Yahoo/Rivals write-up says we have a chance to go bowling.

[biguglyjoe]

If Mullen is savvy enough.

If Mullen can prove savvy enough to take the hand he's been dealt on offense, State has a legit chance to contend for a bowl berth in his first season. After all, some will point out that the difference in State's 4-8 record last year and, say, a second straight seven-win season essentially came down to three plays on special teams-two missed second-half field goals in tight games and a fumbled punt.</p>

State returns enough talent on defense that fans can expect what they saw in Starkville the past half-decade: A decent defense capable of keeping State in enough games to win them.</p>

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

Hope the D is as good as the last few years, and yes we have a chance, but with our recent performance, my wool growth is just a little stunted,
SHOW ME!

On O, a lot of pieces have got to come together. Lot of new faces...new offense.

But Baaaa Baaaa!</p>

 

[SLUdog]

more difficult by comparison with last year's schedule. A good coach would have been bowling last year with our team and schedule. I am optimistically predicting 6-6 but I know it's not likely. We have an unproven head coach and have a good chance of being 2-2 in non-conf. games.

 

[615dawg]

If Mullen goes 6-6 with this schedule, it will be like going 10-2 with last year's schedule.

 

[SLUdog]

as of right now. 2009 appears to be a very difficult schedule for us.

 

[615dawg]

anyone in the SEC in 25 years. We have five potential top 10 teams out of 7 home games. One of the other two has a very good shot at a 10 win season.

 

[ArrowDawg]

Captain Jack Sparrow agrees:

 

[patdog]

nm

 

[wbc40]

Granted, we get the beatable teams on the road, and we get the unbeatable teams at home. I'm just so 17ing tired of this "woe is us" attitude. It is so overplayed. We have a chance to win 6 games, and that doesn't make me "sheepish." Patdog, I know you think that our maximum potential is 4 wins; you have made that abundantly clear. I'm thinking we can make it to six wins if we get a few breaks. BAAAAA away.

 

[TR.sixpack]

last year.

UT-sucked
AU-sucked
Vandy-nuff said
Ark-retooling the O
LSU-down and very vulnerable
UK-Decent, but beatable
UA-Good
OM-Good

JWS's 96 team would have gone 6-2 with that schedule.

 

[RebelBruiser]

In conference you caught South Carolina, Vandy, and Kentucky (a combined 6-18 record, or 3-15 combined against SEC teams not named UK, Vandy, and SC), and the West teams. Auburn and LSU were both way down in 1999 (combined 3-13 in conference). The only good SEC teams, and for that matter, the only bowl teams you played in 1999, were Ole Miss, Arkansas, and Alabama. Your OOC games were MTSU, a 5-6 Oklahoma State team, and Memphis.

Last year, you caught UT, Kentucky, and Vandy from the East, definitely favorable, but they went 9-15 combined in conference play or 6-12 against the rest of the SEC. Plus, you had a pretty good Georgia Tech team on your nonconference schedule along with MTSU, La. Tech (bowl team), and SELA. In 2008, you played 7 bowl teams. Granted, only 4 of those teams would have likely been bowl teams in 1999 (Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Bama, and LSU).

 

[patdog]

If you can find any college football team in history that's played a tougher home schedule than we'll play this fall, then show me. Otherwise STFU about me whining about the schedule. I'm not whining. I think the future of MSU football is bright. But I'm not going to go into this season with unrealistic expectations.

For the record, I've never said our maximum potential is 4 wins this season. I'm predicting 4 wins. I think we could possibly get 5.

 

[patdog]

we're both pretty much assured of having a couple of very favorable SEC schedules every 10 years. For all the bitching fans of both schools do about the conference, they really cut us both a huge break on this.

 

[olemissbydamn]

Hawaii 7-7
Miami 7-6
at UT
OM 9-4
at Ark
LSU 8-5
GA 10-3 at Jacksonville
at Vandy 7-6
SC 7-6
at FSU 9-4
Bama 12-2 at ATL
Oklahoma 12-2

They played teams ranked (at the time of the game) #3, 8, 23, 24, 1, and 1.

While I agree that you have a brutal schedule, according to Phil Steele it is only second in the SEC to SC. I don't know that I agree with him. In reality, it's hard to fairly analyze an upcoming schedule, because some teams that are normally good may fail and some that are normally bad may step up.

 

[patdog]

Our road schedule is very managable. But I really doubt anyone has ever played a tougher home schedule (based on how good our home opponents are predicted to be - of course some could be worse than predicted, but some could possibly even be better). Preseason consensus ranking for our home opponents:

1 - Florida
6 - Alabama
9 - Mississippi
11 - LSU
16 - GA Tech
Houston - preseason pick to win CUSA
Jackson St. - I-AA team

Link

 

[bulldogbaja]

we're both pretty much assured of having a couple of very favorable SEC schedules every 10 years. For all the bitching fans of both schools do about the conference, they really cut us both a huge break on this.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

Sylvester Croom and his offensive coordinator, Woody McCorvey, had attempted to install a variation of the West Coast offense at State. They were unsuccessful.

 

[Stormrider81]

If we were a decent program, this schedule would be tough but managable. As it stands now, we lack SEC talent and depth, we are installing new systems with nearly a totally different staff from last year, we are replacing several starters, and we have some downright unwinnable (for this team) home games. We play beatable teams, but those are on the road. This is not the schedule this team needs. We will likely win 3-4 games, although we could win 5 if everything works out. 6 wins - look, that's just delusional. Mullen would be SEC COY if we win 6 games, or at least he should be.

 

[olemissbydamn]

nm