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The Deemphasis of the Alabama Game has been a big difference in making us "good"
Posted on 8/19/18 at 2:17 am
Posted on 8/19/18 at 2:17 am
From 1996-2007, Mississippi State was 6-6 vs Alabama. This is the most competitive we have seen the series and the most intense we have seen it with the combination of Basketball at the time. However, Mullen seemed to overemphasize Ole Miss to the point where most fans don't even consider Alabama a big game anymore. And thus Alabama has won 10 in a row over us since and most of the games Haven't been competitive.
This is the sleeping giant of all rivalries in the SEC. The distance between the schools, the connections (Sherrill, Croom, etc.). The only thing missing is the competitiveness. We've had moments, 1941 to win the SEC, 1980, 1996 to jumpstart the late 90's. 1998 to help win the West.
Mississippi State's success in the late 1990's was because they could consistently defeat Alabama. Mullen couldn't even beat Alabama once and that is why Mississippi State never made it over the hump.
With us being Alabama's most played opponent, this Rivalry under Moorhead could become similar to an Auburn-Georgia type if this thing gets say 5-5 in the next decade. If you were there in 2014, you could see a glimpse of this. Ecspecially with the digression of LSU and Tennessee (basically irrelevant now).
So in conclusion, if Joe Moorhead truly wants to go from "Good to Great". It starts with making this series competitive. Every non Alabama SEC West Champion but Arkansas in 2002(Alabama was ineligible for the SEC Title) has defeated Alabama in order to win the SEC West. And 2018 will be no exception for Mississippi State. State was able to win in 1941 and 1998 against Alabama to get the SEC or Division Titles respectively. State can win at Alabama in 2018 with all of the talent State has. It's just a matter of whether or not the Moorhead era is going to have confidence and not fear in this game. And I suspect from hearing this man in person and watching multiple interviews, that Alabama isn't ready for what Mississippi State will be bringing to Bryant Denny in November.
This is the sleeping giant of all rivalries in the SEC. The distance between the schools, the connections (Sherrill, Croom, etc.). The only thing missing is the competitiveness. We've had moments, 1941 to win the SEC, 1980, 1996 to jumpstart the late 90's. 1998 to help win the West.
Mississippi State's success in the late 1990's was because they could consistently defeat Alabama. Mullen couldn't even beat Alabama once and that is why Mississippi State never made it over the hump.
With us being Alabama's most played opponent, this Rivalry under Moorhead could become similar to an Auburn-Georgia type if this thing gets say 5-5 in the next decade. If you were there in 2014, you could see a glimpse of this. Ecspecially with the digression of LSU and Tennessee (basically irrelevant now).
So in conclusion, if Joe Moorhead truly wants to go from "Good to Great". It starts with making this series competitive. Every non Alabama SEC West Champion but Arkansas in 2002(Alabama was ineligible for the SEC Title) has defeated Alabama in order to win the SEC West. And 2018 will be no exception for Mississippi State. State was able to win in 1941 and 1998 against Alabama to get the SEC or Division Titles respectively. State can win at Alabama in 2018 with all of the talent State has. It's just a matter of whether or not the Moorhead era is going to have confidence and not fear in this game. And I suspect from hearing this man in person and watching multiple interviews, that Alabama isn't ready for what Mississippi State will be bringing to Bryant Denny in November.
3
Posted on 8/19/18 at 3:07 am to The Winner
Something else I have to point out. Do you know how many years at Mississippi State that Dan Mullen had a winning record in games played in November? If you guessed the same amount of times he defeated Alabama then you are 100% correct. Not ONCE did he have a winning record in November. That's freaking terrible and the majority of our fanbase that was drinking the Kool aid throughout that needs to reevaluate.
Our last winning record in November was in 2007. Yes even Sylvester Croom had a winning record in November (along with multiple Alabama wins).
Just yet another thing of how we have to go from good to great. We have to win November.
Our last winning record in November was in 2007. Yes even Sylvester Croom had a winning record in November (along with multiple Alabama wins).
Just yet another thing of how we have to go from good to great. We have to win November.
Posted on 8/20/18 at 10:05 am to The Winner
Well Mullen had to deal with Nick Saban.1996-2007 was one of the worst periods in Alabama football history. That's why we beat them so much.
Posted on 8/20/18 at 4:49 pm to The Winner
How many winning Novembers has State had prior to 2007? Maybe Jackie had a couple when we played Kentucky, Arky, Bama, Ole miss for Nov. schedule. I can only think of the '98 season.
Posted on 8/20/18 at 5:53 pm to The Winner
But if there was one thing to like about Croom, it was he was more concerned about beating bama than any other school.
Posted on 8/20/18 at 11:14 pm to Cdawg
Probably not many. I'm not saying that's solely a Mullen issue though. I'm sure Sherrill either had it or was close in 91, 96,97,98,99, and 00.
Posted on 8/20/18 at 11:15 pm to Cdawg
That was a good thing and a bad thing. But I did like that he did put emphasis on beating Alabama. I always felt like Mullen shyed away from the game as if he didn't think he had a chance. We still might not be able to beat Saban, but I'm certain Moorhead isn't going to back down
Posted on 8/21/18 at 10:48 am to The Winner
I went back to find the specific years under Sherrill that he had a winning record in November: 91,93,94,96,98
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