Dale’s Sideline View

The list of unbeaten college football teams keeps getting shorter. SMU and Appalachian State both fell last week to shorten the list to seven entering this week. This time of year we seem to have elimination games each Saturday. This week is no different since two more unbeaten teams Minnesota and Penn State meet in Minneapolis. Also, a couple of other teams with unblemished records will go head-to head in Tuscaloosa as Alabama hosts LSU. We still have three other perfect teams in Baylor, Clemson and Ohio State. The last two are both heavily favored this Saturday while Baylor will have their hands full against TCU.  

Another “Game of the Century” 

LSU is ranked No. 1 and Alabama is No. 2 entering this Saturday afternoon’s matchup. The last time these teams held these rankings at the same time was back in 2011 when the visiting Tigers won a field goal battle, 9-6, in overtime. That was also the night that Alabama missed four field goals. 

That was also the first time in SEC history that two SEC teams came into a regular season matchup undefeated and ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the country. This year’s LSU team is the real deal. They have proven that with wins over Texas, Florida and Auburn. In the end, the team that plays the best Saturday and makes the fewest mistakes will win out. This could also be the preview of something better to come. Alabama did get revenge over LSU for that 9-6 loss by winning a rematch in the national championship with a 21-0 victory over the Tigers in New Orleans. 

Rebels’ desperation pass fails

Ole Miss (3-6, 2-4) fell to Auburn, 20-14, as the Rebels offense missed several scoring opportunities while the defense could not make key stops on third down. Those two factors cost the Rebels a chance to steal an SEC win on the road. The Rebels will host New Mexico State this week. 

Dogs run over Razorbacks 

Mississippi State (4-5, 2-4) wins when Kylin Hill has a good game. Hill did better than good as he rushed for 235 yards and scored three times against Arkansas. MSU quarterback Tommy Stevens threw for two scores and used both his arm and legs to move the MSU offense to a record offensive output. MSU will be open this week as they get ready for Alabama in two weeks. 

Southern Mississippi (5-3, 3-1) will host UAB this Saturday afternoon in a game that will be broadcast on the NFL Network at 2:30 p.m. This is must-win for the Eagles if they want to play in the C-USA championship game.  

Delta State, Millsaps and Jackson State were the small college winners this past Saturday. 

World Series Wrap-Up  

What an awesome World Series! I still cannot believe that the home team never won a series game. What are those odds? 

Starkville native Jim “Mattress Mac” McIngvale lost $13 million on bets he placed on his hometown Houston Astros. Mac was going to give away mattresses to customers if the Astros had won.  

Washington Nationals second sacker Brian Dozier is the first former Southern Mississippi baseball player to win a World Series. The Fulton native hit 20 home runs in 139 regular season games but only batted once (walk) in the series. Three other former Southern Miss baseball players have played in the Word Series, but their teams fell short. They were Bubba Phillips (White Sox-1959), Jim Davenport (Giants-1962) and Chad Bradford (Rays-2008).

The Seattle Mariners are the only MLB team to never play in a World Series while the San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, Colorado Rockies, Tampa Bay Ray and the Milwaukee Brewers organizations have played in a series but have never tasted the champagne. Dale is a Waynesboro resident and has been writing sports since 1973.