After Mississippi State won its season opener, Mike Leach will be looking to lead the Bulldogs to a 2-0 start with a win over NC State on Saturday. And he’ll be opposite a head coach who holds Leach in high regard.

While speaking to the media this week, Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren had plenty of praise for Leach, who is in his second season at Mississippi State. However, Leach has a long track record after previous head-coaching stints at Texas Tech and Washington State.

“He’s a winner. He is a builder of programs. He has done it at multiple places,” Doeren told the media. “He is a very innovative offensive coach. I have great respect for him. His offense is unique.”

That offense also led the Bulldogs back from a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter this past Saturday. Mississippi State rattled off 21 unanswered points to beat Louisiana Tech, 35-34.

Now, NC State, which won its opener against South Florida, could make a loud statement if it can go to Starkville and knock off Mississippi State.

“It’s a great opportunity. You go play against a coach like Mike Leach who has done nothing, but win everywhere he’s coached,” Doeren said. “I have been reading about the stadium all day, just the fanfare and the noise. It’s 61,000, but it sounds like 100,000. We’re on ESPN, so it’s a great audience. We get to come home the week after and get a home game. It’s a great opportunity for us.”

Mississippi State and NC State will kick off on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.