Jackson Free Press

It was a great college football season for a lot of fans in Mississippi. Both Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi had seasons to remember, and Alcorn State University won the SWAC Football Championship Game.

Winning on the field is great, but preparing these players to win in life is even more important. The NCAA lists two types of rankings on graduation. The first is the NCAA used graduation success rate, and the other is the federal graduation rate. The GSR is the formula the NCAA uses to determine if schools are getting the job done in the classroom and determine punishments if they are not. GSR is very forgiving for schools and takes the players going pro into account, transfer students and other potential misleading things.

FGR is not so forgiving to schools. For example, the Ole Miss has a GSR rate of 52 percent but has a FGR of 35 percent. The Rebels are succeeding on the field but not in the classroom. Mississippi State has a GSR of 66 percent, but the FGR is 50 percent. The Bulldogs are doing well but have plenty of room to improve.

Of the so-called "Big Three," the University of Southern Mississippi might be a mess on the field but is getting it done in the classroom. The Golden Eagles have a 67 percent GSR but that number is 53 percent for FGR, though Southern Miss and MSU are still the best FBS schools in our state. The three SWAC schools in our state have different athletic programs from FBS schools in this state world but are still judged by the same rules. Alcorn State has the best GSR of the three schools at 52 percent, followed by Jackson State University at 44 percent. Both the Braves and the Tigers are still better than Ole Miss at FGR at 36 and 40 percents, respectively.

Mississippi Valley State University is the only school that doesn't change from GSR to FGR at 33 percent.

But it is amazing to see Ole Miss is second to last in FGR in this state. Not a good look for a school that likes to tout its academics.