What Is Acceptable Saturday Night?

[ShotgunDawg]

I realize that it is unfair & unrealistic to compare our program to Bama.

MSU is a really good football program & on the upswing, however, since our goal is to go to ATL, at some level we have to compare ourselves to Bama. The question just is, what is the expectation & what is acceptable?

IMO, last year & 2015 were not acceptable. Those were noncompetitive games that made me feel as though, after 9 years, this program had not gotten any better.

Therefore, here is what is acceptable to me on Saturday night:

- I believe we should be able to keep the game in doubt into the 2nd half & mid-way through the 3rd quarter. Anything less would be unacceptable to me.

- I believe we should at least get the feeling that we are capable of scoring. This one is subjective obviously, but it would be unacceptable IMO to be no threat to score. I need to know that Mullen is capable of making adjustments against Bama after 8 years of futility. I want to Mullen let his balls hang out.

- I really want to believe that our defense can limit them to 3 or less touchdowns. Considering the progress we've made on defense, I would be discouraging IMO if they ran up & down the field.

- It would be unacceptable to see resignation & fear on the faces of our players & coaches.

- I want to believe that the UGA & Auburn games were just bad days at the office in a bad spot on the schedule on the road. Right now nationally, those games are defining us, but I really want to believe those were just extremely poor showings.

These are my expectations for the game. I realize we aren't Bama but we have to start physically competing against them & discovering some offensive strategy that has a chance to be successful if we want this program to take the next step.

[Indndawg]

I realize that it is unfair & unrealistic to compare our program to Bama.

MSU is a really good football program & on the upswing, however, since our goal is to go to ATL, at some level we have to compare ourselves to Bama. The question just is, what is the expectation & what is acceptable?

IMO, last year & 2015 were not acceptable. Those were noncompetitive games that made me feel as though, after 9 years, this program had not gotten any better.

Therefore, here is what is acceptable to me on Saturday night:

- I believe we should be able to keep the game in doubt into the 2nd half & mid-way through the 3rd quarter. Anything less would be unacceptable to me.

- I believe we should at least get the feeling that we are capable of scoring. This one is subjective obviously, but it would be unacceptable IMO to be no threat to score. I need to know that Mullen is capable of making adjustments against Bama after 8 years of futility. I want to Mullen let his balls hang out.

- I really want to believe that our defense can limit them to 3 or less touchdowns. Considering the progress we've made on defense, I would be discouraging IMO if they ran up & down the field.

- It would be unacceptable to see resignation & fear on the faces of our players & coaches.

- I want to believe that the UGA & Auburn games were just bad days at the office in a bad spot on the schedule on the road. Right now nationally, those games are defining us, but I really want to believe those were just extremely poor showings.

These are my expectations for the game. I realize we aren't Bama but we have to start physically competing against them & discovering some offensive strategy that has a chance to be successful if we want this program to take the next step.

I do think we can beat bama, if Dan lets go and we play a perfect game

[Dawgology]

I'm expecting a 41-13 loss. That being said, if we kept it within 14 pts I would be happy. I WOULDN'T be happy with a 14-0 loss though. I want to see our offense at least put a TD on the board.

[PassInterference]

**** all of that.

Al Davis said it best JUST WIN BABY WIN!!!

[Drugdog]

**** all of that.

Al Davis said it best JUST WIN BABY WIN!!!

This.

[starkvegasdawg]

I want dejected Bama fans filing out of the stadium with 5 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter to jeers of sha-na-na hey hey good bye. I want reports of ash trays and Budweiser bottles being thrown through windows and tv screens from Gordo to Birmingham. I want household pets cowering under trailers out of fear. I want Dan taking Megan right there on the logo on the 50 yardline in a spontaneous celebration.

[AlmostPositive]

Winning in overtime is acceptable. Anything less is just optics, as they say lately.

[AusTexDawg]

Therefore, here is what is acceptable to me on Saturday night...

- I believe we should at least get the feeling that we are capable of scoring...I want to Mullen let his balls hang out.

I'm not sure this is in the unacceptable category for me, but I would like to see him not coach tight and for Fitz not to play as tight as Dak did in a few of those games.

- I really want to believe that our defense can limit them to 3 or less touchdowns. Considering the progress we've made on defense, [it] would be [discouraging IMO if they ran up & down the field.

Agreed. Clearly, the defense has shown that they're susceptible to big plays, but I don't want Bama to be able to do to us what we do to other teams by getting 3-5 yards every down to put together a bunch of long drives. I don't expect a bunch of 3 and outs, but I'd like to see us limit many of their drives to under 10 plays (and not just because they're hitting big plays all the time) (ETA: I forgot how good their punter is. Gaining 45-50 yards on 8-10 plays might result in a lot of touchdowns)

- It would be unacceptable to see resignation & fear on the faces of our players & coaches.
- I want to believe that the UGA & Auburn games were just bad days at the office in a bad spot on the schedule on the road.

I hope the team has grown up since they let the UGA loss carry over into Auburn. I want the team to show some swagger and the home crowd to keep bringing it, even when things might look discouraging.

John Bond said on his podcast the other day that in the 1980 game, he was on the sideline and leaned over to one of the guys and said "I sure am glad I didn't go to Alabama," after watching how physical State's defense was against the Tide offense. While i don't expect the same result as 1980, I'd love for Leo and Gerri to be able to have the same conversation watching our TEs and RBs.

Having said all that, I think the line is set about right for this game, assuming we don't get killed on big plays. I can live with a 24-10 or 28-14 loss, but a 17-3 loss would be rough.

[Cooterpoot]

I don't care what the score ends up, other than it could help or hurt our standing for a better bowl. Anyone expecting to handle the machine that is Alabama this year, after having a losing record last year, is just a damn fool. Check back with me next year.

[shoeless joe]

Weren't we one stop away from a chance to take the lead late in the game in 14? Didn't we move the ball and score decently in the second half? I ask all this because the last time we had this type of skill on this team we were in it late and possibly one play away from a win AT bama. The Lewis drop, jumping offsides inside the 5 before half, sims scrambling on 3rd and long...

Folks act like it's completely out of the realm of possibility for us to win. It's not likely but we dang sure have a shot at having a shot

[MetEdDawg]

I expect a pulse from us. You couldn't see that against Georgia or Auburn. If we come out flat, not up for the game, or not executing to the level that we should be, I'm going to be pissed. I don't mind getting whipped if the team that lines up across from you is just that much better than you are.

But we are on our home turf, we have a team that I firmly believe is very capable of executing what we do, and there's no reason we should be getting blown out at home. I don't care about comparing ourselves to Bama. I care about comparing ourselves to our potential. No business for Bama to come in and dominate us and we shouldn't allow that to be ok anymore. If LSU can score on them, we damn well better be able to score on them. And we usually do ok between the 20s against Bama. Where we lose games against them is outside the 20s on both ends of the field. We are at the point as a program where we have to get out of the own goal situations and at least show some competency inside the red zone.

[I seen it dawg]

A win.

[Tbonewannabe]

I want dejected Bama fans filing out of the stadium with 5 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter to jeers of sha-na-na hey hey good bye. I want reports of ash trays and Budweiser bottles being thrown through windows and tv screens from Gordo to Birmingham. I want household pets cowering under trailers out of fear. I want Dan taking Megan right there on the logo on the 50 yardline in a spontaneous celebration.

Thank you Sir.

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to starkvegasdawg34 again.

[Tbonewannabe]

I expect a pulse from us. You couldn't see that against Georgia or Auburn. If we come out flat, not up for the game, or not executing to the level that we should be, I'm going to be pissed. I don't mind getting whipped if the team that lines up across from you is just that much better than you are.

But we are on our home turf, we have a team that I firmly believe is very capable of executing what we do, and there's no reason we should be getting blown out at home. I don't care about comparing ourselves to Bama. I care about comparing ourselves to our potential. No business for Bama to come in and dominate us and we shouldn't allow that to be ok anymore. If LSU can score on them, we damn well better be able to score on them. And we usually do ok between the 20s against Bama. Where we lose games against them is outside the 20s on both ends of the field. We are at the point as a program where we have to get out of the own goal situations and at least show some competency inside the red zone.

If you play for MSU and you can't get up for the Bama game, you just need to quit football. This is the biggest game of the year and it shouldn't take much for our players to give "Relentless Effort". Hell, I am getting pissed off and wanting to punch a Bama fan typing on this keyboard. I will be working from home on Saturday in Atlanta but I will be screaming at my TV on Saturday night.

[LC Dawg]

Acceptable to me is a win and also to see that our fans have gotten better because 20% of season ticket holders and faculty didn't sell their tickets to Bama fans.

[mstatefan91]

A win. I'm going to be disappointed with a loss. I'm going to be pissed if they hang 40+ on us.

[TrapGame]

I fantastic show of giving a ****. Play with your dick hanging out.

[Pollodawg]

If the final score is something like 21-10, I’ll be reasonably pleased. If we look like our butts are so tight, Myles Hartsfield couldn’t even get in, I’ll have a problem with that. Can’t play scared.

[preachermatt83]

I want dejected Bama fans filing out of the stadium with 5 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter to jeers of sha-na-na hey hey good bye. I want reports of ash trays and Budweiser bottles being thrown through windows and tv screens from Gordo to Birmingham. I want household pets cowering under trailers out of fear. I want Dan taking Megan right there on the logo on the 50 yardline in a spontaneous celebration.

Outstanding sir!!

[BeardoMSU]

I want dejected Bama fans filing out of the stadium with 5 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter to jeers of sha-na-na hey hey good bye. I want reports of ash trays and Budweiser bottles being thrown through windows and tv screens from Gordo to Birmingham. I want household pets cowering under trailers out of fear. I want Dan taking Megan right there on the logo on the 50 yardline in a spontaneous celebration.

Whoa, cat**