quote:
MS is a small state with two major universities

Population MS - 2.9M

Compare that with:

Population AL - 4.8M
Population LA - 4.6M

Population TX - 25.7M
Population FL - 19M
Population GA - 9.8M

Alabama has a great history and perhaps the best coach/recruiter in college football right now - the Mississippi schools have neither reputation. LSU is the proverbial big fish in a small pond (sharing great talent with no one in state). Major schools like Texas, Florida, and Georgia also have a leg up with their reputations and population bases - tho all of them have other major football programs in their state.

It is debatable but I think if MSU and Ole Miss were to be consolidated into one university with one football program they would be a powerhouse (MS would still be a small state at 2/3rds the size of Louisiana but they have a lot of talent per capita)

Solid post, but remember that population doesn't tell you everything. Look at how many NFL players come from the state of Mississippi:

Mississippi has a lot going for it in terms of producing football talent. A high black %, a mild climate, a culture where sports (and particularly football) is important.

If MS had just one SEC-caliber school, they'd be about the same level as LSU.