This season simply stated....

[DowntownDawg]

....when the chips are on the table, we are not making the plays. The game was lost when we had 1st and goal at the 4 and couldn't get in. Then, you need one more stop by the defense who has played their guts out all day and they let SC go right down the field. When we badly need a yard, we can't get it. When we badly need a stop, we can't get it. The frustrating thing is that we play so hard the rest of the game and show that we have the ability to succeed.

Against Auburn, we need a yard, and can't get it on the last play.

Against Georgia, we get great field position and turn it over on a freak play. Then, we need the defense to hold Georgia to keep the game manageable. They had played great up to that point. They give up a long drive that effectively ends the game.

Against SC, we need 4 yards and can't get it. And then we need the defense to hold them one more time, and they don't.

I don't know if that's a lack of leadership or what, but somewhere between White, Wright, McPhee, Sherrod, Brignone, Diaz, and Hud leaving, we've lost our ability to make the play when it counts. We are not that far off. There is a fine line. Winning teams make these plays and losing teams don't. Simple as that.

I'm not mad at any one coach or unit. We need leaders on both sides of the ball to step up and make sure those plays get made.

 

[Irondawg]

Simply put MSU is generally at a slight talent disadvantage against the rest of the SEC so when there are plays to be made you need to make them more often than not. Against the tough teams on our schedule I'd be shocked if we're connecting on the big play that is there more than 2 out of 10 times while our opposition is simple making more plays.

AU, SC we all thought were games we could win coming into the season and for the most part we ouplayed those opponents, but in each game we missed a handful of big play opportunities and that was the difference. Heck even against LSU we missed a couple of potential big plays that may have given us a better chance to pull the huge upset.

It also takes a little luck, b/c as I said the opposition has made some big plays as well. That AU player made a heck of play on Relf at the goaline, that wasa perfect pass to Jeffreys on the 3rd and goal and their D stepped up with us 1st and goal from the 4.

Last year do we beat FL if their kicker doesn't miss the FG? Do we beat GA if that receiver doesn't fumble at the goaline (Whitley massive hit)?

The SEC is just so tight in the end it becomes a game of who makes more big plays when they are there to be made?

 

[bulldognation]

I admit, I had a thick coat of wool headed into this season. So we cap a 9-4 season with a huge Gator Bowl win, have Relf coming in as a senior with an improved passing game who looked to be the premier dual-threat QB in the SEC, experienced WR corps and a great RB duo in Ballard and Perkins.

If we turn a couple of those critical plays, then we might have have a couple more wins. Look we were in the games at Auburn, LSU and SC right until the end. And at this point in the season, State has a tendency to play to the level of our opponent. I'm realistic... we had injuries on an already shaky OL that throws the timing of a lot of things off. Not sure what's going on in Relf's head... or why he folds like a lawn chair when the pocket begins to collapse around him.

Regardless.... now we get a week off, we get wins over KY and UT-Martin and we're 5-4 with Alabama coming into town, That could be an interesting game depending on how they fare against LSU.