Oct 24, 2015; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State players celebrate after the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Davis Wade Stadium. Mississippi State won 42-16. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Seven wins.
That was the best Mississippi State fans were told we could expect. As a matter of fact, Jimmy Boyd, who runs Boyd’s Bets asked many of us who follow the Bulldogs to give our take on whether or not people should take the Over or Under on 7 wins for Mississippi State. That was the line most Las Vegas books had posted for the Bulldogs. And you’ll notice, Mr. Boyd and his two other experts said go under.
And when you got to the guys like myself and others who watch and cover Mississippi State regularly, we said take the over. And we’re at a push right now.
Mississippi State has a chance to flush all those preseason expectations down the toilet this weekend. Winning against Alabama would bring the Bulldogs to 8 wins, something I saw maybe one or two national people predict for the Bulldogs in 2015. And it would give the Bulldogs a win over the much bally-hooed Crimson Tide, a team the Bulldogs weren’t supposed to have a chance against.
Mississippi State can dispel the narrative that exists around the program this weekend. What narrative is that, you ask? That Dan Mullen and his coaching staff can’t compete at the same level by developing players not as highly recruited as others.
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Mississippi State fans were happy to let the recruiting experts of the world know that Mississippi State was defying all of their beliefs and values in 2014. One of those recruiting experts, SB Nation’s Bud Elliott, decided he saw the perfect opportunity to kick Mississippi State fans while they were down after the Bulldogs fell behind 14-0 in their game to LSU. Here is what he started to tweet that night.
So far, the more that Bud promised has only been one. I’m sure Bud isn’t even sweating this game because there is no way for a school like Mississippi State to have two highly successful season in a row when you don’t have 5 star players all over the field.
It’s not critical for Mississippi State to win this game against Alabama to hit 8 wins and go over the expected win predictions everyone gave them entering 2015. But Dan Mullen and his team have a unique opportunity to stick their proverbial middle finger in the faces of all those who said they didn’t have a prayer of doing anything in 2015 except come in last place in the SEC West.