Hi Dawgs! You are my pick to win the West and make playoffs

I'm of a similar opinion Jjdoc. I just think State goes 11-1 and doesn't make the SEC Title Game. The SEC Title Game isn't a given anymore since Georgia is a factor now so I could certainly see them winning if State got that far.

With the way Mark Keenum (our president) has been involved with the CFB Playoff, I would say he and Cohen both factored into the end of Mullen's tenure. Yes Mullen wasn't losing many bad games, but he could never get over the hump, and the excitement was lost for Mississippi State in the form of ticket sales. And with us expanding in 2014 and not selling out much since that season, I truly believe that and his 2016 antics are what cause the Stricklin departure and the Mullen departure in 2017 after the way the Auburn and Georgia games played out.

Anyways getting back to your scenario. I don't think a late loss matters, otherwise Alabama would've been excluded in 2017 for their performance against Auburn. But it also just depends on what other teams are contenders. I think State would probably just rematch Georgia in like the Orange or Cotton Bowl if Georgia and Mississippi State were both undefeated coming into that game

Cohen said in Moorheads opening press conference that they had known for two months this was a possibility. Mullen fell out of favor at the end of 2015 when he lost the Egg Bowl and was found to be talking to Miami that week rather than game planning. As a result Stricklin didn't extend him. His 2016 off-season put more pressure on Stricklin from Keenum and after USA, Stricklin had enough of the stress and took a chance at Florida. Mullen had a good November in 2016 to avoid being fired. The 2017 off-season seemed to be make or break with the JUCO Recruits and the new DC. After State got blasted by Georgia and Auburn in the bye week, Mullen and Cohen had a meeting which is what triggered Cohen to start searching for options and Mullen himself to look as well. As Wyatt said himself after Mullen left, he was leaving for Florida or Tennessee no matter what. And that's where we are today. And that is a big reason why the culture today at Mississippi State is different than it was 4 years ago.

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The only question is will they allow you in the playoffs with a late loss.

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I do think that we have as good of a chance as anyone to win the West this season. However, to answer your question, I do not see them taking MSU as an at-large over a blue blood (say, OSU or someone). We just don’t get that type of benefit of the doubt like Saban would. See 2014. If we would have beaten Ole Miss, they still would have put Ohio State in over us.

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Which is why I tell everyone the Egg Bowl did nothing for us in 2014.

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It was absolutely meaningless. We shot our load against Bama. Too many people looked at #4 and assumed that we would stay there if we won. However, they forget that OSU won the Big 10 immediately after. No chance we got in or ever will unless we win the SEC.