
Auburn’s record provides a starting point for evaluating the matchup, but the Tigers cannot approach the game as though their advantage in the standings guarantees anything. A road game in conference play presents a different challenge from playing at home, particularly late in the season when both teams have a limited number of opportunities remaining to improve their records.
Mississippi State has a more immediate opportunity to change the direction of its season. At 4-5, the Bulldogs need a victory to avoid falling further below .500. A win would also give the program a chance to build on a home result as the regular season continues.
The game is scheduled for noon Eastern on Saturday. ESPN2 will carry the broadcast from Davis Wade Stadium.
Hollis Brandt
College Football, The Library Media
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