MSU Baseball: path to a SEC West title
With three SEC series left, MSU baseball is in the thick of the SEC West title race.
Mississippi State hasn’t won the SEC West since 1984.
You read that right. I thought up a topic, wrote the title and commenced research for the ‘Mississippi State is seeking their first SEC West title since _____’ line to start this post, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Not even the great 1985 team – which did win the SEC Tournament – won the West.
I’m baffled by this. Now, there was just one big division from 1986-1991 until South Carolina and Arkansas joined the league in the early 90s, but still there has been plenty of time since then to win the division. Mississippi State last won the conference regular season title in 1989, but alas, no SEC West. That I did know, but I figured surely we’d won the West sometime in the last 25 tries.
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There have been seven 2nd place finished since the last division title. State has been to six College World Series during this span and won six SEC Tournament titles as well.
State hasn’t won 20 SEC games since 1989 either (it was more difficult back then because there were only 27 conference games, and State only played 25 that year). The Diamond Dawgs best league record since there have been two divisions was 19-11 in 1997. Second best was in 2000 (17-10) and third best was just two years ago (18-12 in 2014).
So….what would MSU have to do to win their first ever SEC West title?
Here are the current standings:
1. Texas A&M, 14-7
2. Mississippi State, 12-9
2. Ole Miss, 12-9
4. LSU, 11-0
5. Alabama, 10-11
6. Arkansas, 7-14
6. Auburn, 7-14
Mississippi State holds the tie-breaker with Ole Miss, so essentially we are alone in 2nd place. And while the standings say two games behind A&M, we are really three because they hold the tie-breaker.
Bulldogs’ remaining schedule:
- vs. Missouri (7-14)
- at Auburn (7-14)
- vs. Arkansas (7-14)
If you stacked all the SEC teams into one division, MSU would be facing the three teams comprising 10th, 11th and 12th place.
Aggies’ remaining schedule:
- vs. Vanderbilt (13-8)
- at South Carolina (15-5)
- vs. Ole Miss (12-9)
If you stacked all the SEC teams into one division, A&M would be facing the #1, #3 and #6 teams in the conference.
Both teams have two home series and one on the road, but against teams on opposite ends of the spectrum. Opponents record of 21-42 for State, and 40-22 for A&M. It’s almost literally the opposite!
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I hate to have to win the division this way against a team that came into Starkville and swept us, but it would be great to have the division title so who cares.
It still won’t be easy, even if A&M faltered to a 4-5 record (which is unlikely) in the remaining three series. The Bulldogs would have to go 7-2 in that scenario. Most likely, however, the Dawgs are going to have to go 8-1 or run the table at 9-0 to have a chance.
The prospects look as good as they could be two games back with nine to play, but it’s still a long shot. If State plays well enough to win the West you can bet your bottom dollar we’ll be a national seed as well.