Mississippi State – Dan Mullin – ‘Big Mo’
The image above is not photoshopped. That is a SEC football team celebrating a bowl win against Miami- Ohio. That is not the way for the SEC to Regain Its Swagger.
Mississippi State won a bowl game in 2016 by a single point over a MAC team AND finished the season with just five wins. The Akron Zips beat the Miami-Ohio Redhawks worse (35-13) than the Bulldogs, who squeaked by 17-16.
The information in the above paragraph leads to many questions. The first being, what the heck was Mississippi State doing in a bowl game? Too many bowls, too few teams is the simple answer.
No momentum was achieved by the dubious bowl win. The Bulldogs dug a deep hole the opening game of the 2016 season. South Alabama beat State in Starkville, 21-20. Three things allowed the Bulldogs to eventually climb out of that hole.
One, they unleashed an offensive force in quarterback Nick Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald was a long way from being the top passer in the SEC last season. He was a better than average passer, but an exceptional runner. Fitzgerald was the SEC’s second-leading rusher in 2016 with 1375 yards and he led the SEC in rushing touchdowns with 17.
Some pundits predict Fitzgerald will the top SEC quarterback in 2017. The second hole-climbing boost came from winning the Egg Bowl. Not only did State beat Ole Miss, the Bulldogs destroyed them 55-20 in Oxford.
Cowbell-shaking State fans would rather beat Ole Miss in Oxford than beat any other football team in the Sugar Bowl. Unless that other team is Alabama.
Beating the Rebels/Black Bears always gives Mississippi State momentum. What made 2016 so special for the Bulldogs was the attendant knowledge the NCAA had uncovered damning evidence against Ole Miss.
Celebrating a rival’s demise by NCAA penalty is sweeter than winning a rivalry game. NCAA penalties, particularly those probable against Ole Miss can cripple a program for years.
Group Fitzgerald’s rise, with an Egg Bowl win and NCAA doom for Ole Miss – Mississippi State gains ‘Big Mo’ despite only winning five games in 2016. That ‘Big Mo’ will at least take the Bulldogs into September when they face LSU, and travel to Georgia and Auburn during a three-week gauntlet.