Can Rebels, Bulldogs match 2014 success? Clearly, the goal is to finish better

Eight years in the past this week, Mississippi State and Ole Miss had climbed to a tie for No. 3 within the Related Press school soccer ballot. Each had begun the season unranked.

It was wild. 

Keep in mind? Ole Miss had simply knocked off Alabama. State had cold-cocked Texas A&M.

We hadn’t seen something but. It was about to go from wild to loopy.

State proceeded to clock No. 2 Auburn 38-23 and transfer to No. 1. Ole Miss dispatched A&M 35-20 and remained at No. 3, simply two votes behind No. 2 Florida State. Each the Bulldogs and Rebels have been an ideal 6-0. Two measly votes saved State and Ole Miss from being 1-2 within the land.

This football-crazed state was nuts.

The school soccer nation was astonished. Certainly, even the speaking heads at ESPN started to accurately distinguish between Ole Miss and Mississippi State, two groups that they had usually blended up up to now.

Eight years later, we’re to not 2014 degree — at the least not but — however school soccer in Mississippi has not often been higher than it’s at this juncture.

Might this be 2014 over again? Ole Miss, 5-0, has moved to No. 9 within the AP ballot. State, 4-1, moved as much as No. 23 after final Saturday’s 42-24 trouncing of the Texas Aggies. There’s extra to have a good time in Mississippi. Jackson State, 4-0, has moved to No. 8 within the FCS rankings. The Tigers look like the top and shoulders above the remainder of the SWAC. Southern Miss is a way more modest 2-2, however has now received 4 of its final six video games over two seasons and at last has one thing to hold its hat on after an enormous highway victory over in any other case undefeated Tulane.

In Division II, shocking Delta State moved to 5-0 with a 70-31 run-away victory over thirteenth ranked Valdosta State final Saturday. In the meantime, Mississippi Faculty shocked No. 15 West Georgia 39-38.

So again to the query: Might 2022 be 2014 over again?

State’s lone defeat, 31-16 at LSU, makes a repeat of 2014 with each the state’s SEC groups ranked within the prime 3 extremely unlikely. However Ole Miss clearly has a navigable highway to maneuver a lot increased within the polls.

If the video games have been performed at present, Lane Kiffin’s Rebels can be favored in every of their subsequent 4: at Vanderbilt, Auburn at house, at LSU and at Texas A&M. At this level, Kiffin in all probability would borrow from his former boss Nick Saban and inform his gamers to not learn the remainder of this rat poison. However right here it’s: Ole Miss might conceivably be 9-0 with Alabama coming to Oxford on Nov. 12.

Now that would attain 2014 ranges of Mississippi soccer craziness. It might occur.

State’s speedy schedule is exceedingly tougher. The Bulldogs first play Arkansas at house, then at once-beaten Kentucky, then No. 1 Alabama, then Auburn, after which No. 2 Georgia. Oh, the thrill of competing within the SEC…

A lot continues to be to be decided, however the stakes could possibly be a lot increased than standard when State performs Ole Miss at Oxford on Thanksgiving evening.

Again to 2014: You’ll keep in mind that Dan Mullen’s Bulldogs, led by Dak Prescott, held their No. 1 rating for 5 consecutive weeks till Alabama popped the Canines’ bubble 25-20 at Tuscaloosa. State then crushed Vanderbilt earlier than shedding each the Egg Bowl and the Orange Bowl (to Georgia Tech) to complete at No. 11 within the AP ballot. 

Ole Miss? The Rebels did win the Golden Egg, however dropped all the best way to No. 17 after being trounced by TCU 42-3 within the Peach Bowl.

Vital to recollect when evaluating 2022 to what occurred eight years in the past: Beginning robust is merely good; ending robust is epic.

In 2014, the beginning was epic, the end not so good. 

That’s the place 2022 could possibly be far, much better. We’ll see. That’s sufficient rat poison for in the future.