DAY 7: WILL MSU START THE SEASON 7-0?
This conversation has been pretty much unavoidable since the 2012 football schedule was released.
State Fan #1: "You know, we got a great chance to start 7-0."
State Fan #2: "Yeah, but we play Auburn and Tennessee! Ain't no way we beat both of 'em."
State Fan #1: "We've got 'em both at home! The stars are aligned! It'll be just like 1999!"
(Prince starts playing from the bar speakers. The men smile and tap their Heineken bottles together...)
State will probably be favored in six, if not all seven, of their games to start the season. Here's how I see it shaking out...
Week 1 - JACKSON STATE: Unless the Sonic Boom faces the Famous Maroon Band to determine the outcome of the game this one will be easy. WIN (1-0)
Week 2 - AUBURN: Every year it seems like our season is determined by this game. It's not any different this year. This game is HUGE. I think the talent level is even, but we get the advantage because #1 we're at home and #2 it's at 11 a.m. All that said...WE ARE MSTATE and will find a way to lose this game. LOSS (1-1)
Week 3 - @ TROY: This game will be closer than some State fans will like, but MSU will still win by two touchdowns. WIN. (2-1)
Week 4 -SOUTH ALABAMA: Classic trap game....for USA. They face NC State and Troy with the Bulldogs sandwiched in the middle. They'll never see us coming. WIN (3-1)
Week 5 - OFF-WEEK: I think you know the joke I want to make here.
Week 6 - @ KENTUCKY: Mullen continues his streak over the Cats. WIN (4-1)
Week 7 - TENNESSEE: Da'Rick Rogers is off the team and Tyler Bray is a DUI suspension waiting to happen. Plus, Derek Dooley is their coach...Or maybe not by this point in the season. WIN (5-1)
Week 8 - MTSU: I'm calling for this to be the game where MSU has to fight until the end to pull it out (Remember 2010 UAB and 2011 LA Tech? Just like that). WIN (6-1)
State may beat Auburn, but I don't think they go undefeated through the first seven.
DRAFT FACT: Mississippi State has had 7 players taken in the NFL Draft in the past two years.