LOCKED-Got to wondering....Where is the upside for us playing USM?

[WayboDawg]

From an MSU standpoint, what is the benefit of playing the mustard buzzards in this two game series?

USM benefits
-Nice payout even if they lose. Which they can then turn right around and use to recruit against us.
-Opportunity to upset big brother and get massive bragging rights and more recruiting leverage
-Opportunity to be on national tv. Exposure....
-Excuse of " not enough talent as SEC school "if they lose
-Guaranteed home sellout in 2015
-Chance to renew a rivalry when they currently have no rivalries

MSU benefits
-Easy win?
-Schedule filler?
-Yay we beat USM?

 

[patdog]

Strong rumor from the beginning was that a lot of it was a political favor for Phil Bryant. That said, it's an easy win for us and a lot lower risk game than it used to be. Even if the unthinkable were to happen, USM isn't in any position to get anywhere near the recruiting boost they got in the 80s from wins over MSU or UM.

 

[engie]

The idea is that we further marginalize them as "not competition" that we're doing a favor for monetarily in the same vein as JSU and Alcorn...

We screwed up by giving their *** a home game though...

 

[KurtRambis4]

It's

an easy win. End of story.

 

[johnson86-1]

We screwed up by giving their *** a home game though...

Home game is fine; I can see how we wouldn't have wanted to pony up for a buy game with them. But it's ridiculous that we didn't get a 2 for 1 out of it. I think that was the governor's influence if there was any.

It should turn out ok regardless with the way they've tanked. If we can throttle them in Hattiesburg and Starkville, even though we're probably getting hosed financially, it will remind recruits of just what a difference it is choosing the CUSA or whatever they're called now over the SEC. There's a lot of value in that. But if they had remained decent, the decision to play them would not have looked as good. There's just no reason for an SEC team to play a home and home with anybody like USM. Any SEC team should get 2 for 1's with teams like Memphis, UAB, USM, etc.

 

[DerHntr]

Fun home game for our fans and easy win. Looks better than beating a SWAC school but only slightly better. Cheap game for us to buy I imagine.

 

[121Josey]

It's a "justifiable" (on paper) win. When the critics compare schedules they expect to see at least one OOC with a pulse. OK State was a little much at the time and maybe USM is not enough. But they'll come to play and it makes everyone happy.

 

[patdog]

Agree. Only mistake was we should have given them a 2-for-1 (spread over at least 5 years) take it or leave it offer.

 

[Wicked Pissah]

I prefer playing them to alcorn state or ok state. Good in state game with a d1 opponent. Packed house. Great for everyone.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

Because we need to let them know that this is our state **

 

[rabiddawg]

USM girls are easy

/thread.

 

[dawgman42]

That's Ozarka's cue.

 

[esplanade91]

I'm actually really looking forward to the game. And by game, not so much the actual game (just as excited about football starting regardless of opponent) but the tailgating aspect of USM-MSU.

Being a coast rat, I have a ton of friends who went to USM. We've all made plans to tailgate together and whatnot. I tailgated at UM for the Texas game and it was packed out, and while I don't imagine it'll reach that level of craziness, I think it'll be one of the craziest and most fun tailgating atmospheres MSU has ever had (should be the highest attended game for multiple reasons).

USM sucks balls and we have nothing to gain from it when it actually comes to football, but they're the 2nd biggest school in Mississippi and the only other school in Mississippi full of Mississippians and like-minded people.

I imagine it'll pay off in ~5 years in the form of all these USM grads' kids getting an opportunity to see MSU and wanting to come here when they graduate. Otherwise they'd go to USM because USM people never leave USM and force their children to be USM people.

 

[Crazy Cotton]

They were 12-2 in 2011

When did we make the agreement? I don't think anyone could have expected the massive faceplant that program did in 2012-2013.

 

[patdog]

That season was just as out of the norm for them as the last 2 have been. And even then, they lost to a couple of CUSA bottom feeders.

 

[Crazy Cotton]

Their last losing record, before they crashed and burned, was in 1994. That stretch includes 14 bowl games. That's why I'm asking when the deal got inked - and from what I remember, that's why nobody was excited about restarting the series.

 

[KurtRambis4]

I can't

speak for everyone, but the reason I wasn't concerned was because I knew by the time both will have met (year 6 under Mullen) I knew our program would be in the position to beat these teams. ****, we absolutely throttled their conf champion last year, when we were 6-6.

If we (State fans) are expecting our program to get where we'd like, we cannot be afraid of playing mediocre teams because of the possibility of losing. Again, I'm speaking from a fan's point of view, which really holds no water in the grand scheme of things.

 

[BiscuitEater]

I agree 100% ...

Because we need to let them know that this is our state **

except with NO **.

MSU is the only SEC team with a losing record against the Southerners (12 - 14) (Nov. 11, 1972 - Southern Miss officials announced the new nickname for the school's athletic teams. The finalists were the current Southerners nickname, or the Golden Raiders, Timber Wolves and War Lords before the Golden Eagles were chosen in a runoff which bested the old previous nickname.)

Since 1990 when we beat them 13-10, all I have heard from the USM minion was "Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime" which actually translates to ... "We will play any SEC team at their place ... except State or OM ... where we demand that they COME PLAY US IN HATTIESBURG)

Since that win in 1990, USM has played 31 SEC games (winning 3) and each and every one has been AWAY. Yet, we agreed to travel to Hattiesburg.

In case anyone is interested here is a list ...

09/22/90	@ Mississippi State	Lost	10-13
11/10/90	@ Auburn	Won	13-12
10/05/91	@ Auburn	Won	10-9
09/12/92	@ Alabama	Lost	10-17
09/26/92	@ Auburn	Lost	8-16
11/07/92	@ Florida	Lost	20-24
09/25/93	@ Auburn	Lost	24-35
10/09/93	@ Georgia	Lost	24-54
10/30/93	@ Alabama	Lost	0-40
10/08/94	@ Alabama	Lost	6-14
11/05/94	@ Florida	Lost	17-55
09/09/95	@Alabama (Bham)	Lost	20-24
11/04/95	@ Tennessee	Lost	0-42
08/31/96	@ Georgia	Won	11-7
09/07/96	@Alabama (Bham)	Lost	10-20
08/30/97	@ Florida	Lost	6-21
09/27/97	@Alabama (Bham)	Lost	13-27
11/08/97	@ Tennessee	Lost	20-44
10/31/98	@ Alabama	Lost	20-30
10/30/99	@ Alabama	Lost	14-35
09/02/00	@ Tennessee	Lost	16-19
09/16/00	@ Alabama	Won	21-0
11/29/01	@ Alabama	Lost	15-28
09/21/02	@ Alabama	Lost	7-20
10/11/03	@ Alabama	Lost	3-17
10/16/04	@ Alabama	Lost	3-27
09/10/05	@ Alabama	Lost	21-30
09/02/06	@ Tennessee	Lost	7-34
09/08/07	@ Florida	Lost	19-39
09/06/08	@ Auburn	Lost	13-27
09/02/10	@ USCe	Lost	13-41
09/14/13	@ Arkansas	Lost	56-13

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(Nov. 11, 1972 - Southern Miss officials announced the new nickname for the school's athletic teams. The finalists were the current Southerners nickname, or the Golden Raiders, Timber Wolves and War Lords before the Golden Eagles were chosen in a runoff which bested the old previous nickname.)

 

[rabiddawg]

"Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime" sounds to me like they are begging to be a rent-a-win. They need the money fo sho.

 

[johnson86-1]

an easy win. End of story.

There are lots of easy wins that are only acceptable if it's a buy game or if it's part of a 2-1 deal. I'd be fine with playing USM every year, or at least mixing them in with the Alcorn, JSU, MVSU rotation. As long as we have a competent coach, we shouldn't have a problem with them. Even their historically great team they had a couple of years ago lost to a UAB team that we beat on the road while playing like crap.

We just shouldn't be giving them home and homes unless it financially works out to look similar to the 2-1's we would do with other CUSA teams.

 

[WayboDawg]

I just know how it goes with MSU athletics. If a team is in a rut, playing a ranked MSU team is usually the right medicine to get back on the winning track. Oh my gosh we will never hear the end of it if we lay an egg and they pull the upset. That would have the potential of the most humiliating loss in MSU history. At least when we lost to Maine, they went back up north and we never heard from them again.

 

[thekimmer]

My opinion is there is not much of an upside....

From an MSU standpoint, what is the benefit of playing the mustard buzzards in this two game series?

USM benefits
-Nice payout even if they lose. Which they can then turn right around and use to recruit against us.
-Opportunity to upset big brother and get massive bragging rights and more recruiting leverage
-Opportunity to be on national tv. Exposure....
-Excuse of " not enough talent as SEC school "if they lose
-Guaranteed home sellout in 2015
-Chance to renew a rivalry when they currently have no rivalries

MSU benefits
-Easy win?
-Schedule filler?
-Yay we beat USM?

I know this is a tired argument but since you asked. We have nothing to gain and they have nothing to lose.

On paper, we should absolutely beat the guano out of them and if we do so what? Its just another cupcake victory in the the RPI. For them however, they have had this one circled in red ink for three years. I expect to wipe the field up with them but we will get their very best shot. Maybe I am too influenced by my memories of the late 70s early 80s when USM was the absolute definition of 'trap game' for us.

 

[KurtRambis4]

i just

except with NO **.

MSU is the only SEC team with a losing record against the Southerners (12 - 14)

cannot legitimately factor what happened prior to 1990 into the equation when using arguments of why we shouldn't play USM. It's like comparing American in 1800 to American today. They’re two completely different animals.

 

[uptowndawg]

While we may be doing them a favor by playing in Hattiesburg next year

I look forward to only having to drive an hour and a half to a game. It'll be fun to have a home crowd on someone else's campus. Just wished their stadium held more than 36k.

 

[KurtRambis4]

I couldn't

care less where we play them. We're going to be favored here, Hattiesburg, Paris, Las Vegas, Seattle...wherever.

 

[KurtRambis4]

But see

that mentality is showing that you are afraid of MSU playing them. I am not.

 

[sandwolf.sixpack]

09/14/13	@ Arkansas	Lost	56-13

I don't know about the rest of the scores, but this one is definitely wrong. They lost that game 24-3.

 

[thekimmer]

I agree with exception of hyper-motivated, in-state recruiting rivals....

.

If we (State fans) are expecting our program to get where we'd like, we cannot be afraid of playing mediocre teams because of the possibility of losing. Again, I'm speaking from a fan's point of view, which really holds no water in the grand scheme of things.

It has nothing to do with being afraid to play anybody. Simply put, for every game we play the risk should not significantly outweigh the reward. This is one example in which it does in my view.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

I look forward to only having to drive an hour and a half to a game. It'll be fun to have a home crowd on someone else's campus. Just wished their stadium held more than 36k.

That shouldn't be a problem though, that just means you will have 35,990 seats for MSU fans to get.

 

[patdog]

And almost all of those bowl games were of the New Orleans / Beef O'Brady variety. USM has only 1 season in the last 10 with less than 5 losses. That single 2011 12-2 season.

 

[was21]

I didn't know it held 36k...thought it was around 33k, but don't know why I even thought that.

 

[johnson86-1]

care less where we play them. We're going to be favored here, Hattiesburg, Paris, Las Vegas, Seattle...wherever.

Do you care whether we have 7 home games a year?

I'd actually be fine with 6 home games and a game in Jackson or even Hattiesburg if the gate is split to where it looks like an additional home game and it doesn't put an additional likely loss on the schedule, but I have a feeling that a lot of season ticket holders want 7 home games each year, which is understandable considering the money you pay to be able to buy season tickets. And you also get more opportunities to host recruits with 7 games at home as opposed to 6.

If having 7 home games is important, and as expensive as buy games have gotten, it seems foolish to play somebody like USM without leveraging it for a 2-1. Ignoring the financial costs to the university, I'd be perfectly happy to play in Hattiesburg every other year (and at Tulane in the other years), but I'm not sure that's smart overall.

 

[KurtRambis4]

That's the

thing. I'm not putting any consideration any other factors than the competition. That's it. All of the other aspects are just a deflection away from the actual game.

 

[dawgstudent]

I'm not now. When it was signed - I wasn't too keen on the idea.

 

[57stratdawg]

Amen. Just like 6-6 records aren't so great anymore.

 

[WayboDawg]

I didn't know it held 36k...thought it was around 33k, but don't know why I even thought that.

They added a few extra seats in the endzone a few years ago. Used to be 33,000, but now its 36,000 I think. Looks weird the way they did it. Some how they went from this:

To this....and called it finished:

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Yeah. I've seen some games from USM's new end zone seats...

...that's partly why I think the people who take advantage of the new end zone seats, etc. at Davis Wade will get a great deal.

 

[WayboDawg]

I have never liked watching football games from the endzone. It just feels unnatural. Some folks love it though.

 

[Statedog101]

Phil Bryant had nothing to do with playing usm. This was Greg Byrne being Greg Byrne. Everything Bryne did was to enhance his resume to get a better job. Standing up to Polk, firing hank flick, reseating the hump and scheduling usm. He was trying to show people he was s big boy. Let's face it. Both us and tsun quit playing usm because they beat us too damn much. Wasn't a big fan of Byrne.,but it is what it is. If we can't beat usm in their current state, we have no business complaining.

 

[Sutterkane]

We have the chance to completely embarrass them after years of **** talking. Maybe even beat their program to the end of 1A. 77-0. Williams takes over 2nd quarter it's so bad.