USM 42 - MSU 14 - perspective as to why we should NOT

[Dawgowar]

Southern beat us 42-14 Oct 11

October 25th they lost to Bama 42 - 7 November 1 State Beat Bama 6-3
November 8 they lost to Auburn 31-0 October 25th State beat Auburn 24-21

Southern played two other SEC schools that year
Us - the aforementioned 42-14 victory
and
Ole Miss on Oct 4th and beat them 28-22

So, one of our greatest teams, the 9-3 Bama beating Bulldogs of 1980, a defense of Cooks, Collins, Jackson, etc - A John Bond and Michael Haddix offense - got throttled by USM, who the week prior beat Ole Miss.
The rest of USM's schedule was absolute garbage - Tulane, La Tech, East Carolina, Ark, State, Lamar, Richmond, Louisville , and McNeese State in the Indep Bowl.
This was a reality us and UNM lived with - USM played nobody of consequence except for four SEC schools that allowed them to make $. Their coaches only had to get them up for two games a year - us and TSUN. We were their Super Bowl. TSUN got smart and dropped them first. USM spent the whole year getting up for those two games and then cleaned up on patsies. But on those two Saturdays every year they were going to play like the number one team in the country and take us out. I remember quite well the 'State Champions' t-shirts and living with not one but two insufferable fanbases.

The beat us 7-6 in '81 (arguably Collins one legit team, they also tied Bama and Beat FSU - but lost to Louisville and Mizzou - we went 7-4 that year and went to a goal
1982 - beat us 20-14
1983 31-6 they win
1984/85 - Don Smith beat them 27-14
We lost 86-87-88
We ended beating them 89 and 90

And before 1980 - we beat them in 76 and then lost the remainder of the decade

We played them last year when they were worse than we were under year 1-3 of Croom. They are not world beaters but they have put enough competent players in place to have given us a fight on their home turf.

This is one of those things you can't explain but should learn from history - neither us nor TSUN will schedule these guys if we have a lick of sense. They live for it. Compare our conference schedules, the stakes we have in needing to beat them vs the lack of consequences if they lose to us - all it would take is to lose to them one time and it will impact us in recruiting and national perception.

We need to clean their clocks next year and never schedule them again. Ever. Some things in life I do not have to understand, just accept. Playing USM is bad news for our school. It is a landmine we can and should avoid. Hopefully last night convinces Stricklin to replace them with a Power Five who would take us for granted. I do not think we have ever beaten them 3 in a row in any era.

Just a thought.

[Fred Garvin]

Well said. Playing Southern Miss does NOTHING for State. Given the diminishing support we get from the State of Mississippi, we should ignore any pressure in scheduling them.

[Todd4State]

And we still beat them by three scores going through the motions. Yes we were sloppy. But it wasn't because of USM. I thought the score would be 42-14 us. If Shumpert holds on we win 41-16. And if he holds on we cruise even more and take the wind out of their sails.

So what does it say for someone to bring their A game and pull out all the stops and STILL lose by three scores?

[Todd4State]

Well said. Playing Southern Miss does NOTHING for State. Given the diminishing support we get from the State of Mississippi, we should ignore any pressure in scheduling them.

We don't get to hear them bitch about us being scared. We played them. We kicked their ass. Now we all move along.

[Dawgowar]

We don't get to hear them bitch about us being scared. We played them. We kicked their ass. Now we all move along.

And I will gladly take that with emphasis on the last sentence. If need be fulfill the contract then dump them.

[Liverpooldawg]

USM had a decent football team back in the day. They don't now.

[Todd4State]

And I will gladly take that with emphasis on the last sentence. If need be fulfill the contract then dump them.

I don't believe we play them next year. I thought it was a straight up home and home and we're done with them now.

[Dawgowar]

I'll give you that but it doesn't change the balance of the risk vs reward even if the talent level has shifted this dramatically in our favor. Todd nailed it on the pro's. They can't whine at us for a while.

[Dawgowar]

Thought it was a Home-Away-Home, one for one would be better. Looked at the FBS schedule site and it appears you are correct. Good riddance to the Mustard Buzzards.

[Todd4State]

I'll give you that but it doesn't change the balance of the risk vs reward even if the talent level has shifted this dramatically in our favor. Todd nailed it on the pro's. They can't whine at us for a while.

Based on how we played last night and how USM played plus the fact that it was on the road and we still won by three scores- I can only conclude that there is very little risk for us playing them. I'm not saying we should play them- but to act like USM won the day is way off.

That would be like us losing by three scores to Alabama and acting like we did something.

[maroonmania]

I don't believe we play them next year. I thought it was a straight up home and home and we're done with them now.

Yep, and that's what amazed me the way they were such jerks about the whole ticket situation with our fans. We are the ONLY SEC team that would ever even DREAM about a home and home with them and you would think they would show a little appreciation for the fact we were willing to do that. But NO, they have to try and use us to sell a bunch of season tickets they would never sell otherwise and wouldn't even give our athletic department an extra 500 freakin' tickets to fulfill the original requests through our ticket office. I hope we are done with them for a long time. And I can tell you, OM wouldn't be caught dead playing a game in Hattiesburg.

[Dawgowar]

And I can tell you, OM wouldn't be caught dead playing a game in Hattiesburg.

Yeah, but primarily because they think Black and Gold is a garish color combination and the nearby wetlands create a humidity that is bad for their Frat boys' complexions. Priorities, they have their priorities in life.

[Todd4State]

Yep, and that's what amazed me the way they were such jerks about the whole ticket situation with our fans. We are the ONLY SEC team that would ever even DREAM about a home and home with them and you would think they would show a little appreciation for the fact we were willing to do that. But NO, they have to try and use us to sell a bunch of season tickets they would never sell otherwise and wouldn't even give our athletic department an extra 500 freakin' tickets to fulfill the original requests through our ticket office. I hope we are done with them for a long time. And I can tell you, OM wouldn't be caught dead playing a game in Hattiesburg.

We gave them a chance to be civil and they failed- and cost themselves more in the long run. They have no one to blame but themselves.

[BulldogBear]

Yep, and that's what amazed me the way they were such jerks about the whole ticket situation with our fans. We are the ONLY SEC team that would ever even DREAM about a home and home with them and you would think they would show a little appreciation for the fact we were willing to do that. But NO, they have to try and use us to sell a bunch of season tickets they would never sell otherwise and wouldn't even give our athletic department an extra 500 freakin' tickets to fulfill the original requests through our ticket office. I hope we are done with them for a long time. And I can tell you, OM wouldn't be caught dead playing a game in Hattiesburg.

Kentucky starts a home and home series with them in 2017. So there's that.

[maroonmania]

Kentucky starts a home and home series with them in 2017. So there's that.

Didn't realize that. KY and Vandy might be exceptions. Probably should have said no other respectable SEC team would do a home and home with them.

[BulldogBear]

Didn't realize that. KY and Vandy might be exceptions. Probably should have said no other respectable SEC team would do a home and home with them.

Yrp. That's the way to say it!

And I actually think it may start next year.

[CadaverDawg]

We gave them hope last night. We actually kept their program from potentially crumbling by playing them down there. Gave them $, season tickets, National exposure, big time local exposure, and no doubt helped their fan support & recruiting this year.

We gained nothing, and helped an in-state school propel its program. Idiotic decision. I don't care how bad we beat em...you don't give a pulse to a dying program in your own state. That's my opinion. Playing them has done zero for us, and everything for them...especially this year. They think they can compete with the best now...and believing that is half the battle when you're a program near death.