Looking at things objectively...

[DawgInMemphis]

First off, let me say that I would not trade our season for UM's. Period. That being said, from the viewpoint of someone who isn't emotionally vested in either team, who would you say had the better season - us or UM?

UM beat a ranked LSU team, Texas on the road, and got to 7 wins. You can also argue that Mett had his worst game ever (UM played a part in that, how much who knows), and Texas had just fired their DC and didn't have their QB. However, UM lost their last two games, including a loss to their arch rival in which we made their QB look completely inept. They also squeaked by Vandy with an improbable play to win the game. 3-5 in SEC.

MSU went 0-5 aganst ranked teams, but played several teams very tough (SCar, A&M, Bama, Auburn... even Okie State to an extent). We had a QB rotation going on all year. We didn't win pretty (BG, UK, Arky), but got the job done over every team we were favored against. BG ended up 9-3 on the year. The kicker though for me, is that we beat UM and finished 6-6 on a two game winning streak. 3-5 in the SEC.

Obviously if we win our bowl and UM loses, I think most people (again, those who don't care about either school) would say that State had the better season. If we lose our bowl game and UM wins, I think those same folks would say UM had the better season.

I'll take 6-6 and a win over UM (finishing above them in the SECW) over 7-5 and a loss to UM (unless the extra two wins were over Bama and LSU). Sooner or later though (hopefully sooner), we've got to get a W over one of the big boys. As it stands now, I think we've had the better season.

Thoughts?

[Coach34]

This one is a tough call.

Ole Miss won more games and beat LSU
State beat OM H2H and also finished ahead of them in the SEC.

It's rare you win more games overall but finish behind a team in the conference

[smootness]

If you're looking at each team on paper without names, Ole Miss had the better year slightly.

But the fact is, rivalries in college football, especially when they are in-state and the two teams recruit head-to-head as much as ours do, mean a lot. So it's a tough call. I think a lot of State fans remembered just how important that game is the second we won. I would also take ours.

[Coach 57]

Yes, this is a tough one. Looking at it from a football fan standpoint alone, you'd HAVE to say they have had a better season SO FAR. I put emphasis on "SO FAR" because u truly believe the loss to Mizz (like ours last year) sends them in a tail spin. There were lingering effects headed into the game Thursday night. But IF they were SO superior in talent it should've overcome it. But they AREN'T. The infighting between Bo & Bucky halftime & post game really isn't something that will mend quickly. Not on this level & sometimes even on the next. You just don't do that as a head coach. That's just wrong. You can't single a kid out like that. I feel like this will even carry over into the future as long as Bo is there. And I also think players will even start to wonder WHEN Freeze'll do it to them. Don't sell this short! After CLEARLY Tyler was the reason we lost the last two games of last season Mullen understands the position enough & his players enough NOT to single someone out in a presser. Very Busch league of Freeze. I could see them being in a tight situation in the bowl game & Wallace wondering if Freeze "has his back". We have a saying "SHOW ME don't TELL ME!" It looked to me that Freeze was trying to boost his personal position Vs being a leader of young men.

[Dawgface]

If you're looking at each team on paper without names, Ole Miss had the better year slightly.



This. But I'm sure our fanbase is feeling a whole lot better than they are right now.

[Coach34]

If you're looking at each team on paper without names, Ole Miss had the better year slightly.

But the fact is, rivalries in college football, especially when they are in-state and the two teams recruit head-to-head as much as ours do, mean a lot. So it's a tough call. I think a lot of State fans remembered just how important that game is the second we won. I would also take ours.

I can agree with this

[stxdawg]

I always look at a season by how you finish. We spanked the bears in the last game on the schedule. The finished with one more win than us, but we beat them and in our last game. Can't see anyway that their season ended better than ours.

[maroonmania]

Since the title of the thread is "looking at things objectively" then I would say there is probably no refuting OM had the overall better year. They essentially have 3 quality wins (TX, LSU, Vandy) all against teams that have won 8+ games. Our best win, no doubt, is against OM who is now 7-5. Our other wins are all against either non-BCS teams or BCS teams with losing records. The head to head win definitely helps even things up a little but they definitely have the edge on accomplishments for the year.

[Maroonthirteen]

They had a good season with wins over Texas and LSU. We had a good season beating a good BGU team, winning on the road in Arkansas and beating our rival. Who had the better season is in the eyes of the fan.

We were two games better than them last year, did they admit to us having a better year? Hell no! At least not any of them I know. They were overly joyed to win the Egg Bowl and despite what they did vs Texas and LSU....they are overly pissed about losing this year. I know if we had beaten UT and LSU, losing to them would tant the season unless there was a bowl game win. Also for us, we have to win the bowl game to finish the season on a positive.

[thunderclap]

Coin flip, but we won our last two and they lost their last two and that's kinda what sticks out to me right now.

[BulldogBear]

Personally, I'll take a bowl and one win less than rival but beating them. It's a tough one because of no "quality" wins. But then again, the conundrum of Ole Miss makes it logical that if they think they're so freakin' awesome then they have to admit that we have a "quality" win.....over them!

[bluelightstar]

Our best win is Ole Miss.

Ole Miss's best win is LSU.

As a fan, I say we had the better year. If you put Team A and Team B's W/L records, I don't really know how you come up with us having a better year.

[Coach34]

The head to head win definitely helps even things up a little but they definitely have the edge on accomplishments for the year.

except that they finished next to last in the SEC West- and behind us

[Political Hack]

losing two eggs in a row is unacceptable. I'll take our season because of that.

Last year I would've also taken our season because we ended with a better record and it's thebonlynloss to OM in five years. That's not as damaging. This year, the egg bowl was more important than an extra win to me.

[FlabLoser]

I'm still too high from Thursday to entertain a buzz kill question.