Bulldogs win first home game of season
The Bulldogs utilized stifling defense and a balanced offensive attack on Saturday to down the Lions of Southeastern Louisiana by a 34-10 margin. After a sluggish start, State dominated the game, racking up more than 400 yards of offense and holding the Lions to only 138.
Junior wide receiver Brandon McRae, who led the Bulldogs with 8 catches for 72 yards, said his team was better prepared for this game than the last, a season-opening loss to Louisiana Tech in Ruston, La.
“We were more focused,” McRae said. “We watched more film. We studied more, and we just went out there and executed.”
The Bulldogs found themselves trailing early when SELA cashed in on good field position to pick up a field goal on its second possession.
The deficit didn’t last long; State took the lead a mere five plays later. Wesley Carroll jump-started the offense with a 50-yard completion to Marcus Green to the SELA 14-yard line, and Anthony Dixon found the end zone on the next play.
The rest of the game proved to be the Bulldog show. State’s defense held the Lions without a first down in the second and third quarters. In the game, the Lions mustered eight first downs, five coming in the fourth quarter.
State’s dominant defensive effort was bolstered by the return of senior All-SEC defensive back Derek Pegues, who missed the Louisiana Tech game due to suspension.
I slept better this week because [Pegues] was back,” head coach Sylvester Croom said. “He’s the best football player on our team and I don’t hesitate in saying that.” Croom said Pegues is the quarterback of the defense.
He knows what everybody on that defense is doing,” he said. “When the offense lines up in formation, [Pegues] has a very good idea of what they want to run on that particular play. It’s like having another coach on the field.”
TheReflector
9/9/08
