CBS names MSU one of five possible Cinderella teams in football this year

[starkvegasdawg]

1. Mississippi State Bulldogs
CBS Sports: "The Bulldogs were a fun Cinderella team in 2014 when quarterback Dak Prescott led them to a brief No. 1 ranking and eventually a New Year's Six game. With all the talk in the SEC of Alabama this and even Auburn that, Mississippi State is one of the many teams being given the back-burner treatment. However, Mississippi State has something many other unheralded SEC teams do not: a quarterback. And his name is Nick Fitzgerald. There was a lot of inconsistency in his game as a first-year starter in 2016 but also a lot of promise. My gut feeling is MSU is still a year away from a more realistic run out of the West. However, with home games against LSU and Alabama, Dan Mullen's team might get a big win to show the signs are there."

[lamont]

One thing I disagree with is that I believe this will be the year of the QB in the SEC

Fitz
Allen
Hurts
Stidham
Lock
Eason
Shurmur
Bentley
Shay Shay
Johnson/Barker

It's probably the best the SEC has ever been top to bottom at QB

[Reason2succeed]

Let's get the clicks up for pro-MSU articles.
https://www.google.com/amp/www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/here-are-five-potential-cinderella-teams-for-college-football-in-2017/amp/

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.saturdaydownsouth.com/mississippi-state-football/cbs-sports-calls-mississippi-state-potential-cfb-cinderella-2017/amp/

I can see it. We have a stud at the most important position on the field. He had a workhorse RB behind him. Hev will have the OL serviceable. Hopefully, some receivers step up which I don't doubt because Billy G made Bear and Ross into what they were.

Defense has as much if not more talent than we had before everywhere except for corner. The problem was the lack of a competent experienced coordinator.

I'm not sold with O at LSU and we've already beaten every other coach except for Nick so we could surprise this year. We could surprise this year.

[msudawglb]

1. Mississippi State Bulldogs
CBS Sports: "The Bulldogs were a fun Cinderella team in 2014 when quarterback Dak Prescott led them to a brief No. 1 ranking and eventually a New Year's Six game. With all the talk in the SEC of Alabama this and even Auburn that, Mississippi State is one of the many teams being given the back-burner treatment. However, Mississippi State has something many other unheralded SEC teams do not: a quarterback. And his name is Nick Fitzgerald. There was a lot of inconsistency in his game as a first-year starter in 2016 but also a lot of promise. My gut feeling is MSU is still a year away from a more realistic run out of the West. However, with home games against LSU and Alabama, Dan Mullen's team might get a big win to show the signs are there."


I find it funny that when the media votes us last in the SEC, that we all get worked up and talk of how the media didn't do their homework....but when they write a good piece about us, we get worked up and thump our chests.

[hobiedawg]

I find it funny that when the media votes us last in the SEC, that we all get worked up and talk of how the media didn't do their homework....but when they write a good piece about us, we get worked up and thump our chests.

They're so few and far between, it's hard to know what to do.

[Tbonewannabe]

One thing I disagree with is that I believe this will be the year of the QB in the SEC

Fitz
Allen
Hurts
Stidham
Lock
Eason
Shurmur
Bentley
Shay Shay
Johnson/Barker

It's probably the best the SEC has ever been top to bottom at QB

And we have the best QB/QB Coach in the SEC at the most important position. Even when I was fed up with Mullen and wanted him gone, I hesitated because with him at MSU we will have a good to great QB. If we have even an average Oline then we have a shot at the West. I think Grantham will come in and turn the Defense around. There are a lot of 4 star players to go with Simmons on that side of the ball. If we can get the spread-OPTION offense going then we have a good chance. More than likely we are still one year away but you never can tell. Only Bama is an automatic L on our schedule.

[TrapGame]

And we have the best QB/QB Coach in the SEC at the most important position. Even when I was fed up with Mullen and wanted him gone, I hesitated because with him at MSU we will have a good to great QB. If we have even an average Oline then we have a shot at the West. I think Grantham will come in and turn the Defense around. There are a lot of 4 star players to go with Simmons on that side of the ball. If we can get the spread-OPTION offense going then we have a good chance. More than likely we are still one year away but you never can tell. Only Bama is an automatic L on our schedule.

I agree. If Grantham turns this D around we could win some games. The O is there. It was there last year but the defense was as leaky as a ten day old diaper. To me the game to watch is LSU. It's at home and we'll see if Mullen can out coach O. If we beat LSU then look out.

[GTHOM]

One thing I disagree with is that I believe this will be the year of the QB in the SEC

Fitz
Allen
Hurts
Stidham
Lock
Eason
Shurmur
Bentley
Shay Shay
Johnson/Barker

It's probably the best the SEC has ever been top to bottom at QB

If thats the best the SEC has ever been top to bottom then we are a bad QB conference

[PMDawg]

I find it funny that when the media votes us last in the SEC, that we all get worked up and talk of how the media didn't do their homework....but when they write a good piece about us, we get worked up and thump our chests.

Who thumped their chest Mr. 87 posts?

[lamont]

If thats the best the SEC has ever been top to bottom then we are a bad QB conference

Historically- yes. The SEC has not been the conference of QB's. It's been the conference of the power run game

[GTHOM]

Historically- yes. The SEC has not been the conference of QB's. It's been the conference of the power run game

Fitz Allen and Hurts are the best. The rest are just ok. Bentley looked pretty good for SC we do agree there but Im not sold on any of the others. Eason is overrated big time

[GTHOM]

Who thumped their chest Mr. 87 posts?

You missed the guy with 13

[CadaverDawg]

I find it funny that when the media votes us last in the SEC, that we all get worked up and talk of how the media didn't do their homework....but when they write a good piece about us, we get worked up and thump our chests.

What? Nobody thumped their chest. But would it be better to want a positive article and then when we finally get one shit all over it? THAT would be "funny".

[Tbonewannabe]

Fitz Allen and Hurts are the best. The rest are just ok. Bentley looked pretty good for SC we do agree there but Im not sold on any of the others. Eason is overrated big time

Eason has big time arm strength, whether he develops into a good QB is to be seen but the talent is there. Probably the most talent the SEC has had at QB in a long time. We will see if Hurts develops or just becomes another game manager like almost every other QB under Saban.

[lamont]

Fitz Allen and Hurts are the best. The rest are just ok. Bentley looked pretty good for SC we do agree there but Im not sold on any of the others. Eason is overrated big time

Eason is a big time talent. He probably had at least 30 drops by his WR's last season. I expect a big jump for him this year
Stidham is a huge talent that completed 69% of his passes as a true freshman. With Auburn's weapons- he is going to blow up

Fitz will certainly do his damage- but so will everyone on that list. It's a really good year for QB's in the SEC. Even Etling- the least talented of them all- will put up good numbers simply because of what he has around him.

[I_Spy]

I think Fitz and KT (assuming KT does like Dak did while under Tyler Russel) come in on certain packages and end zone packages...I think they could bring us a leg up offensively bc we have experience offensively. Eason will be Eason, Allen will be Allen, hurts hurts and so forth.

The D will tell the story of the upcoming year no doubt.

[Tbonewannabe]

I think Fitz and KT (assuming KT does like Dak did while under Tyler Russel) come in on certain packages and end zone packages...I think they could bring us a leg up offensively bc we have experience offensively. Eason will be Eason, Allen will be Allen, hurts hurts and so forth.

The D will tell the story of the upcoming year no doubt.

Fitz probably has the most big play ability. He is sneaky fast like Matt Jones except he can also drag a safety for 10 yards. He is pretty damn strong. If he can hit some long passes then the Oline just has to be mediocre for the offense to be good.

[bulldawg28]

If thats the best the SEC has ever been top to bottom then we are a bad QB conference

This. WTF are you smoking Random? I've never even heard of half those guys. The majority of them are green. It's no way the SEC will be quality QB heavy this fall.

[bulldawg28]

One thing I disagree with is that I believe this will be the year of the QB in the SEC

Fitz
Allen
Hurts
Stidham
Lock
Eason
Shurmur
Bentley
Shay Shay
Johnson/Barker

It's probably the best the SEC has ever been top to bottom at QB

Sir, you're smoking cracking. If they are the best the SEC has seen it won't be this fall.

[Jack Lambert]

One thing I disagree with is that I believe this will be the year of the QB in the SEC

Fitz
Allen
Hurts
Stidham
Lock
Eason
Shurmur
Bentley
Shay Shay
Johnson/Barker

It's probably the best the SEC has ever been top to bottom at QB

so who would you want off that list?

[GTHOM]

Eason is a big time talent. He probably had at least 30 drops by his WR's last season. I expect a big jump for him this year
Stidham is a huge talent that completed 69% of his passes as a true freshman. With Auburn's weapons- he is going to blow up

Fitz will certainly do his damage- but so will everyone on that list. It's a really good year for QB's in the SEC. Even Etling- the least talented of them all- will put up good numbers simply because of what he has around him.

Etling had talent and weapons last year didnt do much. I know he gets a new OC and all. We shall see. Gotta be honest, didnt even know who Stidham was. Last I saw Sean White and a guy who couldnt beat out our walk on back up back up QB starting for them at QB

[lamont]

so who would you want off that list?

I'm a guy that has to have the QB run the ball. So that eliminates the drop back guys

[lamont]

This. WTF are you smoking Random? I've never even heard of half those guys. The majority of them are green. It's no way the SEC will be quality QB heavy this fall.

It's not my fault you dont keep up with college football

Shirley you know who Hurts and Allen are- so I wont discuss them. Both were 1st year starters

Drew Lock/Missouri- threw for 3400 yards last year with 23 TD's and 10 Int's as a Soph- 2nd most yards in the SEC behind Allen. 54.6% in 2nd season as a starter- took over halfway thru in 2015

Jacob Eason/Georgia- threw for 2430 with 16 TD's/8 Int's as a TRUE FRESHMAN. 55.1% on the completions in 1st season as a starter

Danny Etling/LSU- threw for 2123 with 11 TD's and only 5 Int's. Threw 100 passes less than most SEC starters. 59.5% completion.

Jarrett Stidham- 5-star QB that played for Baylor as a true freshman- then went and blew up juco. Was the top-rated juco player in the country. Now will be Auburn's QB.

Stephen Johnson/Kentucky- threw for 2037 yards with 13 TD's and only 6 Int's. Completed 54.7% and like Etling- threw 100 passes less than most SEC starters. Led Kentucky to a bowl for the first time in awhile- 1st year starter

Jake Bentley/SC- TRUE FRESHMAN that began starting midseason and led SC to 4 wins down the stretch and a bowl game. 9 TD's/4 Int's and a really good 65.8% completion percentage.

Kyle Shurmur/Vandy- threw for 2409 yards.... 9 TD's and 10 Int's in 1st season as a starter. Led Vandy to a bowl in his 1st year as a starter

Shay-Shay Patterson- solid QB with lots of weapons at WR and returns a ton of OL guys. He will put up some numbers in 2017. Was decent as a true freshman

Fitz- threw for 2423 yards...21/10...54.3 completion percentage. Big play guy with his legs as well. 1st year starter

I cant remember the SEC ever being this good at QB from top to bottom. These guys performed well as 1st year starters and should all progress in their 2nd seasons

[gravedigger]

1. Mississippi State Bulldogs
CBS Sports: "The Bulldogs were a fun Cinderella team in 2014 when quarterback Dak Prescott led them to a brief No. 1 ranking and eventually a New Year's Six game. With all the talk in the SEC of Alabama this and even Auburn that, Mississippi State is one of the many teams being given the back-burner treatment. However, Mississippi State has something many other unheralded SEC teams do not: a quarterback. And his name is Nick Fitzgerald. There was a lot of inconsistency in his game as a first-year starter in 2016 but also a lot of promise. My gut feeling is MSU is still a year away from a more realistic run out of the West. However, with home games against LSU and Alabama, Dan Mullen's team might get a big win to show the signs are there."

I smell a finger in the eye of the folks that denied a foia request.

We aren't good enough to be sniffing the prospect of winning a game against a top ranked team. We can have a good year and we can earn a good bowl. But we aren't ready to compete for 2nd place in the west, let alone the west.

[Reason2succeed]

It's not my fault you dont keep up with college football

Shirley you know who Hurts and Allen are- so I wont discuss them. Both were 1st year starters

Drew Lock/Missouri- threw for 3400 yards last year with 23 TD's and 10 Int's as a Soph- 2nd most yards in the SEC behind Allen. 54.6% in 2nd season as a starter- took over halfway thru in 2015

Jacob Eason/Georgia- threw for 2430 with 16 TD's/8 Int's as a TRUE FRESHMAN. 55.1% on the completions in 1st season as a starter

Danny Etling/LSU- threw for 2123 with 11 TD's and only 5 Int's. Threw 100 passes less than most SEC starters. 59.5% completion.

Jarrett Stidham- 5-star QB that played for Baylor as a true freshman- then went and blew up juco. Was the top-rated juco player in the country. Now will be Auburn's QB.

Stephen Johnson/Kentucky- threw for 2037 yards with 13 TD's and only 6 Int's. Completed 54.7% and like Etling- threw 100 passes less than most SEC starters. Led Kentucky to a bowl for the first time in awhile- 1st year starter

Jake Bentley/SC- TRUE FRESHMAN that began starting midseason and led SC to 4 wins down the stretch and a bowl game. 9 TD's/4 Int's and a really good 65.8% completion percentage.

Kyle Shurmur/Vandy- threw for 2409 yards.... 9 TD's and 10 Int's in 1st season as a starter. Led Vandy to a bowl in his 1st year as a starter

Shay-Shay Patterson- solid QB with lots of weapons at WR and returns a ton of OL guys. He will put up some numbers in 2017. Was decent as a true freshman

Fitz- threw for 2423 yards...21/10...54.3 completion percentage. Big play guy with his legs as well. 1st year starter

I cant remember the SEC ever being this good at QB from top to bottom. These guys performed well as 1st year starters and should all progress in their 2nd seasons

If only you were as optimistic about State...

[Ari Gold]

They're so few and far between, it's hard to know what to do.

Well national coverage will pick up in the future since we will be the only school in Mississippi that will be relevant for the next decade...

[BB30]

It's not my fault you dont keep up with college football

Shirley you know who Hurts and Allen are- so I wont discuss them. Both were 1st year starters

Drew Lock/Missouri- threw for 3400 yards last year with 23 TD's and 10 Int's as a Soph- 2nd most yards in the SEC behind Allen. 54.6% in 2nd season as a starter- took over halfway thru in 2015

Jacob Eason/Georgia- threw for 2430 with 16 TD's/8 Int's as a TRUE FRESHMAN. 55.1% on the completions in 1st season as a starter

Danny Etling/LSU- threw for 2123 with 11 TD's and only 5 Int's. Threw 100 passes less than most SEC starters. 59.5% completion.

Jarrett Stidham- 5-star QB that played for Baylor as a true freshman- then went and blew up juco. Was the top-rated juco player in the country. Now will be Auburn's QB.

Stephen Johnson/Kentucky- threw for 2037 yards with 13 TD's and only 6 Int's. Completed 54.7% and like Etling- threw 100 passes less than most SEC starters. Led Kentucky to a bowl for the first time in awhile- 1st year starter

Jake Bentley/SC- TRUE FRESHMAN that began starting midseason and led SC to 4 wins down the stretch and a bowl game. 9 TD's/4 Int's and a really good 65.8% completion percentage.

Kyle Shurmur/Vandy- threw for 2409 yards.... 9 TD's and 10 Int's in 1st season as a starter. Led Vandy to a bowl in his 1st year as a starter

Shay-Shay Patterson- solid QB with lots of weapons at WR and returns a ton of OL guys. He will put up some numbers in 2017. Was decent as a true freshman

Fitz- threw for 2423 yards...21/10...54.3 completion percentage. Big play guy with his legs as well. 1st year starter

I cant remember the SEC ever being this good at QB from top to bottom. These guys performed well as 1st year starters and should all progress in their 2nd seasons

Will be interesting to see how Etling does in the new offense down there. He was slightly below average at best last year(LSU doesn't need too much from him but will need more than that). If this is the year of the QB for the SEC there will have to be some major improvements in the comp% on just about every guy on that list except for Bentley. I knew Bentley played well didn't know he had that good of a comp %. That is pretty impressive for a kid who was in high school last year.

[smootness]

I would agree that it's possible the QB depth is about as good as it's ever been. Not sure the top of the conference will be at that level, though.

[Shooter McGavin]

Jarrett Stidham then went and blew up juco.

Stidham will be good, but I'm not exactly sure how "he blew up juco" when he never played a down of JUCO football.

[defiantdog]

Stidham will be good, but I'm not exactly sure how "he blew up juco" when he never played a down of JUCO football.

Yeah, and I'm not sure if the guy is durable enough to play in the SEC either. We'll see.

[Offshore Dawg]

Historically- yes. The SEC has not been the conference of QB's. It's been the conference of the power run game

And defense

[lamont]

He blew up enough to become the nation's #1 juco prospect

[dawgday166]

He blew up enough to become the nation's #1 juco prospect

He didn't play Juco (although he was enrolled). His true freshmen stats at Baylor are pretty darn good tho.

[Shooter McGavin]

He blew up enough to become the nation's #1 juco prospect

It must have been his high GPA or stellar class attendance because nothing else he did at McLennan Community College could have contributed to him being the #1 juco prospect. They don't even have a football team.

[TaleofTwoDogs]

It must have been his high GPA or stellar class attendance because nothing else he did at McLennan Community College could have contributed to him being the #1 juco prospect. They don't even have a football team.

They have a nationally recognized dance team. Could that be what Random is thinking about??? ***

[bulldawg28]

It must have been his high GPA or stellar class attendance because nothing else he did at McLennan Community College could have contributed to him being the #1 juco prospect. They don't even have a football team.

Ooopsss

[QuadrupleOption]

They have a nationally recognized dance team. Could that be what Random is thinking about??? ***

Must be. I see this as another in a long line of overhyped Auburn "savior" QBs that won't accomplish a whole lot in their careers there.

[smootness]

Must be. I see this as another in a long line of overhyped Auburn "savior" QBs that won't accomplish a whole lot in their careers there.

Well, but then there was Cam Newton...