Orange Bowl: Top rushing offense square off in a NY6 bowl no one expected

Orange Bowl

Mississippi State (10-2) vs. Georgia Tech (10-3)

Miami

Dec 31, 2014

Few people could have predicted this unlikely matchup as one of the marquee bowl games of the season, but Mississippi State and Georgia Tech have been two of the hottest teams this season.

The Bulldogs spent a good chunk of the year ranked No. 1 before falling to Alabama and then Ole Miss in two of their final three games of the season. The Yellow Jackets won five consecutive games to end the season and got a timely loss by Duke to secure the ACC Coastal Division title and nearly upset Florida State in the ACC Championship game.

If you like running offenses, this game is for you. Georgia Tech ranks second in the country in rushing behind a triple-option offense led by quarterback Justin Thomas. Thomas leads the team in both passing and rushing, but the Yellow Jackets have gotten timely rushing help by running backs Zach Laskey and Synjyn Davis, who have been bruisers up the middle and at the goal line.

Similarly, Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott, who was the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy before the Bulldogs struggles in November, leads the team with 2,996 passing yards and 24 touchdowns, but also has been a consistent rushing threat with 939 yards and 13 scores. Prescott has been a nice ground complement to Josh Robinson, who has had a breakout year with 1,128 yards and 11 touchdowns.

It’s Mississippi State’s offensive diversity, and the fact that it’s tied for 14th nationally in scoring, that's going to make stopping the Bulldogs such a task for the Georgia Tech defense.

During its winning streak, Georgia Tech’s defense was opportunistic, turning turnovers into points and then allowing the offense to whittle down the clock with the ground game. However, they weren’t able to force a turnover against a turnover-prone Florida State team and that contributed to the loss.

Prescott has been hit and miss with ball security. He struggled in the middle of the season and against Alabama, but toward the end of the year was better at limiting turnovers. If the Yellow Jackets want to have any hope in this game, they have to force mistakes by the Bulldogs’ offense.

Not to be overshadowed, the Mississippi State defense is quite good in its own right. It allows just 126.5 yards per game on the ground, and with nearly a month to prepare for the triple option, should be able to limit the Yellow Jackets’ ground effectiveness and force Thomas to have to beat the Bulldogs with his arm.

If the game comes down to Thomas’ ability to pass the Yellow Jackets to a win, Mississippi State should be triumphant.

Vegas odds: Mississippi State (-7)

FUN FACT Both Mississippi State and Georgia Tech were picked to finish near the bottom of their respective conference divisions. The Bulldogs were picked to finish fifth in the SEC West while the Yellow Jackets were picked to finish fifth in the ACC Coastal Division.

PREDICTIONS

Graham: Let’s not forget this is a Mississippi State team that was No. 1 in the country for a good chunk of the year before it lost to the new No. 1 and its rival. Georgia Tech might make this a game early, but I think Prescott and Robinson run that Yellow Jacket defense into the ground. Mississippi State 42, Georgia Tech 17.

Nick: Don't play a drinking game with every time you hear the word "option" during the broadcast. Even if you were simply using water, you're going to be overhydrated. Mississippi State 30, Georgia Tech 23.

Sam: Georgia Tech's triple option is a tricky task for any defense, but Mississippi State has the speed and discipline to handle it over the course of 60 minutes. The Bulldogs will get a few key stops in the second half, allowing Dak Prescott and the offense to pull away. Mississippi State 33, Georgia Tech 27.

For more Mississippi State news, visit BulldogBlitz.com.

For more Georgia Tech news, visit JacketsOnline.com.

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday

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