Who would win in a game? 2014 MSU Football or 2018 MSU Football?

[TheRef]

As the title suggests, who would win a game between the two squads at the College age at the time? Dak v Fitz, J-Rob v Kylin Hill, etc. I'm curious to know who you think would win the game?

[the_real_MSU_is_us]

Talent wise? We have to see this season play out to know what we have in our current WRs and CBs, plus we have to see if Shoop still have it. But that's a coaching issue, not a talent one. It's too early to tell honestly

[TheRef]

The reason I ask is because Peter Burns said that 2018 would be 2014 by 2 TDs if they played so I wanted to gauge everyone's thoughts on this.

[thf24]

All I can say with any conviction at this point is that 2018 DL would dominate 2014 OL, while 2018 OL would likely hold their own against 2014 DL. Can't commit to much more without seeing this year's offense first.

[MStateDawg]

Fletcher v Simmons
Fletcher played his last season in the maroon and white in 2011.

[smootness]

There's no way to say until we see what the 2018 team actually is.

[TheRef]

Fletcher played his last season in the maroon and white in 2011.

Well disregard that part then. I'll edit to remove.

[jumbo]

I think 2018. Like thf said 2018 OL >> 2014 OL.

[Todd4State]

2018 is more talented on paper.

[Percho]

Who is coaching the teams?

[TheRef]

Who is coaching the teams?

Mullen coaching 2014 and JoMo coaching 2018

[bostondawg]

On a neutral field 2018 team wins 28-17.

By position group (with some handwavy scale of 1-3 "units better than" denoted as carets):
2014 QB > 2018 QB
2018 RB > 2014 RB (closer to a push though)
2014 WR >>
2018 DL >>
2018 LB >
2018 DB >>

In 2014 total offense (total yards) we finished 2nd in the SEC. In total defense we finished 12th in the SEC.
In 2018 I'd predict we finish 5th in offense and 3rd in defense.

[BuckyIsAB****]

All I can say with any conviction at this point is that 2018 DL would dominate 2014 OL, while 2018 OL would likely hold their own against 2014 DL. Can't commit to much more without seeing this year's offense first.

This is the best way to look at it, and honestly the best way to predict who is going to win any football game

[bulldawg28]

2018.

The 2014 1a 1b defense philosophy would have that team down by almost three touchdowns.

[Pipedream]

Easiest way is to go position by position:

Dak over Fitz
Aeris/Hill over J-Rob/Holloway
Malcolm Johnson/Brandon Hill over Green/Johnson
Bear/Morrow over Couch/Whop
Ross/Brown over Guidry/Jackson
Tie at slot between Tubby/Myles & Mixon/Dear/Thomas, but 18 has a chance to be better here.
Clausell over Eiland
Williams over Malone
Jenkins over Day
Tie between Beckwith and Calhoun
Tie between Senior and Reese
Tough call on Sobiesk v. Christmann. I'd lean towards Jace bc he has a stronger leg but I'll call that a draw as well.
Offense is 7 for 2014 v. 5 for 2018

Sweat/Spencer over Smith/Jefferson
Simmons/TBrown over Eulls/James
Chris Jones/PJ Jones over Hoyett/Thomas
Green/Rivers over Brown/N.Adams
Wells/Jackson over Cole/Landrews
B-Mc/Richie over Leo/Errol T
Beni Brown/Turtle over Gay/Washington
Peters/Rayford split with Calhoun/Love
Redmond/Cleveland over Dantzler/Smitherman/Williams
McLaurin/? over Market/Hughes/Cox
Abram/? over Coman/Evans
Bell over whoever punts this year by default
Defense is 6.5 for 2014 v. 5.5 for 2018.

Total is 13.5 for 2014 v. 10.5 for 2018

Just going into the season, I'd say that the 2 deep for 2014 was stronger, but it's really close. Tough debates at LB and DL especially. But I think the 2018 team has even more depth than 2014. I didn't mention guys like Austin Williams, Osirus Mitchell, Nick Gibson, Lee Autry, Grant Harris, Kobe Jones, Fletcher Adams, Kilby-Lane, or Marcus Murphy who could all make an impact on the upcoming team.

[Johnson85]

Easiest way is to go position by position:

Dak over Fitz
Aeris/Hill over J-Rob/Holloway
Malcolm Johnson/Brandon Hill over Green/Johnson
Bear/Morrow over Couch/Whop
Ross/Brown over Guidry/Jackson
Tie at slot between Tubby/Myles & Mixon/Dear/Thomas, but 18 has a chance to be better here.
Clausell over Eiland
Williams over Malone
Jenkins over Day
Tie between Beckwith and Calhoun
Tie between Senior and Reese
Tough call on Sobiesk v. Christmann. I'd lean towards Jace bc he has a stronger leg but I'll call that a draw as well.
Offense is 7 for 2014 v. 5 for 2018

Sweat/Spencer over Smith/Jefferson
Simmons/TBrown over Eulls/James
Chris Jones/PJ Jones over Hoyett/Thomas
Green/Rivers over Brown/N.Adams
Wells/Jackson over Cole/Landrews
B-Mc/Richie over Leo/Errol T
Beni Brown/Turtle over Gay/Washington
Peters/Rayford split with Calhoun/Love
Redmond/Cleveland over Dantzler/Smitherman/Williams
McLaurin/? over Market/Hughes/Cox
Abram/? over Coman/Evans
Bell over whoever punts this year by default
Defense is 6.5 for 2014 v. 5.5 for 2018.

Total is 13.5 for 2014 v. 10.5 for 2018

Just going into the season, I'd say that the 2 deep for 2014 was stronger, but it's really close. Tough debates at LB and DL especially. But I think the 2018 team has even more depth than 2014. I didn't mention guys like Austin Williams, Osirus Mitchell, Nick Gibson, Lee Autry, Grant Harris, Kobe Jones, Fletcher Adams, Kilby-Lane, or Marcus Murphy who could all make an impact on the upcoming team.

If you are looking at how they will do head ot head, you have to match up offense versus defense. I don't think the 2014 OL would hold up to the 2018 DL, with senior probably being the weak link. On the flipside, to the extent we have a weakness at corner, Bear and Ross might be able to take advantage. On the otherhand, 2014 D had a glaring weakness at safety, although I'm not sure if 2018 WR will be good enough to take advantage of that. I think the 2014 LBs are strong/fast enough to contain Fitz's runs. Think it'd be a good matchup unless it turns out that the 2018 wr are really legit, in which case 2018 I think would have a sizeable advantage.

I think you're overrating Senior but generally agree. .

I also think you're ignoring that whereas we had an actual big weakness in 2014 at safety (made worse when Cox got kicked off and Market got hurt), I'm not sure we have a glaring weakness in 2018 on D.

[Pipedream]

Senior as a soph and Reese as a soph should be pretty comparable. Reese has an opportunity to outplay him, but Senior was really good that year. The weak link on that line was actually Malone at LG.
If we are doing opposing groups, it's a lot harder and even more subjective. I'd take the 18 rushing attack vs the 14 run D, but conversely, I don't see 18 being able to throw it much v 14(despite their deep ball issues, we don't currently have anyone that would scare you v Calhoun/Redmond). On the other side, 2014 would have a really tough time running against 18, but should be able to pass the ball pretty well as they'd have good matchups on the outside i.e. Bear/Ross/F. Brown v Peters/Dantzler/Cole. I'd take 14 all day there.
The weakness of the 2018 D(if there is one) is lack of depth at safety and the unknown at corner. Peters and Rayford are serviceable, but I have yet to see them be + players. I've heard that Smitherman has made a jump and there's a lot of promise for Dantzler and Tyler Williams, but we just don't know what we have there yet.