VIDEO: Long Trip Ahead For Bulldogs

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) — A long road trip is in store for the Mississippi State Bulldogs for the game Saturday.

The team will travel more than 2,000 miles to Foxboro, Massachusetts to take on the UMass Minutemen at Gillette Stadium.

Gillette Stadium is less than 80 miles from where head coach Dan Mullen grew up in Manchester, New Hampshire, and Mullen expects to have around 80 friends and family in the stands to watch the Bulldogs.

“They might have to get the heaters out with how hot its been here…”, Mullen said, “…even looking at the weather forecast, it’s supposed to be 30-degrees colder than any practice day that we’re going to have this week. So, even though its not that cool up there, the temperature change we have to be prepared for that and just get ready to go play hard. It’s going to be a big key for our guys, staying focused. It’ll be our second straight road game. Making sure we stay focus and learn how to win on the road.”

The young team will look to move on from its tough, late-rally loss to LSU this past weekend, and Mullen said, “You gotta play again this week. You’re down to six days before we kick it off again, you better buckle it up and get ready to go or else. That games over and we got to get ready for the next one. If you don’t do that, you’re going to let one loss become many losses for you.”

When talking about the upcoming matchup against the Minutemen, Mullen said the team should expect to see a lot of pressure on the offensive side of the ball, and the defense must prepare to defend the pass and get after the quarterback.

Nick Fitzgerald will remain the starting quarterback this Saturday, even after Damien Williams led two touchdown drives late in the game in Baton Rouge.

Mississippi State at UMass will be broadcasting on WCBI at 2:30 PM CT Saturday.