Comparing where SEC media predicts MSU to finish, and where they actually do finish

The SEC media has made their preseason Western Division predictions.

Here they are:

1. Alabama
2. LSU
3. Ole Miss
4. Texas A&M
5. Arkansas
6. Auburn
7. Mississippi State

Once again, MSU is not favored to do much in 2016. Big shocker I know. But let’s review how the SEC media has picked the Bulldogs in the SEC West over the course of the Mullen era to determine just how right or wrong they have been…..

2009:

• Picked to finish 6th (last)
• Finished tied with Arkansas & Auburn for 4th, but 6th place via tiebreakers

2010:

• Picked to finish 5th
• Finished 5th

2011:

• Picked to finish 4th
• Finished 5th

2012:

• Picked to finish 6th
• Finished 4th

2013:

• Picked to finish 6th
• Finished tied for 5th with Ole Miss, alone in 5th place via tiebreaker

2014:

• Picked to finish 5th
• Finished 2nd

2015:

• Picked to finish 7th (last)
• Finished tied for 5th, but 6th place via tiebreaker

There you have it – the media correctly picked MSU’s finish in Mullen’s first two years but has not done so since.

In 2011, MSU was overvalued (remember that was a 6-6 team that started the year ranked), but every year since 2012 the media has undervalued Mullen’s teams.

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In totality, you could consider 2009 to be undervalued as well considering they tied for 4th place. So you could say five of the seven years that has been the case.

At no point in Coach Mullen’s tenure have the Bulldogs been picked with more than two teams below them. That is, when they were picked 4th in 2011 there were only six teams in the West; whereas in 2014 there were seven teams when they were picked 5th.

But I guess in fairness, only the 2014 team finished the year with more than two teams behind them. So while the media generally undervalues MSU, we haven’t given them much reason to start picking us higher.

Not that it really matters to Mississippi State players, coaches or fans. “We do better when we’re picked last” is always a battle cry. We’ll see how 2016 turns out…