As students, we are taught things in groups of three to simplify complex ideas and to put the lesson in a nice, neat package.
In public speaking they teach us how to make a three-point speech, and in high school, we were taught how to write a three-point paper.
Somewhere along the way, Dan Mullen picked up this concept. The second-year head coach has had this season broken into thirds from the beginning, and the Bulldogs begin the final “third” of the season Saturday against Alabama.
Looking at where the Bulldogs are now, the season is headed a completely different direction than it was when the first stretch of the season ended after a 24-12 victory over Georgia. Sure, beating Georgia is nice, even if they were playing without suspended wide receiver A.J. Green, but the five-turnover loss against LSU was still fresh on everyone’s minds.
Fast-forward though a six game winning streak, and suddenly the outlook has changed considerably. The Bulldogs are now in the top 20 of every major poll, ranked as high as 17th in the AP Poll. Bowl representatives are showing up at home games, and progress has even been made with fans ringing their cowbells responsibly.
The recent success has allowed the team to buy into the plans of Mullen and defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, not that it was ever a problem for this group.
“I think what we at least have the ability to do now is sell them on our plan of success,” Diaz said. “We’re nine games in now, there’s no sneaking up on anybody anymore, and they know that if they follow the key things that we tell them to follow every week, they’ll be good.”
The current players are not the only ones buying into Mullen’s plan of success, as MSU has gained commitments from recruits Nick Brassell, Kendrick Market and Johnathan Harris during the streak, bringing MSU’s number of commitments up to 22 for the class of 2011.
Looking at the on-field success, there is one area of improvement that can be credited for the turnaround: turnovers.
After throwing five interceptions against LSU, the Bulldogs were ranked 90th nationally with a minus-3 turnover margin. Six games later, MSU is ranked 15th nationally with a plus-7 margin. In the last four games, the only turnover the Bulldogs have given up came when linebacker Chris White was returning an interception.
Another area of improvement in the “second third” of the season is the Bulldogs’ run game. Behind solid play from Chris Relf, Vick Ballard and LaDarius Perkins, MSU’s rushing attack has rolled up 1,336 yards and 13 touchdowns. The Bulldogs have rushed for over 200 yards in each of those five games (Alcorn State, Houston, Florida, UAB and Kentucky).
Looking at the final three games
While a six-game win streak is certainly impressive, it has not come against the toughest teams the Bulldogs will face this season. Two of the six games were against Conference USA opponents and another against FCS Alcorn State. 
None of the three remaining games against Alabama, Arkansas and Ole Miss will be easy wins for the Bulldogs. Alabama and Arkansas are both ranked in the top 15 nationally, while Ole Miss could be facing the possibility of needing a win to become bowl eligible when they host the Bulldogs in the Egg Bowl. According to Diaz, the confidence built in the six-game win streak will play a major role in determining the success of the final three games of the season.
“I think it’s just a matter of taking that confidence and applying it toward our next three opponents,” Diaz said.
It would be easy to think about the possibilities of ending the season 10-2 and going to an upper-tier bowl game, but like the old cliché goes, it’s one game at a time.
“We can’t let the ranking get to us,” senior linebacker K.J. Wright said. “The whole week we’ve been preaching that we gotta be 1-0 every week. We can’t look ahead, we just gotta focus on this week.”
That attitude has paid off the last six weeks, and the Bulldogs will look to keep the ball rolling on Saturday. All they have to do is get past the defending national champion with a returning Heisman Trophy winner.
One game at a time, right?