Ever for the reason that SEC made its announcement about including a ninth convention recreation in 2026, a lot of the consideration has been paid to who will every workforce\u2019s three everlasting opponents.
We already gave our opinion<\/a> and shared who former Mississippi State coach Jackie Sherrill thinks<\/a> would be the Bulldogs\u2019 three annual opponents.
However let\u2019s take a step again and have a look at the massive image.
Is that this a great or unhealthy factor for Mississippi State?
Surely, it is a unhealthy factor for the Bulldogs. They\u2019re coming off their first 0-8 season in convention play since 2002 and it\u2019s removed from a certainty that received\u2019t repeat in 2025.
Including one other SEC recreation makes the rebuilding effort second-year coach Jeff Lebby is endeavor quite a bit more durable. Lebby\u2019s success in that effort might be based mostly on wins and losses.
Does anybody assume including Auburn to the Bulldogs\u2019 schedule \u2013 or South Carolina, Kentucky, Oklahoma, or Alabama going to make their schedule any simpler? Even when Kentucky was added, the Bulldogs\u2019 power of schedule would go up.
So, no, this isn\u2019t a great factor for Mississippi State.
It\u2019s unlikely we\u2019ll hear from Lebby concerning the SEC\u2019s announcement till his first recreation week press convention early subsequent week. However he was asked about it at SEC Media Days last month<\/a>.
\u201cI feel for us from a scheduling standpoint, on the finish of the day, it's going to be what's greatest for the league,\u201d Lebby mentioned. \u201cI feel all of us as coaches have our personal opinions, however the convention on the finish of the day goes to do precisely what we have to do to proceed strengthening our place.\u201d
Lebby is right in that the SEC coach all have opinions about including one other convention recreation. They made that apparent at SEC Conferences in Destin, Fla. after they poured a big bucket of water on the rising fireplace that was a ninth SEC recreation.
The Bulldogs\u2019 main man will get requested about all of this sooner or later, however I anticipate a solution alongside the traces of both \u201cit’s what it’s\u201d or \u201cwe\u2019re centered on Southern Miss.\u201d
However I do imagine what Sherrill instructed me yesterday is true and that was not one of the SEC head coaches wished this. As beforehand talked about, it solely makes their job more durable and that\u2019s all 16 head coaches, together with those in competition for a nationwide championship.
Moreover, I don\u2019t assume you, a school soccer fan, are a winner in all of this. I don\u2019t anticipate the SEC to maintain the requirement that every workforce will need to have not less than one non-conference recreation towards a Energy 4 workforce.
\u201cThese three non-conference video games, they\u2019re not going to be coin flip video games, they\u2019re going to be video games you recognize you\u2019ll win by displaying up,\u201d Sherrill mentioned. \u201cThat\u2019s what is smart taking part in 9 video games within the SEC.\u201d
Why would Texas danger shedding to Ohio State? What good would come from Mississippi State taking part in Arizona State? Or Oklahoma taking part in Michigan?
The danger outweighs the reward.
So, no, this isn’t a great factor for Mississippi State. The continued rebuild simply acquired quite a bit more durable and having a profitable 2025 season (nevertheless you need to outline success) turned an entire lot extra vital.
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Award-winning sports activities editor, author, columnist, and photographer with 15 years\u2019 expertise providing his opinion and perception concerning the sports activities world in Mississippi and Texas, however he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Value earlier than he may stroll. Taylor has coated all ranges of sports activities, from small excessive colleges within the Mississippi Delta to NFL video games. Observe Taylor on Twitter and Fb.
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Ever for the reason that SEC made its announcement about including a ninth convention recreation in 2026, a lot of the consideration has been paid to who will every workforce\u2019s three everlasting opponents.We already gave our opinion and shared who former Mississippi State coach Jackie Sherrill thinks would be the Bulldogs\u2019 three annual opponents.However let\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-389977","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n