Maybe it's because I grew up in the 1970's and went to college in the 1980's, but I remember when USM would put a whupping on Mississippi State. They'd take guys that Ole Miss and State overlooked, coach them up, and then let them loose. By the end of the 1970's they were the best football program in Mississippi, regularily beating both schools.

Even the "magical" 1980 season when we beat Auburn, Alabama, LSU, and Ole Miss in order, USM pounded us 42-14.

Maybe South Alabama, Troy, UAB, ULL, etc. have eroded USM's recruiting base, but I still won't feel comfortable playing them until we put a pounding on them like we did Troy State last year.