Bama Week is Here
Nov 16, 2013; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs fans during the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Davis Wade Stadium. Alabama Crimson Tide defeat the Mississippi State Bulldogs with a score of 20-7. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports
2014. The most important year in Mississippi State football. After the 45-16 win over UT Martin, Mississippi State entered uncharted waters. The Bulldogs are now 9-0 for the first time in the history of the school. With Auburn falling to the Texas A&M Aggies yesterday, the SEC West will for all intents and purposes be decided by this week’s game with Alabama. There is no question about it: this is the most important game in Mississippi State football history.
How big is it? If Mississippi State wins, they would only have to beat Vanderbilt or Ole Miss to punch their ticket to Atlanta. If they lose to the Tide, Mississippi State will need help from Auburn to find a way to Atlanta. It has become a near de facto SEC West Championship game. Yes, both teams would still have some business to take care of if they won the game, but their path to the SEC Championship is in their own hands, and the winner won’t have to do any scoreboard watching.
Be prepared Mississippi State fans. No one is going to tell you that the Bulldogs can win this game. Yes, there will be some who think they have a chance to win, and you might find a few people go out on a limb to predict Mississippi State victorious, but they will be few and far between. The Bulldogs have overcome obstacles all season, and this game will be no different. You’re going to hear about Mississippi State’s terrible pass defense and how there is no way the defensive backs of Mississippi State will be able to contain the dangerous Amari Cooper. You’re going to hear about the stout defense that Alabama is always known for and how the Bulldogs are going to have to fight for every yard they get. You’re going to hear about how great Alabama is at home, and how hard it is to win in Tuscaloosa. You’re going to hear about how poorly Mississippi State has played in their last three games, and how it spells certain doom for the Bulldogs.
What you won’t hear about is how Mississippi State has shredded every defense they have played this year. What you won’t hear about is how Mississippi State looked mediocre in three games before they went on their run of three straight wins over top 10 teams. What you won’t hear about is how Mississippi State dominated an LSU team in Baton Rouge like few have ever done before. What you won’t hear about is how the Mississippi State pass defense makes quarterbacks as inefficient as they ever have been.
Mississippi State has been a nice story this year. They weren’t ranked, and the Bulldogs had some good wins. Now we have reached November. The media and other experts are tired of having a nice story potentially being involved in the first ever College Football Playoff. They want eyeballs on their TV stations and eyeballs on their computer screens. Bama brings those eyeballs. Mississippi State doesn’t. It’s that simple. It’s Mississippi State against Alabama with the winner having the inside track on the SEC West and the SEC’s spot in the College Football Playoff. It’s the game you’ve waited your entire life for as a Bulldog fan, and it’s finally here.