I’m sure you’ve heard it by now. The tone resembles a 9-year-old who isn’t ready for bedtime: “But we have everything to lose and nothing to gain.”
If you find yourself holding these sentiments toward Mississippi State scheduling games with Southern Miss, quit being a pansy. Quit being scared of a Conference USA squad.
Nineteen years have passed since the Bulldogs played the Golden Eagles. During that span, State played C-USA teams 23 times during the regular season with games being split between Memphis, Tulane, UAB and Houston. Eleven of those games were played on the road. Honestly, how is a home-and-home with Southern worse than a home-and-home with, say, Memphis? After all, it’s not like Southern has held a death grip on the C-USA the past decade and a half.
The cynic would claim losing to Southern will hurt in-state recruiting. Really?
The only recruits who will choose Southern over MSU are kids predestined to suit up in Black and Gold – recruits whose parents are Golden Eagles or who get homesick easily. The SEC just signed a $2 billion-plus deal with ESPN. I can’t imagine a highly touted recruit thinking: “Man, MSU lost to Southern at home. I want to play in the Conference USA!” At the end of the day, teenagers want exposure. No one delivers like the SEC.
If you aren’t convinced, consider this: MSU lost to UAB on Homecoming in 2004. Over the next three years, we signed 10 recruits from Alabama with six hailing from the Birmingham area. Of those six players, all but two were ranked as 2-star recruits by rivals.com. Do you think UAB wasn’t recruiting those guys, dwelling within or just outside its city limits? I doubt current Bulldogs like D.J. Looney or Rodney Prince thought too hard about the crashed parade of ’04 when MSU came knockin’.
Now, let’s address this nonsense of MSU legitimizing Southern’s program by traveling to Hattiesburg.
Here’s a brief list of major programs that have played or have scheduled in-state home-and-home deals against C-USA teams (following are away dates): Last year, LSU at Tulane. This season, Texas Tech at Houston (Sept. 26) and Miami at Central Florida (Oct. 17). Next year, North Carolina at East Carolina and Tennessee at Memphis. Also, Texas and Baylor are scheduled to play at Rice over the next two years.
If Texas Tech loses at Houston Saturday, will it officially legitimize Houston’s program? No, Houston will eventually fade from the national spotlight like all C-USA teams that experience spurts of success. So, how could State legitimize Southern, a team who’s been to more bowls? What a pretentious thought – sounds like the ideals of a Rebel to me.
The only negative consequence from losing to Southern will be injured pride. Come on, State lost to Maine. That ego vaccination is at least effective until we horseshoe our north end zone.
Honestly, MSU just doesn’t have the $900,000 it takes to schedule a non-conference “buy” game. We have to settle for home-and-homes with teams like Middle Tennessee State. Considering the Bulldog’s financial restraints, Southern Miss serves as a natural scheduling it.
Most of all, the deal caters to the Bulldog brand. Whether you like it or not, MSU is the People’s University. The Jackson State game started a trend embodying that image, and playing high-profile games with Southern Miss will extend it considerably. Not only that, the game will flirt with setting a home record crowd.
Think about it. So far, Mississippi only has one big-time in-state match up – MSU versus Ole Miss – which isn’t even played on Thanksgiving anymore.
In the books, Southern Miss leads this series, thanks to a pair of bogus victories scored off NCAA-mandated MSU forfeits in 1974 and ’75. As the Legend goes, MSU defensive tackle Larry Gillard bought clothes at a discount price, apparently from a local shop that offered a discount to all State students. After the NCAA sanctioned Gillard, a local judge ruled he could play out his career. The judge’s injunction was later overturned, and MSU was forced to give up all its victories for the ’74, ’75 and ’76 seasons.
The last time we played USM, in 1990, the Bulldogs were well on their way to evening the series, thanks to consecutive victories over Brett Favre. It’s time to finish the job and square things up. Let’s do it for Larry G.
Justin Ammon is the sports editor of The Reflector. He can be contacted at[email protected].