Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Time for Ole Miss to Seize the Day

It was another one of those days for Mississippi State.
by Jake Adams

With Mississippi State's 34-20 Gator Bowl loss to Northwestern, the first bowl win for the Wildcats since 1949, Dan Mullen's Bulldogs left the door wide open for Ole Miss to take back what Mullen loudly proclaimed his when taking the job in Starkville - the State. Indeed, the Rebels already had most of the momentum following a 41-24 Egg Bowl triumph, but now, after another hapless State performance, this time in the Gator Bowl, the Bulldogs finished the season losing five of their last six games and all sense of momentum.

What will the brash Mullen, whose A-game has always been his bravado, brag about now?

Mississippi State has much reason for concern after a dismal end to a season that started so bright. After starting the year 7-0 the Bulldogs were completely exposed when they finally faced the meat of their SEC schedule and desperately needed to save face and build team and fan morale with a win in the Gator Bowl. Instead quarterback Tyler Russell threw four interceptions and the Bulldogs posted an anemic performance against a mid-level Big 10 team. This wasn't the confidence boost Mississippi State needed. Anything but. The offense looked worse than ever. The coach made famous by Tim Tebow is being exposed at the same rate as his former Heisman winning quarterback. He has as many answers for State's offense as Tebow has for the forward pass. Today we may have seen the beginning of Dan Mullen's ultimate undoing in Starkville. And it's only going to get worse.

Mullen may wish he'd actually gotten a couple of those rumored interviews before this one's over.
While State is trending down, Ole Miss is clearly headed upward. The Rebels, far out-manned, played the heart of its SEC schedule far tougher and closer than State did and by season's end nearly knocked off LSU before capping the year with a 2nd half trouncing of the Bulldogs.

The energy difference in these two programs in palpable.

While Mississippi State is losing games and top commitments like Kailo Moore Ole Miss appears destined for one of its best recruiting classes ever. While cowbell yielding Bulldog fans couldn't muster the energy to trudge down to Jacksonville, Ole Miss fans have bought up nearly all the tickets to the BBVA Compass Bowl.

If Hugh Freeze's Rebels can post a winning performance on Saturday in Birmingham the mood is going to grow darker still in Starkville. Even if the Rebels lose it won't make make much of difference. It would be hard for the Egg Bowl loser to gloat after losing so badly in the Gator Bowl.

For now, all State can do is hope for next year. But next year will only be more difficult.

On the last day of August the Bulldogs open against a far superior Oklahoma State team and face a surely improved Auburn and LSU in its first five games. There's a very real possibility Mullen's team will be 4-3 before facing a four-game stretch against South Carolina, Texas A&M, Alabama and Arkansas that could have them 4-7 or 5-6 going into the Egg Bowl. There's a real possibility State will miss a bowl game next year. If they do you have to wonder if Mullen will ever be able to get the momentum he had back.

Successful college football programs are built on momentum. Unfortunately for Mullen and State, they based all their football team's momentum on winning the Egg Bowl. That's over now. What will Mullen do to get it back? It's going to take more than a clever billboard. From the looks of what I saw today Mullen doesn't have an answer yet.

Meanwhile the door is open for Ole Miss to not only win the day, but to seize it. Not only on Saturday, but on National Signing Day and next season, returning nearly its entire starting roster and all of its key playmakers. Ole Miss now has the chance to reclaim its standing as the clear choice for the state's top football program. It's their's for the taking.

The year 2013 is shaping up to be a huge shift in Mississippi's recent college football paradigm.