The nightmare month of October is over for Mississippi State fans. On a Saturday afternoon in early November up in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Mississippi State won their first out-of-state SEC game in the Joe Moorhead era, throttling a hapless Arkansas team 54-24. The win sets the Bulldogs back on track to extend their bowl streak, dependent on the outcome of the always important Egg Bowl.
Tommy Stevens was back to 100% health and drew the start for the Bulldogs at QB; he looked like he did in the first six quarters of the season, guiding the offense to its most productive game of the year. Most of that guiding involved getting the ball to Kylin Hill, who had a career day with 234 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground.
With those two guys taking charge, it makes sense that the Bulldogs were in their all-white uniforms for the occasion. Stevens, the Penn State grad transfer, is quite used to all white, and Hill's previous career-best game was last season at Kansas State, a game in which the Bulldogs were also in all-white.
Mississippi State's all-white look is a really good one, and arguably the most consistent, head-to-toe, look in the Bulldogs' lineup. Still, I was a bit disappointed to see the it worn for the third time this season when other great looks, such as Maroon/White/White and White/White/Gray, have yet to see the field in 2019. Now, the only chance for either of those looks to be worn this season would be in a bowl game in which the Bulldogs are the designated "road" team. That was the case for Maroon/White/White last season; State's historically most common road look has yet to be worn in a regular season game under Moorhead.
Through the Bulldogs' first 9 games in 2019, the white helmets have now been worn in 6 of them, including all 4 wins. They've been worn in an even split of 3 home games and 3 away games; all three road games have been in the all-white combination. All-white (3 appearances, 2-1 record) is now the Bulldogs' most worn combination of 2019; White/Maroon/White (2 appearances, 2-0 record) is the only other combination to be worn more than once.
The current white helmets, which were first introduced in 2015, were worn twice a year in 15, 16, and 17, four times in 18, and now six times in 19. At three times, 2019 has seen the most usage of all-white since 2007 (four times). The current white helmets are now 4-2 (.667) this season and 9-7 (.563) all time; in seasons where there were other options available, white helmets are now 11-14 (.440).
Arkansas looked really good on Saturday in their new Darren McFadden era throwbacks, which they've worn in every home game this season. It was the first time since 2011 that Arkansas had worn shiny red helmets against Mississippi State; they've worn satin red, white, and anthracite helmets against the Bulldogs over the previous seven years. This was the third consecutive game in the Mississippi State vs Arkansas matchup that the road team has worn white helmets; State wore all-white at Fayetteville in 2017 and 2019, while Arkansas wore White/Red/White in Starkville in 2018 against State's all-gray "Statesman" alternates. Though both teams have worn white helmets multiple times throughout the history of the matchup (State in 01, 04-08, 17, 19. Arkansas in 14, 18), the two teams have never worn white helmets against one another at the same time.
Tommy Stevens was back to 100% health and drew the start for the Bulldogs at QB; he looked like he did in the first six quarters of the season, guiding the offense to its most productive game of the year. Most of that guiding involved getting the ball to Kylin Hill, who had a career day with 234 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground.
With those two guys taking charge, it makes sense that the Bulldogs were in their all-white uniforms for the occasion. Stevens, the Penn State grad transfer, is quite used to all white, and Hill's previous career-best game was last season at Kansas State, a game in which the Bulldogs were also in all-white.
Mississippi State's all-white look is a really good one, and arguably the most consistent, head-to-toe, look in the Bulldogs' lineup. Still, I was a bit disappointed to see the it worn for the third time this season when other great looks, such as Maroon/White/White and White/White/Gray, have yet to see the field in 2019. Now, the only chance for either of those looks to be worn this season would be in a bowl game in which the Bulldogs are the designated "road" team. That was the case for Maroon/White/White last season; State's historically most common road look has yet to be worn in a regular season game under Moorhead.
Through the Bulldogs' first 9 games in 2019, the white helmets have now been worn in 6 of them, including all 4 wins. They've been worn in an even split of 3 home games and 3 away games; all three road games have been in the all-white combination. All-white (3 appearances, 2-1 record) is now the Bulldogs' most worn combination of 2019; White/Maroon/White (2 appearances, 2-0 record) is the only other combination to be worn more than once.
The current white helmets, which were first introduced in 2015, were worn twice a year in 15, 16, and 17, four times in 18, and now six times in 19. At three times, 2019 has seen the most usage of all-white since 2007 (four times). The current white helmets are now 4-2 (.667) this season and 9-7 (.563) all time; in seasons where there were other options available, white helmets are now 11-14 (.440).
Arkansas looked really good on Saturday in their new Darren McFadden era throwbacks, which they've worn in every home game this season. It was the first time since 2011 that Arkansas had worn shiny red helmets against Mississippi State; they've worn satin red, white, and anthracite helmets against the Bulldogs over the previous seven years. This was the third consecutive game in the Mississippi State vs Arkansas matchup that the road team has worn white helmets; State wore all-white at Fayetteville in 2017 and 2019, while Arkansas wore White/Red/White in Starkville in 2018 against State's all-gray "Statesman" alternates. Though both teams have worn white helmets multiple times throughout the history of the matchup (State in 01, 04-08, 17, 19. Arkansas in 14, 18), the two teams have never worn white helmets against one another at the same time.
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Mississippi State has their second bye week of the season next weekend before taking on Alabama on November 16th.
The Alabama matchup will be the Bulldogs' 2019 Military Appreciation Game; though State has worn a special military-themed alternate each of the past three seasons, I do not expect that to be the case this year, especially with alternates slated to be worn in both of the final two home games of the season. At the very most, I could see an alternate helmet design or decal; if they do go that route, I would hope they avoid the tackiness that you see from a lot of college football teams in early November. But as long as they do a good job with the in-stadium events, a Military Appreciation Game doesn't really require any modifications to the uniforms.
So, instead, what I hope (and somewhat expect) to see for the Alabama game is the classic Maroon/Maroon/White combination. It hasn't been worn yet this season, and won't be worn in either of the final two games. Short of a bowl game in which State is the "home" team, this would be the last chance to get it in this season. While I would love to see the shiny maroon helmets return, I'd happily take MatteMaroon/Maroon/White for the first time since last year's Louisiana Tech game.
The Alabama matchup will be the Bulldogs' 2019 Military Appreciation Game; though State has worn a special military-themed alternate each of the past three seasons, I do not expect that to be the case this year, especially with alternates slated to be worn in both of the final two home games of the season. At the very most, I could see an alternate helmet design or decal; if they do go that route, I would hope they avoid the tackiness that you see from a lot of college football teams in early November. But as long as they do a good job with the in-stadium events, a Military Appreciation Game doesn't really require any modifications to the uniforms.
So, instead, what I hope (and somewhat expect) to see for the Alabama game is the classic Maroon/Maroon/White combination. It hasn't been worn yet this season, and won't be worn in either of the final two games. Short of a bowl game in which State is the "home" team, this would be the last chance to get it in this season. While I would love to see the shiny maroon helmets return, I'd happily take MatteMaroon/Maroon/White for the first time since last year's Louisiana Tech game.
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