Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State: Maroon and White Nation's Andrew Miller talks Bulldogs ahead of the Egg Bowl
3. On offense, freshman quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr.'s introduction after Blake Shapen was injured was not in the script. How has the young QB developed as the season has progressed?
Van Buren has been overall impressive. He throws a great deep ball, operates the RPO game smoothly, and is a good runner. He's got some impressive play-making ability, and I thought early on his pocket presence was strong for a true freshman. For his first few games, there really wasn't a drop-off under him compared to Shapen. He hasn't been as sharp in recent weeks. The amount of pass rush he's facing has gotten him more antsy in the pocket, and his quick game accuracy has been an issue. He's hit a little bit of a freshman wall here late, but he's shown more than enough to be really excited for his future.
4. Under Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss has usually relied on its offense to win games, but the defense has stood tall this season. Can Mississippi State's offensive line hold up against this potent pass rush?
I seriously doubt it. As I've alluded to in other answers, OL is the weakness on offense, especially in pass protection. Their run blocking has improved significantly over the course of the year, but giving the QB time to throw has been a consistent problem. At LT specifically, they've had major issues stopping SEC edge rushers from living in the backfield. And with this being the best defensive front they've faced, I don't see it going well.
5. Kevin Coleman Jr. has flown under the radar in a conference full of talented wide receivers. How good has he been for the Bulldogs, and what are his strengths?
Coleman has been fantastic. He's Mr. Reliable on offense. He's who they're going to gameplan touches for, and he's who they're targeting on key downs. And he's going to make the most of those opportunities. Coleman is great after the catch. He's the first Bulldog WR in a very long time that can take a simple 5-yard hitch route and turn it into a 50-yard gain. He can genuinely make something when nothing's there. But he's also a threat to haul in vertical shots. It's a shame he hasn't gotten more attention because of his team's lack of success.