Mississippi State Football 2014 Spring Wrap Up

Strengths & Question Marks

Mississippi State fans feel very good about the quarterback position with Dak Prescott going into his first full year as a starter. He accomplished a great bit as a sophomore and should show improvement this year. The defense also improved as the season went on last year, and it should be a strong point for Mississippi State.

It will be interesting to see how the offensive line develops now that Gabe Jackson and Charles Siddoway are no longer in Starkville, and Mississippi State needs to see which wide receiver will develop along side Jameon Lewis. Look for that player to be Bear Wilson.

Mississippi State QB Dak Prescott (Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports)

Breakout Players

Bear Wilson could really have a break out season as a wide receiver. He has only played organized football for a few years, and he is still making things happen because of his athleticism. Should he get a good grasp of how to really be a wide receiver, which he showed signs of doing, the sky is the limit for him.

Brandon Holloway is another player to watch. The Bulldogs will be using him in a way that better fits his abilities, and he has big play potential every time he touches the football because of his speed.

2014 Expectations

Last year, Mississippi State finished 7-6 and had to win at Arkansas, against Ole Miss, and in the Liberty Bowl against Rice to close the season to get to that point. The Bulldogs should finish with a better record this season. The four out of conference games against Southern Miss, UAB, South Alabama and UT-Martin should all be wins. The Bulldogs should also knock off Kentucky and Vanderbilt. Alabama and LSU will be tough games for the Bulldogs, but Mississippi State is due against one or both of those teams.

The three games that will really determine the success of the season will be Auburn, Texas A&M and Ole Miss. Should the Bulldogs go 2-1 in those games, Mississippi State should be looking at a nine-win regular season. Mississippi State should finish anywhere from 8-4 to 10-2 in the regular season with a bowl matchup to follow.

Justin Sutton of For Whom The Cowbell Tolls provided the information for our Mississippi State 2014 Spring Wrap Up. For more Bulldogs football information, commentary and analysis, you can follow Justin on Twitter @justinrsutton.