Mississippi State will kick off its season on Saturday with what should be an easy game against Stephen F. Austin, but they will have to win it without their starting quarterback.
On Monday, Mississippi State head coach Joe Moorhead announced that Nick Fitzgerald has been suspended for the opener because of a violation of team rules back in March.
Joe Moorhead announces Nick Fitzgerald has been suspended for the season opener against Stephen F. Austin
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) August 27, 2018
Fitzgerald, a senior, had a strong season in 2017 that came to a premature end when he suffered an ankle injury in the final game of the year. He’s a dual-threat quarterback who passed for 1,782 yards and 15 touchdowns and added another 984 yards and 14 touchdowns rushing. One of those rushing touchdowns took a lot out of him, and you may remember how he infamously got sick on the field immediately after.
Fitzgerald should be eligible to return when Mississippi State travels for a much tougher test against Kansas State in Week 2. The Bulldogs are ranked No. 18 in the country heading into the season.
