Jackson Free Press

The college football season is surging toward its conclusion. Over the final three weeks of the season, everything will fall into place. We'll discover if the SEC can go for a fifth title in five years.

While no Mississippi team will be playing for all the marbles, all three FBS (formerly Division I) teams are still in the hunt to go bowling for a berth in one of the 35 bowl games played this season by 70 teams.

To be eligible, a team must have at least six wins. There are other requirements, but none that will affect the bowl possibilities of Mississippi teams. Currently 47 teams are bowl-eligible.

Here is a look at the three Mississippi FBS teams and their bowl hopes. It reminds me of the old spaghetti western, "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly."

Good: Mississippi State Bulldogs
If this were the movie, the Bulldogs would be Clint Eastwood. A quiet confidence surrounds this team, and they have no bad losses.

Mississippi State won the games they should've won: Memphis, Alcorn State, Houston, UAB and Kentucky. They have also beaten teams that are down this season such as Georgia and Florida. Losses against Auburn and LSU are not terrible for a 7-2 State program that has been down for most of the last decade.

The combined record of the Bulldogs opponents is 48-36, but the tough part of the MSU schedule is coming up. The final three opponents are a combined 18-9 with defending national champion Alabama in Starkville Nov. 13. There is also a trip to Oxford to close out the season.

Mississippi State is already bowl eligible and now is playing to better its position. The SEC has nine bowl tie-ins. If two teams from the SEC are chosen for the BCS make that 10 bowl tie-ins.

State has two weeks to get ready for Alabama, but a win here looks unlikely. The final two games feature a tossup game against Arkansas and a rivalry game against Ole Miss. State can beat the Razorbacks, and a win looks better if MSU can get pressure on quarterback Ryan Mallet of Arkansas.

Best bet: Mississippi State goes 8-4 and goes to the Cotton Bowl.

Bad: USM Golden Eagles
The Golden Eagles have to be Lee Van Cleef, the bad in that classic movie. Southern Miss has plenty of reasons to be the "bad" on this list: Losing to East Carolina 44-43 after jumping out to a 17-0 first quarter lead; getting blown out by South Carolina 41-13 to start the season; the Eagles have feasted on bad teams, only beating one with a winning record, 5-4 Prairie View A&M.

The combined record of USM opponents is 32-49, and the Eagles have lost against East Carolina and South Carolina, the only FBS teams with winning records they have played.

Despite all this, the Eagles are 6-3 and are bowl eligible. They have three chances to get more than just six wins. The final three opponents have a combined 18-9 record.

Southern Miss is not out of the C-USA Eastern Division title race but need help to win the division. Their biggest chance to get back in the race comes this weekend against UCF.

Best bet: USM earns an 8-4 record and a trip to the Beef O' Brady's Bowl.

Ugly: University of Mississippi Rebels
Has anyone noticed that since Ole Miss selected a new mascot, the football team is 1-3? Is it karma, maybe?

There is no question Ole Miss is the Ugly, as played by Eli Wallach, who can be seen with Michael Douglas in the "Wall Street" sequel.

The Teddy Bears might look back at this season wondering what might have been—if they had not blown a half-time lead and lost to Jacksonville State, or failed to show up at home against SEC powerless-house Vanderbilt.

Ole Miss went all out to get quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and so far have learned he can only give away things, not steal them like he did back in Oregon. Masoli has three fumbles lost and six interceptions in seven games. Their opponents are 50-32, and only Tulane and Vanderbilt have losing records. Jacksonville State has a near perfect 8-1 record, with its victory over this team in overtime.

At 4-5 the Gummy Bears' backs are against the wall, and things are not getting better in the final three games. Mississippi has a loss coming against LSU, and toss-up games against Tennessee and rival Mississippi State.

The final three teams the Care Bears play are 18-9 and there is no margin for error if this team wants a bowl game.

If the Panda Bears want to make a bowl game they will have to beat the Volunteers to get to five wins. Then the Koala Bears will have to find away to win against LSU and State to get to seven.

Best bet: Ole Miss ends up a Bearskin rug and goes 4-8.

Previous Commentsshow

This weekend all three Mississippi schools could end up with an loss. Mississippi State gets a very angery Alabama team that just saw its national championship hopes go down to the mad hatter at LSU. I have to beleive Nick Saban will not let the Crimson Tide lose two in a row. Southern Miss takes on the class of C-USA UCF, but the Eagles have not beat a good team all season long. The Knight of UCF can just about clinch a spot in the conference title game with a win. Mississippi must face 3-6 Tennessee on the road. The Volunteers have no room to error just like the Care Bears. As long as head coach Derek Dooley does not not about WWII or Germans his team should be in line for a win.

Bryan Flynn

Nov 12 2010

We'll be poppin' popcorn (and prepping other tasty treats) for the State v. Alabama game. (ESPN2, 6:15p is the latest I've seen on it. Yay for a game not on ESPNU!) I have to say that this year, with this team, it's tough to know *what* State is capable of. I guess we'll learn whether they're worthy of their ranking or not.

Todd Stauffer

Nov 12 2010

Tood, MSU should stay in the game if they do not turn the ball over. The only reason I see the Bulldogs losing is that they cannot throw the ball. Alabama will stack seven or eight defenders in the box and dare State to throw the ball. State has the defense to keep up with the Crimson Tide's offense but they cannot allow big plays in the passing game. Mark Ingram and Trent Richards will get yards but keeping Julio Jones in check will be the key. Your right about one thing we will find out if State is ready to take the next step with their program. By the way do not hate that the games were on ESPN U. State was on TV and that is the main thing to sell to recruits.

Bryan Flynn

Nov 12 2010

Braan: Yay for MSU, boo for me. :-) They gotta get U on basic Comcast then I'll be happy.

Todd Stauffer

Nov 12 2010

Relf is too damn timid and very indecisive. I don't see the Bulldogs slowing down the heavy doses of Ingram and Richardson that Saban plans on giving to them, then they are playing in Tuscaloosa also? Plus 6'4" - 220lb., Julio Jones attacking the wing!? The Bulldogs are getting closer, but I don't see them upsetting a team of this caliber - yet. Prepare for the Cotton or the Liberty bowls is my prediction.

Duan C.

Nov 12 2010

Todd, You need to get digital cable and spend the extra five dollars for the sports package. It is worth the money. You would get ESPN U and CBS Sports, plus the NFL Redzone channel. I do not know what life was like before the Redzone channel.

Bryan Flynn

Nov 12 2010

Duan, I do not know if Relf is timid or indecisive, it might just be the fact that he is a first year starter. It is not like Tyler Russell has impresed with his passin skills. If the SEC gets two teams in the BCS, it will help State move up the bowl ladder. Right now those two teams would be Auburn and LSU. Although, Auburn said today they would not comment on the status of Cam Newton for Saturday's game against Georgia. The information about Netwton has grown with each passing day and it looks like somebody did something.

Bryan Flynn

Nov 12 2010

@ Bryan, Relf is 8 games into the season, he's not a baby and he's played the game for a minute, if he hasn't - he wouldn't be playing on the D-1 level. Don't let me get started on Russell - I would rather see him in there over Relf, however he doesn't fit Mullins type of system in the first place, additionally Tyler has SHOWN more ability than Relf. But if you say potato and say pa-ta-to. I concur on the Newton matter.

Duan C.

Nov 12 2010

Hey Bryan, I thought that was a good look at the Eagles. After witnessing the UAB, ECU and Tulane games I was more pessimistic than you. I was pretty sure we wouldn't win anymore games. I was very happy with the UCF outcome and very surprised. Where has this team been? It saddened me to see that 3 of our players were shot after the game. It is a shame. I hope they will be alright. I'll be at the game against Houston Saturday pulling for the Eagles! Go Eagles!

KendallVarnell

Nov 15 2010

@ Duan, Your opinion is valid and I would not say it wasn't. I am just stating what I see. Trust me, on my own facebook page for my website, I cautioned MSU fans not to think every game would be like the season oppener against Memphis as far as the passing game goes. I got killed for it on-line but I was right. MSU is building and have a chance to keep up a solid foundation started by Sly Croom.

Bryan Flynn

Nov 15 2010

@ Kendall, I try to watch as much football as I can and have been lucky to watch USM a little more that the other three big schools. I believed that if the Eagles defense showed up they would be a tough out for any foe. I could be wrong but a 9-3 or 8-4 record is more than possible. Which would be good since 7-5 or 7-6 seasons are why USM fired Jeff Bower. I am glad you liked the article and I hope to hear more from all sports fans around the Jackson area and the state.

Bryan Flynn

Nov 15 2010

Speaking of bad, my Steelers lost again last night. I'm gonna have to wing myself off them again like I did in the Eighties for a week or two as it appears they may not be good enough to win it all again this year. I want us to win every game and the stanky-ass Cowboys to lose every game. Yesterday made me sick to my stomach with the Cowboys winning and the Steelers losing. I hate the Patriots and Giants with a double passion for what they did to me yesterday. I shouldn't have missed church again. My cousin, the arch-Cowboys' fan, came out of hiding yesterday and put down the bottle for a week. I guess I'm glad about that!

Walt

Nov 15 2010

Walt - I have to say it, Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger is the problem of your team! Period! When you hold on to the ball for longer than 5 seconds in the pocket, the play is dead and you need to check down on the play. But to Big Ben, he feels those rules do not apply to him. 1. Because he's a big target to take down and he feels like he is super man 2. Because he's pulled so many magical plays out of his backside in the previous from collapsed plays that he can't help himself. He has been sacked 12 times and he has only played in 5 games and 4 of them came against the Patriots, C'mon man you guys lost that game because of number 7 and you have to call it like you see it. You live with him and you die by him. Good luck fella you guys have a scrappy Oakland team coming to town and the ex-cleveland brown Kam Wimbley knows how to tee off on your boy.

Duan C.

Nov 16 2010

@ Kendall, There have been two arrest made in the shooting of the three USM football players. Patricia Loftin Brown, 49, and Cleothus Wilkerson 25, both from Bassfield, are charged with three counts each of accessory after the fact of aggravated assault. An arrest warrant for three counts of aggravated assault has been issued for Travis Brown of Prentiss. That is the good news. The bad news is reports are that linebacker Martez Smith is paralyzed and linebacker Tim Green was shot in the neck and his vocal cords were severed. The club in question has had in a recent story in the Hattiesburg American noted police had been called to Remington's Hunt Club 129 times from January to September, but made no arrests. It had the second highest number of calls for area bars in that time period. Thats 40 1/2 weeks betweeen Jan. and Sept. That means Police are being called to the club a little over 3 times a week.

Bryan Flynn

Nov 16 2010

It is very unfortunate about these young men whose lives have been severely altered, especially the one who is paralyzed from the waist down and according to medical reports, his spinal cord injury is not reversible. Accoding to the Coach, these guys were at this club in celebration of a victory; however, he did say that "Night Clubs are off limits for these athletes." Too bad that they could not follow rules.

justjess

Nov 17 2010

Fedora also said that particular club was not on the list of clubs not to go to. I assume that will change.

KendallVarnell

Nov 17 2010

According to a news report I heard on yesterday, the club has been closed. Apparently there is a strong history of problems requiring police interventions.

justjess

Nov 18 2010

Check it out. Not only did I correctly predict the records for USM, UM, and MSU but I did get something else right. Today Southern Mississippi has accpeted an invite to the Beef O’ Brady’s Bowl. Remember you saw it here at the JFP.

Bryan Flynn

Nov 30 2010

I get hungry just thinking about a warm bowl of Beef O' Brady!

Todd Stauffer

Nov 30 2010

Congrats Bryan! You did great! I'm happy the Eagles are going to the Beef O' Brady's Bowl. Santa, for Christmas I want a defense that can defend the pass. :-) The strange thing about the season for me is how close we were to 11-1. Two 1 point games and a 6 point game were close and could have just as easily been a win. The only time we took a beating was to South Carolina and they are the SEC East team in the SEC Championship game. I can't think of many starters we lose on offense and I'm hoping the players coming up are going to be better on D than the ones playing. I have seen recruiting improve under Fedora and the other coaches and I can't wait for it to really show up on the field.

KendallVarnell

Nov 30 2010

In a newly released study, Southern Mississippi was one of five schools that had graduation success rates for black players that exceeded their rates for white players. Graduation rates for black players at Southern Mississippi was three percent higher than that for white players. Other shcools on the list were Northwestern, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, and Troy. For those who do not know Northwestern is in Illinois, Notre Dame is in Indiana, Troy is in Alabama and of course Virgina Tech is in Virgnia.

Bryan Flynn

Dec 6 2010

Tonight at 7PM on ESPN USM takes on former C-USA foe Louisville in the Beef O' Brady's Bowl. The Eagles and the Cardinals had to be separated during a dance contest earlier this week. This should be a good game. USM can put up points in bunches but at times their defense looks, well to be nice, lost. Louisville is coached by Charlie Strong former Florida defensive coordinator. Strong has turned around a bad program quickly in his first year. One side note, for the last couple of years USM has been rumored as a possible addition to the Big East. This game could be an audition for an invite to the conference. Which by the way would reunite USM with fomer C-USA foes Louisviell and TCU.

Bryan Flynn

Dec 21 2010