Bowl Games
New Mexico Bowl
Fresno St. vs. Wyoming
Brett’s Pick: Fresno St.
Robert’s Pick: Fresno St.
St. Petersburg Bowl
Central Florida vs. Rutgers
Brett’s Pick: Rutgers
Robert’s Pick: Rutgers
R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Southern Miss vs. Middle Tennessee
Brett’s Pick: Southern Miss
Robert’s Pick: Southern Miss
MAACO Las Vegas Bowl
Oregon St. vs. BYU
Brett’s Pick: Oregon State
Robert’s Pick: Oregon State
San Diego County CU Poinsettia Bowl
Utah vs. Cal
Brett’s Pick: Utah
Robert’s Pick: Cal
Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
Nevada vs. SMU
Brett’s Pick: SMU
Robert’s Pick: Nevada
Little Caesars Bowl
Marshall vs. Ohio
Brett’s Pick: Marshall
Robert’s Pick: Ohio
Meineke Car Care Bowl
Pitt vs. North Carolina
Brett’s Pick: Pitt
Robert’s Pick: Pitt
Emerald Bowl
Boston College vs. USC
Brett’s Pick: USC
Robert’s Pick: USC
Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl
Kentucky vs. Clemson
Brett’s Pick: Clemson
Robert’s Pick: Kentucky
Advocare V100 Independence Bowl
Texas A&M vs. Georgia
Brett’s Pick: Georgia
Robert’s Pick: Georgia
EagleBank Bowl
UCLA vs. Temple
Brett’s Pick: Temple
Robert’s Pick: UCLA
Champs Sports Bowl
Miami vs. Wisconsin
Brett’s Pick: Wisconsin
Robert’s Pick: Miami
Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl
Bowling Green vs. Idaho
Brett’s Pick: Idaho
Robert’s Pick: Idaho
Pacific Life Holiday Bowl
Arizona vs. Nebraska
Brett’s Pick: Nebraska
Robert’s Pick: Nebraska
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl
Houston vs. Air Force
Brett’s Pick: Houston
Robert’s Pick: Houston
Brut Sun Bowl
Oklahoma vs. Stanford
Brett’s Pick: Stanford
Robert’s Pick: Oklahoma
Texas Bowl
Navy vs. Missouri
Brett’s Pick: Missouri
Robert’s Pick: Navy
Insight Bowl
Minnesota vs. Iowa State
Brett’s Pick: Minnesota
Robert’s Pick: Minnesota
Chick-fil-a Bowl
Tennessee vs. Virginia Tech
Brett’s Pick: Virginia Tech
Robert’s Pick: Virginia Tech
Outback Bowl
Northwestern vs. Auburn
Brett’s Pick: Auburn
Robert’s Pick: Auburn
Capital One Bowl
LSU vs. Penn State
Brett’s Pick: LSU
Robert’s Pick: Penn State
Konica Minolta Gator Bowl
West Virginia vs. Florida State
Brett’s Pick: West Virginia
Robert’s Pick: West Virginia
Rose Bowl
Oregon vs. Ohio State
Brett’s Pick: Oregon
Robert’s Pick: Oregon
Allstate Sugar Bowl
Florida vs. Cincinnati
Brett’s Pick: Florida
Robert’s Pick: Florida
International Bowl
South Florida vs. Northern Illinois
Brett’s Pick: South Florida
Robert’s Pick: South Florida
Papajohns.com Bowl
South Carolina vs. UConn
Brett’s Pick: South Carolina
Robert’s Pick: South Carolina
AT&T Cotton Bowl
Ole Miss vs. Oklahoma State
Brett’s Pick: Ole Miss
Robert’s Pick: Ole Miss
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Arkansas vs. East Carolina
Brett’s Pick: Arkansas
Robert’s Pick: Arkansas
Valero Alamo Bowl
Michigan State vs. Texas Tech
Brett’s Pick: Texas Tech
Robert’s Pick: Texas Tech
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
Boise State vs. TCU
Brett’s Pick: TCU
Robert’s Pick: TCU
FedEx Orange Bowl
Iowa vs. Georgia Tech
Brett’s Pick: Georgia Tech
Robert’s Pick: Georgia Tech
GMAC Bowl
Central Michigan vs. Troy
Brett’s Pick: Central Michigan
Robert’s Pick: Central Michigan
Citi BCS National Championship Game
Texas vs. Alabama
Brett’s Pick: Alabama
Robert’s Pick: Texas
Rebels Lay An Egg With the Capital One Bowl on the line for Ole Miss and bragging rights on the line for both teams, Mississippi State took care of business in dominating fashion running over an Ole Miss defense that had been pretty good all season. Dan Mullen talked about this game five minutes after he got the job at State last year and it was obvious it was on his mind- and his players mind. For the sixth year in a row, the home team will take home the Golden Egg.
What This Means For Ole Miss As I mentioned, the loss knocks Ole Miss out of Capitol One Bowl contention and they will probably be making a return trip to Dallas for the Cotton Bowl. I suppose there are two ways of looking at this: You can look back to 2007 when Ole Miss went 0-8 in the SEC and say back-to-back trips to the Cotton Bowl is something to be very excited about or you can back at the pre-season hype surrounding the Rebels and be disappointed in the way the season ended.
What This Means For Mississippi State Besides bragging rights at church and work, State’s program will be surrounded by momentum heading into the 2010 season. For many years, State has made an effort to recruit in-state very hard (while Ole Miss has looked elsewhere) and you have to imagine this can only help. Whether or not State is “the program on the rise” as Mullen proclaimed remains to be seen. State played very well in almost every game this year, and we will see if some of those close games turn into Ws into 2010. State fans will be shooting for nothing less than a bowl game next year.
The Decade That Was While Southern Miss and Ole Miss have bowl games to be played, I took a look at the records of the big three for the period of 2000-2009. You can view records on any team from any year at this great website.
- Southern Miss completed the decade with an overall record of 74 wins and 51 losses. They had a winning season all ten years and appeared in a bowl game nine of those years, including a streak of eight consecutive years that is still current. And they appeared in the 2006 Conference USA Championship Game.
- Ole Miss completed the decade with an overall record of 62 wins and 58 losses. They had a winning season in six of the ten years, while appearing in five bowl games. There 10 wins in 2003 was the most of the big three this decade. Interestingly, Ole Miss started the decade with four straight winning seasons, followed by four straight losing seasons, and concluded the decade with two straight winning seasons.
- Mississippi State completed the decade with an overall record of 42 wins and 76 losses. They had two winning seasons, appearing in bowls both of those years. State, of course, made history in 2004 when they hired Sylvester Croom to become the first African-American head coach in the SEC. He would win coach of the year honors in 2007.
For The Record While Robert had wrapped up the season victory in the weekly pick-em contest a week ago, we did finish out the season. We both ended the regular season with a 6-4 week. Robert missed on South Carolina, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, and Villanova. I missed on South Carolina, Georgia Tech, Tennessee, and Wesley. Robert ends the regular season 137-43. I finished up 125-55.
SEC Games
Alabama @ Auburn
Brett’s Pick: Alabama
Robert’s Pick: Alabama
Clemson @ South Carolina
Brett’s Pick: Clemson
Robert’s Pick: Clemson
Georgia @ Georgia Tech
Brett’s Pick: Georgia Tech
Robert’s Pick: Georgia Tech
Tennessee @ Kentucky
Brett’s Pick: Kentucky
Robert’s Pick: Tennessee
Arkansas @ LSU
Brett’s Pick: LSU
Robert’s Pick: LSU
Florida State @ Florida
Brett’s Pick: Florida
Robert’s Pick: Florida
Mississippi Games
Ole Miss @ MSU
Brett’s Pick: MSU
Robert’s Pick: Ole Miss
USM @ East Carolina
Brett’s Pick: East Carolina
Robert’s Pick: East Carolina
MC @ Wesley
Brett’s Pick: MC
Robert’s Pick: Wesley
Random Pick of the Week
Holy Cross @ Villanova
Brett’s Pick: Villanova
Robert’s Pick: Holy Cross
The season is winding down with only a few games left.
Saturday – 11/28
Ole Miss @ MSU 11:21 (SEC Network)
USM @ East Carolina 12:30 (CBS College Sports)
D-III Playoffs Round 2
MC @ Wesley 11:00
It’s the Little Things That Count
Ask LSU coach Les Miles if the little details are important in the waning seconds of a college football game and see what he says. Ole Miss escaped in what was arguably the game of the week in the state this past week because of some bonehead decisions by the LSU coaching staff. Truth be told Ole Miss dominated the statistical side of things but LSU had the game won if they had really wanted it. Lucky for Ole Miss, Les Miles was in the giving mood this Thanksgiving season.
Egg Bowl Week
Throw out all the records when Mississippi State and Ole Miss get together for the annual Egg Bowl. This year’s edition will be in Starkville and State will try to exact some revenge on the Rebels for last years 45-0 drubbing that ultimately ended the Sylvester Croom era. Dan Mullen has been a solid coach in his first year at State and I believe he will have his boys ready to go against the Rebels this week. Ole Miss has a lot to play for as well as a victory likely means a trip to Orlando for the Capitol One Bowl. This should be a good and entertaining game and I expect it to be a close one.
MC Playoff Run
Mississippi College quietly put together a solid year this year and kept it alive by going on the road last week and pulling an upset against Huntingdon. With the victory MC was awarded with a trip to Dover, DE to play Wesley this coming Saturday in the 2nd round of the DIII playoffs.
For the Record
I all but wrapped up the victory for the regular season pick’em contest with another strong week at 9-2. I missed on MC and Georgia, while Brett posted a 6-5 record and missing on Georgia, LSU, JSU, Tulsa and Yale. The standings as of now have me with a record of 131-39 and Brett at 119-51. That is a 12 game lead going into this weekend and with only 10 picks this week Brett only has hope to make it respectable. We will have a bowl pick’em so maybe that will be more up Brett’s alley.
On the season:
Robert: 122-37
Brett: 113-46
SEC Games
UT Chattanooga @ Alabama
Brett’s Pick: Alabama
Robert’s Pick: Alabama
Florida International @ Florida
Brett’s Pick: Florida
Robert’s Pick: Florida
Kentucky @ Georgia
Brett’s Pick: Georgia
Robert’s Pick: Georgia
Vanderbilt @ Tennessee
Brett’s Pick: Tennessee
Robert’s Pick: Tennessee
Mississippi Games
Ole Miss vs. LSU
Brett’s Pick: LSU
Robert’s Pick: Ole Miss
MSU @ Arkansas
Brett’s Pick: Arkansas
Robert’s Pick: Arkansas
USM vs. Tulsa
Brett’s Pick: Tulsa
Robert’s Pick: USM
MVSU @ Alabama A&M
Brett’s Pick: Alabama A&M
Robert’s Pick: Alabama A&M
JSU vs. Alcorn
Brett’s Pick: JSU
Robert’s Pick: Alcorn
MC @ Huntingdon
Brett’s Pick: MC
Robert’s Pick: Huntingdon
Random Pick of the Week
Harvard @ Yale
Brett’s Pick: Yale
Robert’s Pick: Harvard
Just a few games left for instate teams and a big playoff game for Mississippi College.
Saturday – 11/21
MSU @ Arkansas 11:21 (SEC Network)
Ole Miss vs. LSU 2:30 (CBS)
USM vs. Tulsa 6:30 (CBS College Sports)
JSU vs. Alcorn 1:00
MVSU @ Alabama A&M 2:00
Division III Playoff (1st Round)
MC @ Huntingdon 12:00
Season Over
Delta State
Millsaps
Belhaven
I Think I Just Saw Dexter Run By Lane Kiffin’s Window Dexter McCluster pulled off one of the greatest single game performances in Ole Miss history as he re-wrote the books by setting records for rushing yards and total purpose yards on Saturday. The Rebels rode McCluster’s coattails to a 42-17 pounding of Tennessee in Oxford. At about 5’8” and 170 pounds, you want to protect McCluster but it didn’t really matter as UT defenders barely got a hand on him. McCluster made Monte Kiffin’s defense look silly with moves representative of what you might see in a video game.
What This Means For The Rebels With the win, Ole Miss moves to 7-3 overall (3-3 in conference) and moves them one step close to playing on New Years Day for the second year in a row. The LSU game on Saturday has a ticket to Orlando and the Capitol One Bowl on the line (should the winner also win the next week). Should the Rebels fall in either of the last two games, look to either the Outback Bowl or Cotton Bowl as very attractive places to fall back upon. Lose the next two and a New Years Day bowl appears out of the question. But for right now, the Rebels need to play solidly for consecutive games- something they have not done all year.
Alabama Puts State In A Very Difficult Situation With the 31-3 loss to Alabama on Saturday, Mississippi State is standing at 4-6 overall. This means that they need to win their next two games (@ Arkansas, Ole Miss) to become bowl eligible. A very tough task to say the least. Dispute the W-L record; I think most State fans will say the first season under Dan Mullen has been a success.
Top Two Keep Rolling Along I mentioned Alabama’s win, but Florida also won on the road last weekend as they defeated a sputtering South Carolina team. Both teams face inferior OOC opponents this week as they get ready for showdowns with rivals Auburn and Florida State. Borrowing an upset, Bama and Florida will once again enter the SEC Championship Game as numbers one and two with the winner headed to the BCS National Championship Game.
For The Record Robert put a lot of distance between us this past week as he picked up a perfect 14-0 record and increasing his overall record to 122-37. I ended the week a disappointing 9-5 missing on Georgia, Ole Miss, Alabama A&M, Prairie View A&M and Belhaven. I now stand at 113-46. Robert is now nine games up with just a couple weeks left in the regular season.
On the season:
Robert: 108-37
Brett: 104-41
SEC Games
Kentucky @ Vanderbilt
Brett’s Pick: Kentucky
Robert’s Pick: Kentucky
Florida @ South Carolina
Brett’s Pick: Florida
Robert’s Pick: Florida
Auburn @ Georgia
Brett’s Pick: Auburn
Robert’s Pick: Georgia
La. Tech @ LSU
Brett’s Pick: LSU
Robert’s Pick: LSU
Troy @ Arkansas
Brett’s Pick: Arkansas
Robert’s Pick: Arkansas
Mississippi Games
Ole Miss vs. Tennessee
Brett’s Pick: Tennessee
Robert’s Pick: Ole Miss
MSU vs. Alabama
Brett’s Pick: Alabama
Robert’s Pick: Alabama
USM @ Marshall
Brett’s Pick: USM
Robert’s Pick: USM
MVSU vs. Lincoln
Brett’s Pick: MVSU
Robert’s Pick: MVSU
JSU @ Alabama A&M
Brett’s Pick: JSU
Robert’s Pick: Alabama A&M
Alcorn vs. Prairie View
Brett’s Pick: Alcorn
Robert’s Pick: Prairie View
Millsaps vs. Birmingham Southern
Brett’s Pick: Millsaps
Robert’s Pick: Millsaps
MC vs. Texas Lutheran
Brett’s Pick: MC
Robert’s Pick: MC
Belhaven vs. Union
Brett’s Pick: Union
Robert’s Pick: Belhaven
Saturday – 11/14
Ole Miss vs. Tennessee 11:00 (CBS)
MSU vs. Alabama 6:00 (ESPN)
USM vs. Marshall 3:30
JSU @ Alabama A&M 1:00
MVSU vs. Lincoln 1:00
Alcorn vs. Prairie View 2:00
Millsaps vs. Birmingham Southern 1:00
MC vs. Texas Lutheran 1:00
Belhaven vs. Union College 1:30
Season Over
Delta State
