When it comes to the Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Southern Miss football teams, about the only thing the trio have in common is that they are football teams in the state of Mississippi. Other than that, each team’s respective mindset heading into the 2024 season couldn’t be more different.
Looking at the top with Ole Miss, the Rebels are in College Football Playoff or bust mode. They’re head and shoulders above the rest of the state in talent, and they should finish within the top four in the SEC – which, in turn, would all but clinch them a playoff spot due to the new 12-team format. While Georgia is the overwhelming favorite to win the SEC according to its media poll, Ole Miss has as good of a shot as anyone with teams picked ahead of it including a Nick Saban-less Alabama and a newcomer in Texas. The Rebels have three first-team SEC players – defensive lineman Walter Nolen, wide receiver Tre Harris and tight end Caden Prieskorn.
A player who failed to make even the third team is Ole Miss’ most important – quarterback Jaxson Dart, who enters his third year as the Rebels’ starter and fourth year of action overall. He’s coming off of a season where he led Ole Miss to an 11-2 season while combining for 31 touchdowns with only five interceptions. Based on the sheer amount of talent Ole Miss added this offseason via the transfer portal, they should be in prime position for a deep postseason run. It’s the most hype I can remember seeing for an Ole Miss squad, and that should breed excitement for this state.
As for Mississippi State, there will be a lot more unknowns heading into the Egg Bowl this November. Last year was a disaster, frankly, but I’m not putting any blame on the administration or them as a program. When Mike Leach passed away December 2022, it sent shockwaves throughout Mississippi State, Starkville and the sports world. Needing a quick hire in this new era of NIL and the transfer portal, State promoted defensive coordinator Zach Arnett – a popular choice at the time. Arnett was inept, but State didn’t have much of a choice.
Enter Jeff Lebby, who went to Starkville after a successful stint as offensive coordinator at Oklahoma under Brent Venables. Enter Blake Shapen, who transferred from Baylor to replace the outgoing Will Rogers, who was State’s quarterback for four seasons before transferring to Washington. State was picked second-to-last in the SEC – 15th out of 16 teams – but the Bulldogs seem to always find a way to exceed expectations.
Will they go bowling? I’m not sure as they have a difficult schedule, but don’t be surprised if the Bulldogs are fighting tough in games they aren’t perceived to have a chance in. I guarantee you this: The Egg Bowl will be competitive this year, as it usually is.
And then there’s Southern Miss.
The Golden Eagles are entering the fourth year of the Will Hall administration, and it’s do or die in Hattiesburg. With a pair of 3-9 seasons with a 7-6 season featuring a bowl win to date, it’s certainly been an up and down campaign for Hall. Last year was perhaps the most disappointing as the Golden Eagles seemingly had an answer at quarterback for the first time paired with exciting new transfers, but USM was rarely competitive in a brutal 2023.
Incoming transfer quarterback Tate Rodemaker from Florida State has his work cut out for him, as he will be called upon to be the Golden Eagles’ savior in 2024. Southern Miss, picked sixth out of seven teams in the Sun Belt West, need to make it back to a bowl in order to make sure Hall can see a fifth year in Hattiesburg. He replaced both coordinators and reshuffled the staff and roster this offseason.
Another cloud looms over Southern Miss, though, as the tragic murder of M.J. Daniels is still fresh on everyone’s minds. Not only was he a surefire starter in the Golden Eagle secondary, but he was a locker room leader and someone the underclassmen looked up to. That will be hard to overcome, but teams with strong bonds tend to stick together through heartbreak. I can’t imagine what they’re going through with that, and not to mention how much pressure is on the team this fall. It will be an interesting season to say the least.
Though college football at the FBS level seems to be unbalanced right now with Ole Miss on top, State in the middle and Southern Miss sputtering at the bottom, it will undoubtedly be a fun fall for all fans around here. Because football is king in the South, and you’d be hard pressed to find a state that loves this sport as much as ours.
