User:RahalMccall69
Many national observers questioned whether the Ole Miss and Mississippi State football teams would be up to the task and back up their wins from Oct. 4 over two Top 10 opponents. On Saturday, the critics had their answer. The Rebels and Bulldogs are the real deal and both are in the hunt for the new four-team College Football Playoff. Mississippi State (6-0) handled then-No. 2 Auburn, 38-23, and Ole Miss (6-0) beat Texas A M, 35-20, on the road in a game where the final score did not indicate how truly dominant the Rebels were. Thanks to three straight wins over Top 10 opponents, the Bulldogs were awarded Sunday the first No. 1 ranking in the school's history. MSU, which earned 45 first-place votes, holds a significant margin in the AP Top 25 over No. 2 Florida State, which is followed closely by No. 3 Ole Miss. The 1-2-3 teams are the same in the Amway Coaches Poll, leaving little doubt as to which teams are considered the best in the land. The rise of Ole Miss and MSU has been breathtaking. Mississippi State becomes the first team to go from unranked to No. 1 in the span of five weeks in the 78-year history of the AP poll. MSU and Ole Miss are the lone remaining undefeated teams in the SEC at the midway point of the season. For MSU and Ole Miss fans accustomed to being overlooked on the national stage, it's a surreal and sweet moment. MSU discouraged fans from rushing the field Saturday after the win and they followed the suggestion for the most part. Only a handful of delirious Bulldog fans made their way onto the turf. Instead, it was a simple and joyous scene at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville. Coaches and players hugged and Mississippi State president Mark Keenum stood in one end zone, pumping his fist and shaking everyone's hand as they passed. While this level of success may be a new experience for MSU, the school's fans acted like they had been there before. Nearly 600 miles to the west in College Station, Texas, Ole Miss backed up its win over Alabama by trouncing Texas A M with another great performance. The most impressive part of the Rebels' win is the fact they did it on the road in front of 105,121 fans -- the largest crowd for a football game in the history of the SEC and the state of Texas. No team faced a tougher road environment Saturday than Ole Miss, and it led 35-7 early in the fourth quarter over an Aggies team once thought to be a national contender itself. That was before Texas A M crossed paths with the two Mississippi teams. Mississippi State thumped then-No. 6 A M, 48-31, on Oct. 4. If you discount the four meaningless touchdowns scored in the fourth quarter by Texas A M against Ole Miss and MSU the last two weeks, the Aggies were out-scored by the Mississippi schools by a total of 83-24. Ole Miss and Mississippi State have both stolen the thunder of defending national champion and previously No. 1 Florida State (6-0), and the impact goes well beyond the borders of Mississippi. In a year where the sport of football has only been attached to negative storylines on the pro and college level, Ole Miss and Mississippi State provide the feel-good story of the season. However, this is no fairy tale. The Bulldogs and Rebels have a shot at more history, and they appear up to the challenge.
Contact Patrick Magee, at pmagee@sunherald.com and follow him @Patrick_Magee.Related Articles:
- <a href=http://www.louisvuitton-pascher.com>Louis vuitton Pas cher</a>
- <a href=http://www.louisvuitton-pascher.com>Sac Louis vuitton Pas cher</a>
- <a href=http://www.louisvuitton-pascher.com>Louis vuitton</a>
