USM-MSU Series

[jayesseagle]

At first, it started out as a 2 game series, 2014-2015...but I've have been hearing as of late this is a 4 game series. Does anyone know if this is true ?

I would love for this series to continue every year as the seasons opener for both programs . Win or lose, it's great for that State of Mississippi . MSU can start every year with an in-state rival and end the season with an in-state rival. I know some of you say that this game meant more to us than it did to MSU, maybe..maybe not....but we lost, embarrassingly....we are going through a transition period in our program and it will most likely.. through all indication....take several more years of rebuilding...and next years matchup doesn't look good in our favor once again, but I'm looking forward to that game. I hope you all feel the same because this use to be a good rivalry for BOTH programs and the entire State of Ms. I couldn't really care about playing Ole Piss (or as y'all call the TSUN) because I hate anything to do with those Black Bears (hope Y'all can beat them 4 times as bad as y'all beat us..lol)...but always loved the USM-MSU games.

IMO, State and USM fans get along alot better that State/Ole Piss (TSUN) fans and USM/Ole Piss fans. I'm old enough to remember all the great games of the USM/State rivalry in Memorial Stadium in the 70's, 80's, up until 1990. Most the time it was played the Saturday of the State Fair.

 

[campshelbydog842003]

At this point I would like to continue the series. USM will never be able to compete with state again. We were 6-6 last year and beat their conference champion by almost 40 points. The gap is only going to grow. They need to agree for 2 for 1 games though.

 

[dawgstudent]

Don't ever want to play USM aGAIN.

 

[patdog]

I really doubt it will turn into a 4-game series. With the SEC mandate of playing 1 major conference school each year starting in 2016, that's going to cut way back on the road games we will play at mid-majors. I also don't see that we need any non-SEC school on our schedule every year. I could maybe see us doing a 2-for-1 5-6 years down the road. But I don't see this ever being a regular series.

 

[BiscuitEater]

Hope not ...

At first, it started out as a 2 game series, 2014-2015...but I've have been hearing as of late this is a 4 game series. Does anyone know if this is true ?

But if true, would really hope that next year's trip to Hattiesburg is the ONLY time we don't play in DWS. There is just no reason to play in a ~35K venue when 61,900+ can view in Starkville.

 

[esplanade91]

We just sold 62,000 tickets to see us dismantle USM in the rain, and everyone stayed the whole time. I'm all for playing USM as often as possible, but there's zero reason we should be playing in Hattiesburg. I don't mean that to offend USM fans, but why should we have to play in a stadium or 30,000 seats when USM fans can't even sell it out against much bigger teams than MSU? Playing a 2-for-1 with the 1 in Jackson, that's a different story.

 

[coach66]

Don't mean any disrespect but I would rather not play USM because I have a long

memory. Someday USM will get back to respectability and we would be the #1 target. We have a lot to lose and not that much to gain by playing USM every year.

 

[dawgstudent]

They really won't. USM used to get the players that ULL, South Alabama, Troy, etc would get. Now they are fighting them for players and it's being split amongst a lot of teams in the south. I honestly believe their program will never get back to the point of being what they were.

 

[patdog]

You're still living in the distant past. Those days are gone and they're never coming back again. USM probably will get back to respectability in their conference. But the distance between their conference and our conference is so much bigger now than it was then, it won't matter as far as them ever threatening us for recruits.

 

[coach66]

You and Pat are probably correct but I stand by my statement. I'd rather not

play them.

 

[johnson86-1]

I'd be ok with playing regular 2-1's with them, with our buy game being reduced by the fact that we are selling out their stadium. I would much rather the 1 be in Hattiesburg than Jackson, but on the other hand playing ina 35k stadium does seem a little ridiculous.

Say play the home and home, take an off year, play the buy game, take an off year, then start over. Something like that would keep us playing them just more than every other year, but every other year would be ok too. I think we should play them a little more regularly than Jackson State and Alcorn.

Of course I'd gladly give up playing them at all in exchange for playing Tulane regularly.

 

[dawgstudent]

Oh - I'd rather not play them as well but it's not because I fear them being good again.

 

[jayesseagle]

Coach66, I'll take that as respect you are giving USM by having a long memory . The landscape of College football is a lot wider these days than they were back when we played eachother every year . The gap between the schools in SEC or any other major conference are steady distancing themselves from the mid-majors fast. So much money floating through the big boys hands . Personally, IMO..I don't think USM will ever be able to turn it around like it use to be . This was one of the worst times to go through an ordeal like we are going through, with realignment invading and all of our rivals such as Louisville, Cincy, UCF, ECU, Memphis, and even Tulane passing us by for greener pastures and we are stuck in this conference that most can't even remember but maybe 2-4 teams by name. At one point, USM had a niche..we would 9 times of 10 get recruits from Alabama that slipped through Alabama's or Auburn's fingers or maybe LSU's and nearly get the others that wasn't heavily recruited by an SEC school (diamonds in the rough) and maybe compete with State and Ole Piss for recruits but not that ULL, Troy, and South Alabama have evolved...those diamonds in the rough are harder to get because those schools are located in their hometowns...and the gap was already wide btwn State/Ole Miss and USM but it's gotten a lot more wider in this new age... So, it's gonna be harder for us to top this huge mountain in front of us....we are to far behind the 8ball, in my eyes... Hope I'm wrong, but it doesn't look good . Our Athletics admistrators should have tried to position ourselves long ago to get out of CUSA when we weren't as poor as we are now ..but they didn't and I believe the ship has done sailed . Thank you Coach66, for the respect shown and understanding what I'm talking about.


Campshelbydog, I came over to offer respect to MSU program and congratulate on the win Saturday. As I said before, win or lose....this game is good for the entire state of Mississippi, the fans at both schools, and the players that possibly played in high school together. You commented that you would love to open the series back up now ...sounds like to me only because we (USM) aren't as good as we once were...that's cowardly on your part, alone, and I'm not saying ever MSU fan thinks like you do. Of course, I want USM to win every game, but I want you USM to play State every year Win or lose...but you are wanting State to only play USM if it's a guaranteed win...what's the fun and hype in that ?

 

[KurtRambis4]

I was all for

playing them these two times (this and next year), whipping their ***, showing them who their daddy is, and then kicking them to the curb (again). 17 em.

 

[thekimmer]

No way.....

At this point I would like to continue the series. USM will never be able to compete with state again. We were 6-6 last year and beat their conference champion by almost 40 points. The gap is only going to grow. They need to agree for 2 for 1 games though.

This relationship has been and still is way too one-sided. USM NEEDS this game, badly. Helps them even if they lose. MSU does not need it at all. Zero benefit for us. Remember, there was a very good reason MSU halted the series 24 years ago. There was also a good reason why USM squawked about it like a bunch of upset chickens. The reasons for both had nothing to do with anybody being scared to play.

 

[DerHntr]

For fan interest alone, I wouldn't care if we played them 4 to 5 times a decade. Being honest, playing USM is likely more interesting than a SWAC school simply because we are in the same division.

I don't think we should ever play in Hattiesburg though for the same reasons others have mentioned. Give them the money they need for their athletic budget (cheap buy for us and easy and cheap travel for them is good for both state schools), let their young fans come experience Starkville (can't be a bad thing), and win.

 

[was21]

Hope next year is the last year for immediate future. I never did get the "it's good for the state of Mississippi" line. That makes no sense to me. As far as the fans getting along, that makes no sense to me either. Good luck to USM and to you as well.

 

[Philly Dawg]

This is a huge part of the problem that USM is having right now. It doesn't explain them being this bad, but the landscape has definitely changed for them. There is simply much more competition for the type of recruits they've traditionally signed.

 

[campshelbydog842003]

Coach66, I'll take that as respect you are giving USM by having a long memory . The landscape of College football is a lot wider these days than they were back when we played eachother every year . The gap between the schools in SEC or any other major conference are steady distancing themselves from the mid-majors fast. So much money floating through the big boys hands . Personally, IMO..I don't think USM will ever be able to turn it around like it use to be . This was one of the worst times to go through an ordeal like we are going through, with realignment invading and all of our rivals such as Louisville, Cincy, UCF, ECU, Memphis, and even Tulane passing us by for greener pastures and we are stuck in this conference that most can't even remember but maybe 2-4 teams by name. At one point, USM had a niche..we would 9 times of 10 get recruits from Alabama that slipped through Alabama's or Auburn's fingers or maybe LSU's and nearly get the others that wasn't heavily recruited by an SEC school (diamonds in the rough) and maybe compete with State and Ole Piss for recruits but not that ULL, Troy, and South Alabama have evolved...those diamonds in the rough are harder to get because those schools are located in their hometowns...and the gap was already wide btwn State/Ole Miss and USM but it's gotten a lot more wider in this new age... So, it's gonna be harder for us to top this huge mountain in front of us....we are to far behind the 8ball, in my eyes... Hope I'm wrong, but it doesn't look good . Our Athletics admistrators should have tried to position ourselves long ago to get out of CUSA when we weren't as poor as we are now ..but they didn't and I believe the ship has done sailed . Thank you Coach66, for the respect shown and understanding what I'm talking about.


Campshelbydog, I came over to offer respect to MSU program and congratulate on the win Saturday. As I said before, win or lose....this game is good for the entire state of Mississippi, the fans at both schools, and the players that possibly played in high school together. You commented that you would love to open the series back up now ...sounds like to me only because we (USM) aren't as good as we once were...that's cowardly on your part, alone, and I'm not saying ever MSU fan thinks like you do. Of course, I want USM to win every game, but I want you USM to play State every year Win or lose...but you are wanting State to only play USM if it's a guaranteed win...what's the fun and hype in that ?

To say that "win or lose, this game is good for both schools" is the most ignorant thing I've ever read. Losing to USM is one of, if not the worst things that could happen to our program. However, like you said, USM is not and never will be what they once were and there is no need to worry about losing to them any longer. If we play them, fine. We will just add another easy win to the schedule. If we don't, that's fine too.