The "perception" that we are trending down

[Coach34]

this really has been an odd offseason and pre-camp year.

1. We won more games than our rival and went to a better bowl- and they are being congratulated for the best 6-6 season EVAHHHH
2. While we did struggle to end the season- this is a new year. Auburn was trending down last year- so was UPig. Why is there optimism for those programs to get better but not us?
3. SEC Media picks us 7th in the West

Have you ever seen a team picked to finish last the conference that had these types of players:

Tyler Russell- Maxwell Award, Johnny Unitas, and Walter Camp Award Watch list
LaDarius Perkins- Doak Walker Watch List
Dillion Day- Rimington Watch List
Gabe Jackson- Outland Award watch list
Deontae Skinner- Bednarik and Butkus Award list
Benardrick McKinney- Bednarik and Butkus list
Nickoe Whitley- Nagurski watch list

We've never had this many guys on watch lists in the preseason- and the media is predicting us to finish last...something isnt adding up

[BHildreth3]

Nobody cares about MSU other than us. This Ole Miss "perception" shit is really pissing me off.

[FISHDAWG]

nothing will change until we find a way to beat LSU .... I don't even think a Okie State win would do it ..... I don't mind flying under the radar but this is the same old crap on a different day that we hear year after year

[CadaverDawg]

I agree.

And there are several factors, but the biggest is the fact that we limped through the second half of the season...and #2 is that our own fan base is fueling the negative fire by just agreeing with anyone saying we are trending down instead of knowing what we've got and educating people about it.

It's frustrating, bc often times I feel like one of about 20 MSU fans that "gets it" in terms of what we have got to start doing as a fan base to help our teams recruit and to help our teams win. So many of our fans just think it's fun to talk bad about our team or that it makes them cool to say we suck....I truly do not get it.

Luckily most of the fans that "get it" are over here on this board.

[Goat Holder]

People are mindless sheep, nothing more. They are living off the end of last season since that's all anyone remembers.

I also have no doubt that media members have an agenda, although I don't think it's to keep MSU down. More to get hits up, create stories, and make more money. We don't have the biggest fanbase, so unless we force people to pick us highly (ie win our way out of mediocrity), they are going to pander to the most readers. People don't want to read the truth anyway, they want someone to tickle their gooch.

[BeastMan]

Great post. It shows this perception issue isn't just some of our fans but the media too. To be honest, I don't care. We always play better with these type expectations anyway

[mic]

and for a team that finished 3-3 in their last 6 with a bowl win against a avg at best Pitt team.
Everyone makes it sound like they went 10-3.. winning their last 5 and a huge bowl win..

[MSUDawg4Life]

I don't care about where we're picked preseason. I don't care about people's opinions. That's why we play the game. The only thing that really matters is wins and losses. That's it.

[Coach34]

That's why we play the game. The only thing that really matters is wins and losses. That's it.

exactly

[fishwater99]

nothing will change until we find a way to beat LSU .... I don't even think a Okie State win would do it ..... I don't mind flying under the radar but this is the same old crap on a different day that we hear year after year

I agree, we need an upset win over an upper-level SEC team. We should be better this year, but our schedule is tougher than last years..

[bocfarm]

We can beat LSU in Starkville, need to win the turnover battle and capitalize on it. I still think the most important game of the yr is Auburn though....have to win that game imo.

[hailmari]

I'm okay with it because the players are as aware of it as we are. Them boys mad and the youngins are ready to show out.

[HancockCountyDog]

At the end of the day it seems one portion of our fan base is going to look pretty silly come August 31.

There seem to be those on SPS that are saying we won't even cover a double digit spread, while most on here (myself included) are predicting a win.

If the SPS are right and our talent level is down then we will get beat because OSU is a solid but not spectacular team.

If we are right, we will win because at the end of the day, a talented SEC team beats a solid Big XII team almost every time. Now, something weird could happen with turnovers or injuries, but in my opinion all things being equal we win the game if ED is right and I think the posters here are right.

I think everyone on the pack predicting doom and gloom are simply remembering the negative games last year and are ignoring the beat downs on AU, Ark, UT, MTSU and UK.

Anyway, some portion of our fan base is going to look pretty foolish, and as most of them learned during baseball season, it won't be the ones predicting success for MSU.

[Dental Dawg]

When we beat LSU, be prepared for the Bear Propaganda machine to start spinning that LSU is having a down year, worst LSU team in 20 years, blah, blah, blah. LSU will be down this year on defense, but will still be a quality win.

[Coach34]

Ok State is a solid team and we could lose that one and still be a good team. I think Farm has it right- Auburn is the key. We have to at least split Ok St and Auburn. We'll know alot about our team 3 weeks in

[CadaverDawg]

I'm one of the ones that think we only win 5 or 6, but not because I don't think we will be improved. I am simply not liking the schedule, and I feel like our offense will be about like it was last year.

I definitely think our D improves, and if we come out and show offensive improvement I will immediately say I was wrong, and be glad I was.

I guess the way I look at it is, we could be better than last year and still only win 6 games against this schedule. Winning at Auburn and at Arkansas is never easy no matter how good we are. Even if we're really improved we can lose to LSU, Bama, A&M, and USC. Add OSU to that list and it's possible to be better but have a worse record imo. So, while my prediction may agree with a lot of SPS predictions...mine is based on offense and schedule. I could easily see 7 wins if the offense makes the improvement that I see the defense making.

[HancockCountyDog]

Ok State is a solid team and we could lose that one and still be a good team. I think Farm has it right- Auburn is the key. We have to at least split Ok St and Auburn. We'll know alot about our team 3 weeks in

Yeah, but losing by less than 7 is one thing versus getting beat by 14+ as some on the pack (and evidently Vegas) are predicting.

[bocfarm]

3-1 (1-0 SEC) coming off a bye week for LSU. Not saying we can't beat OSU but after seeing that line, its not likely. If we lose that one we HAVE to beat Aub to avoid a downward spiral, lose confidence and potentially the season going into the tank. Seems like every yr the Aub game is the key.

[CadaverDawg]

Yeah, but losing by less than 7 is one thing versus getting beat by 14+ as some on the pack (and evidently Vegas) are predicting.

I agree. I think we will play all of our tough games close this year. The question is, can we pull a few of them out? Devon Bell could be a key this season.

[MSUDawg4Life]

At the end of the day it seems one portion of our fan base is going to look pretty silly come August 31.

There seem to be those on SPS that are saying we won't even cover a double digit spread, while most on here (myself included) are predicting a win.

If the SPS are right and our talent level is down then we will get beat because OSU is a solid but not spectacular team.

If we are right, we will win because at the end of the day, a talented SEC team beats a solid Big XII team almost every time. Now, something weird could happen with turnovers or injuries, but in my opinion all things being equal we win the game if ED is right and I think the posters here are right.

I think everyone on the pack predicting doom and gloom are simply remembering the negative games last year and are ignoring the beat downs on AU, Ark, UT, MTSU and UK.

Anyway, some portion of our fan base is going to look pretty foolish, and as most of them learned during baseball season, it won't be the ones predicting success for MSU.

Even if we lose, our talent level is not down.

This team has one of the most solid two-deeps that we've had in years. Many of our third-string guys are very good. Quay is not even on the depth chart. Guys like Will Redmond and Torrey Dale aren't on the depth chart, but they are very good players. Anybody looking at our roster and current depth chart and thinks that our talent is down is not very knowledgeable about football. Much less MSU football.

I'm not predicting that we will win in Houston, but I do think we have a very good chance to walk out of there with a victory.