Is Mississippi State a Legit College Football Playoff Contender?
One goal of every team entering the start of college football season is to compete for a championship. There are division and conference championships, and then there is a national championship. Regardless, if you play sports and compete, your goal is to be the best.
2014 marks the inaugural start to the college football playoff. Four teams will be selected to play a single elimination tournament style format at the end of the year, with the two winners squaring off to determine who the best team in college football is.
There will be lots of criteria in determining the top four teams by the playoff committee, but one thing is for sure – if you have more than one loss, odds of you getting in are slim.
There are 25-teams left in college football that are undefeated and twelve are from the SEC and Pac-12.
If you haven’t already, I urge you to follow Dave Bartoo with the College Football Matrix. He is doing a run-down weekly of the playoff and does a fine job. You can follow him on twitter @CFBMatrix.
Five of those teams that are undefeated are in the SEC West, one being Mississippi State.
Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen has always talked about bringing a winner to Starkville and winning championships. He gets laughed at by other fan bases for such claims, but after this past weekend’s beat down in Baton Rouge and receiving votes by the college football playoff panel, you have to ask the question, Is Mississippi State a Legitimate Playoff Contender?
Well first, let’s look at the facts.
What is the first thing you need to be a contender in college football? A quarterback – period end of story.
If you look back at past champions, rarely does a team win a championship without a game changer at quarterback. Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott is just that and he continues to prove he is a game changer weekly. He must stay healthy to give the Bulldogs any shot.
Run baby Run: You need to be able to run the ball. Josh Robinson and the Mississippi State offensive line showed this past weekend they can flat out scoot on the ground. Throw in some extra help from the supporting cast and this group’s solid.
Defense – Straight Defense: Championship caliber teams play great defense and the front seven in Starkville is arguably the best in the country. Yes, there are some concerns in the secondary, but most of those look to be issues that can be corrected.
Schedule must corporate: You need to have the majority of big games at home and be able to steal a game or two on the road. The Bulldogs got their first steal of 2014 in Baton Rouge, now they must hold serve at home.
WHY THE NEXT TWO WEEKS DETERMINE THE YEAR:
Sep 21, 2013; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Kevin Sumlin against the SMU Mustangs at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
You hate to put all your cards in one basket, but the next two ball games will define if the Bulldogs are seriously a contender for the college football playoff, or not.
State gets a week off this week to rest, reflect and reset. Then – the No. 6 Texas A&M Aggies come to town. The Bulldogs lost a 51-41 shootout down in College Station last year and while the State-secondary needs work, this has the makings of another shootout.
Watch Arkansas play them this weekend, if the Hogs run the ball on the Aggies, expect the Dawgs to do the same.
A victory here probably puts the Dawgs in the top-10.
No. 5 Auburn on October 11th: If the Bulldogs are serious contenders for the College Football Playoff, this is the most important game of the season if MSU is undefeated at this juncture and I’ll tell you why in a moment.
This game typically is a tight ballgame and one the Bulldogs gave away on the Plains last year. A win at home this time and the Bulldogs rise in the polls. Note: Win here then cheer for Auburn to go undefeated the rest of the way.
The following four weeks are an off week, (last of the year), a trip to Kentucky and home to take on Arkansas and UT Martin. You have to like MSU’s chances at Kentucky as Mullen is 5-0 against the Cats.
Arkansas’s strength which is running the ball plays into the strength of the MSU front seven. UT Martin – need I say more.
If the Bulldogs are undefeated and that’s a big if here, then it’s off to Alabama as this will probably be a No. 2 versus No. 3 or 4 type of game.
This is a game the Bulldogs can actually lose and still be ok and here is why. (Disclaimer: you want to win this, but again I’m not predicting it) If the Bulldogs lost this game, they would probably drop back to around 8th or 9th in the polls.
They get Vanderbilt the next week which should be a win and a spot bump in the polls or two. Then it’s off to Oxford for a must win with some help.
Remember that Auburn game the Bulldogs will hopefully win? If the field sets up this way, you need to cheer for a Bulldog win and an Auburn win in the Iron Bowl to set up a three-way tie for first place. Obviously there are other factors in a three way tie, but if State beats Ole Miss and Auburn beats Bama, State could very well represent the West in the SEC Championship Game. If you get to the Championship Game, history shows you are one step from the big one.
If that happens, I take State over any SEC East team at this point. Actually, I take any SEC West team over an Eastern opponent right now.
Sure this is a lot that needs to happen and we have a long way to go. But – it’s fun to talk about it and if State beats A&M and Auburn over the next three weeks, we need to seriously start talking about it, because State’s chances will become a huge reality at that point.