2016 Combined

Big year for state football Mississippi's college foot ball season is officially be hind us and years from now will be considered one of the best in the history of the . state. · There were no national championships to be had but there were plenty of wins and plenty of story lines. Let's consider them. First, there are the Rebels from Ole Miss. The Rebels fin ished the sea Let me just say that no mat ter how you get to the Sugar · Bowl, it's still the Sugar Bowl and the highest honor you can get in the SEC short of winning a national champi onship. I have to admit that I didn't know how Hugh Freeze would do in Oxford but he has shattered all ex pectation and raised that bar. Add in an Egg Bowl win over rival Mississippi State and an early season win over Alabama and the 2015 sea son will be remembered for years to come. When most people think of Mississippi State football in the last few years, two words come to mind and those two words are Dak Prescott. Prescott, the two-time Con erly Award winner as the state's best football player, has led Mississippi State to son with a · 10-3 record anda48-20 win over Oklahoma State in the Sugar Bowl. . by Robbie Robertson

n~w Jl~igilts. Last year, ~ Prescott was an early con tender for the Heisman and took the Bulldogs to the No. 1 ranking in the country for a stretch. This past season, the Bulldogs weren't as good, playing with one of the youngest teams in the con ference but fiµished with a 9 4 record and a 51-28 win over North Carolina State in the Belk Bowl. Prescott will go down as the best quarter back in the school's history, taking his place in front of Bulldogs greats Don Smitir and John Bond. While the Bulldogs and Rebels enjoyed seasons that most of their fans saw com ing, there can't be many peo ple who saw the season coming in Hattiesburg. The Eagles had a disappointing end to the season, losing in tile Conference USA title game and then falling 44-31 to Washington in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. After three straight abysmal seasons that featured a 23-game los ing streak, the Golden Eagles got back to their winning ways under Todd Monken this season. The Eagles seem to have the right man at the helm with Monken and will do well to hold onto the coach. With all three major uni versities enjoying success, it's easy to get spoiled. All three don't have to think back too far to remember . leaner times. My advice is to enjoy it while it's hear be cause it doesn't take long for it to turn the other way. While I'm on the subject of college football, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the . good job that Jay Hobson has done at Alcorn State, leading the Braves to back-to-back SWAC title. But Jackson State went outside the family an'1 snagged long-time SEC "1.F.110tbal1. OA

sippi on their national championship. Of course, they wouldn't have won that had East Mississippi not been put on probation for a late-season fight with Mis sissippi Delta. While the Rangers were the national champs, East Central Com- . munity College was within a touchdown of b~ating the Rangers. That was the story of the Warriors, a very good team just a step or two away from being a contender for the national title. I'll be in terested to see how Ken Karcher does from this point forward. For those who haven't re alized it yet, football is im portant in Mississippi. And we should all sit back and enjoy what the Lord has blessed us with. Robbie Robertson is the sports editor of The New ton Caunty Appeal. He can

Football From 9A

assistant Tony Hughes from Mississippi State. Hughes is known as a top recruiter and his departure will hurt the Bulldogs. Don't be s~- _p__rised if Hughes turns . around the Tigers in quick fashion. And finally to the junior college level, congratula tions to Northwest Missis

be reached at rrobert son12811@yalwo.com.

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