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Entering November last season, both Ole Miss and Mississippi State were on the verge of something special. Through the first nine weeks, the Bulldogs were unbeaten and the Rebels had suffered only two losses, beating Alabama along the way.
This season is a bit different as both the No. 19 Rebels (7-2, 4-1 SEC) and Bulldogs (6-2, 2-2 SEC) each have two losses heading into the final month of the season.
But the goal remains the same. Both schools in the SEC can play their way to Atlanta the first weekend of December.
Ole Miss is in better position. Though much of the attention in the SEC West has centered on LSU and Alabama, the Rebels could run the table and win the division.
It won’t be easy. Ole Miss would need to knock off No. 4 LSU in Oxford on November 14 then win in Starkville in the regular-season finale.
If Ole Miss can win out, the Rebels would be 10-2 — its fourth straight victory increase under Hugh Freeze — and play in the SEC championship game for the first time.
Ole Miss hasn’t won 10 games since Eli Manning’s senior season in 2003. The Rebels have never won 11 in the 110-year history of the football program.
Though Mississippi State has only an outside chance to win the West due to its 2-point loss to LSU, the Bulldogs could still make a statement with victories over either Alabama or Ole Miss.
If the Rebels beat Arkansas and LSU, they would clinch a berth in Atlanta with a victory over. So the Bulldogs could play spoilers.
Mississippi State could do the same to Alabama, which would control its own destiny in the SEC if it beats LSU on Saturday and Ole Miss loses an SEC game.
There’s a scenario where the Bulldogs would win the SEC West. But LSU would have to lose to Ole Miss and Alabama. In that case, Mississippi State, LSU, Ole Miss and Alabama would all have two conference losses.
It is certainly an uphill climb, but prior to the season, Mississippi State was not considered a contender in the SEC West.
With the potential for big statements by the Rebels and the Bulldogs, November could be a very exciting month of football in Mississippi.
Dave covers SEC football for Saturday Down South.
