Like It Is

It's been season of firsts already for Bulldogs

Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen checks on the condition of an injured player during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Kentucky at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014. Mississippi State beat Kentucky 45-31. (AP Photo/David Stephenson)

Forever.

That's how long Mississippi State can lay claim as the first No. 1 team in the College Football Playoff poll.

Forever.

That's how long three SEC schools will be known for representing 75 percent of the top four teams in the initial poll.

Forever.

That's how long the Arkansas Razorbacks will be remembered as the first opponent MSU faced after becoming the first No. 1 team in the initial poll.

Don't think for one second that the Bulldogs will have their heads in the playoff clouds. This is a blue-collar team with a blue-collar attitude, and those are good things in football.

They come to play. They take no one lightly and believe in themselves.

The College Football Playoff selection committee can say it went strictly on victories and losses with its rankings, and no doubt that is true, but strength of schedule had to be considered. Florida State is the defending national champion and hasn't lost since Nov. 24, 2012, when the once-powerful Florida Gators topped them 37-26 (that's 23 consecutive victories since), but they are ranked No. 2 in the initial poll.

The Seminoles' quality victories this season have been against No. 10 Notre Dame, No. 21 Clemson and unranked Oklahoma State.

Meanwhile, Mississippi State went into Death Valley and beat No. 19 LSU in a night game, clobbered Texas A&M and beat No. 3 Auburn, which has to be why it is No. 1.

One can only wonder how fast and far Mississippi State will fall if it stubs its toe, and it has a tough schedule to overcome. Arkansas is the second opponent in a streak of six consecutive weeks the Bulldogs have to play, which includes trips to No. 6 Alabama and No. 4 Ole Miss.

A case could be made against the Rebels since they are fresh off a loss to LSU, but the fact will always be that they beat Alabama, and the selection committee is human.

If you think folks around the country get sick of the SEC winning, can you imagine how they might feel if Alabama ends up in the final four? Alabama has been king more years than not since Terry Saban -- the wife of Alabama Coach Nick Saban -- found a home in Tuscaloosa, which has since been purchased by the Crimson Tide Foundation. (They paid $3.1 million for the 8,759-square-foot home.)

It's doubtful that will become a national trend, but it is also very unlikely college football's final four will look like its initial final four.

MSU has the already mentioned schedule. Auburn also finishes the season with six consecutive games and goes to Ole Miss, hosts Texas A&M, visits No. 11 Georgia and closes the season on the road against Alabama.

Ole Miss has Auburn this week, goes to Arkansas and finishes the season hosting Mississippi State.

This week, the Bulldogs will have a homecoming of sorts. Positive political ads are easier to come by than tickets to see America's Cinderella team take on the Razorbacks.

"Who Let The Dogs Out" will be blaring from every speaker, and cowbells will be ringing.

On a cool night that is going to get cold, the Bulldogs will look to bolster their standing and the Razorbacks will try to stop the bleeding. Their last conference victory was Oct. 13, 2012, against Kentucky, 49-7.

Since then, they are 0-16 in SEC play and have been outscored 575-303, although the margin of losses has been greatly reduced this season.

Mississippi State has won 10 consecutive games going back to last season, including six consecutive conference victories.

Still, being announced as the first-ever No. 1 team in the first College Football Playoff poll is the most intriguing chapter of their David and Goliath story.

MSU will have that honor forever.

Sports on 10/30/2014