PRESS PICKS: All Hail the Pirate after Mississippi State shocks LSU
STAFF REPORT
The Pirate has spoken.
We all wondered where Mike Leach would take the Mississippi State program, the pedestrian, perennially average football team that once in a while has a Dak Prescott to take them to unusual heights but eventually fall back to non-matter status.
Saturday’s win over LSU was different. It felt different, even more so in a different world of college football that has people cutouts in empty seats.
The Bulldogs are immediately a force to be reckoned with in the SEC West. Yes, this might be an over hyped take and LSU may be as bad as it looked. But the point is this isn’t your daddy’s Mississippi State team. Or grandfathers. Or great grandfathers.
“My Fair Lady” comes to mind. Leach has taken an old ugly football program and immediately given it a remake. He stated prior to the start of the season he has never had the talent like he has in Starkville. That comment in itself tells you where the SEC is as a conference versus everybody else.
The Bulldogs will not win the division. They might win seven games, four more than expected. There is a good chance they open the season 3-0 heading into their next biggest test against Texas A&M with Arkansas and Kentucky the next two on the schedule.
But it’s exciting that football fans get to watch and see what magic Leach can create over the next several weeks. And later hear what he has to say about it.
The standings kept the same leader in Doug Amos who increased his lead slightly.
This week’s list of games is heavy again with SEC tilts with Texas A&M at Bama leading the way. Also Georgia and Auburn are facing off – no it’s not November.
Lee and Carver highlight the high school schedule.
2020 Standings (Last Week)
1. Doug Amos 64-17 (12-3) .790
2. Michael Butler 62-19 (10-5) .765
Graham Dunn 62-19 (12-3) .765
4. Tim Gayle 58-23 (10-5) .716
5. Mike Peacock 56-25 (10-5) .691
6. Barry McKnight 55-26 (9-6) .679
7. Rick Hendrick 53-28 (10-5) .652
8. Darrell Puckett 52-29 (10-5) .642
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket & Troy Trojans Network)
64-17 (12-3) .790
Park Crossing vs Sidney Lanier (Thur) – Park Crossing
Lee vs. Carver - Lee
Pelham at Wetumpka – Wetumpka
Reeltown at Trinity – Trinity
Beauregard at Tallassee – Beauregard
Texas A&M at Alabama – Alabama
Auburn at Georgia - Auburn
Ole Miss at Kentucky – Kentucky
Missouri at Tennessee – Tennessee
LSU at Vanderbilt – LSU
South Carolina at Florida - Florida
Oklahoma at Iowa St – Oklahoma
Baylor at West Virginia – West Virginia
NC State at Pitt - Pitt
Navy at Air Force – Air Force
Michael Butler (WTLS 106.5 FM/1300 AM & Tallassee Times)
62-19 (10-5) .765
Park Crossing vs Sidney Lanier (Thur) – Park Crossing
Lee vs. Carver - Lee
Pelham at Wetumpka – Wetumpka
Reeltown at Trinity – Trinity
Beauregard at Tallassee – Tallassee
Texas A&M at Alabama – Alabama
Auburn at Georgia - Auburn
Ole Miss at Kentucky – Kentucky
Missouri at Tennessee – Tennessee
LSU at Vanderbilt – LSU
South Carolina at Florida - Florida
Oklahoma at Iowa St – Oklahoma
Baylor at West Virginia – West Virginia
NC State at Pitt - Pitt
Navy at Air Force – Navy
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports)
62-19 (12-3) .765
Park Crossing vs Sidney Lanier (Thur) – Park Crossing
Lee vs. Carver - Carver
Pelham at Wetumpka – Pelham
Reeltown at Trinity – Trinity
Beauregard at Tallassee – Tallassee
Texas A&M at Alabama – Alabama
Auburn at Georgia - Georgia
Ole Miss at Kentucky – Kentucky
Missouri at Tennessee – Tennessee
LSU at Vanderbilt – LSU
South Carolina at Florida - Florida
Oklahoma at Iowa St – Oklahoma
Baylor at West Virginia – West Virginia
NC State at Pitt - Pitt
Navy at Air Force – Navy
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports & Montgomery Independent)
58-23 (10-5) .716
Park Crossing vs Sidney Lanier (Thur) – Park Crossing
Lee vs. Carver - Lee
Pelham at Wetumpka – Wetumpka
Reeltown at Trinity – Trinity
Beauregard at Tallassee – Tallassee
Texas A&M at Alabama – Alabama
Auburn at Georgia - Georgia
Ole Miss at Kentucky – Ole Miss
Missouri at Tennessee – Tennessee
LSU at Vanderbilt – LSU
South Carolina at Florida - Florida
Oklahoma at Iowa St – Oklahoma
Baylor at West Virginia – West Virginia
NC State at Pitt - Pitt
Navy at Air Force – Navy
Barry McKnight (SportsRadio 740 /Voice of Troy Trojans)
55-26 (9-6) .679
Park Crossing vs Sidney Lanier (Thur) – Park Crossing
Lee vs. Carver - Lee
Pelham at Wetumpka – Pelham
Reeltown at Trinity – Trinity
Beauregard at Tallassee – Tallassee
Texas A&M at Alabama – Alabama
Auburn at Georgia - Auburn
Ole Miss at Kentucky - Kentucky
Missouri at Tennessee – Tennessee
LSU at Vanderbilt – LSU
South Carolina at Florida - Florida
Oklahoma at Iowa St – Oklahoma
Baylor at West Virginia – West Virginia
NC State at Pitt - Pitt
Navy at Air Force – Air Force
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports)
56-25 (10-5) .691
Park Crossing vs Sidney Lanier (Thur) – Park Crossing
Lee vs. Carver - Lee
Pelham at Wetumpka – Pelham
Reeltown at Trinity – Reeltown
Beauregard at Tallassee – Beauregard
Texas A&M at Alabama – Alabama
Auburn at Georgia - Auburn
Ole Miss at Kentucky – Kentucky
Missouri at Tennessee – Tennessee
LSU at Vanderbilt – LSU
South Carolina at Florida - Florida
Oklahoma at Iowa St – Oklahoma
Baylor at West Virginia – West Virginia
NC State at Pitt - Pitt
Navy at Air Force – Navy
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA of Montgomery Biscuits)
53-28 (10-5) .652
Park Crossing vs Sidney Lanier (Thur) – Park Crossing
Lee vs. Carver - Lee
Pelham at Wetumpka – Wetumpka
Reeltown at Trinity – Trinity
Beauregard at Tallassee – Tallassee
Texas A&M at Alabama – Alabama
Auburn at Georgia - Georgia
Ole Miss at Kentucky – Ole Miss
Missouri at Tennessee – Tennessee
LSU at Vanderbilt – LSU
South Carolina at Florida - Florida
Oklahoma at Iowa St – Oklahoma
Baylor at West Virginia – West Virginia
NC State at Pitt - Pitt
Navy at Air Force – Air Force
Darrell Puckett (formerly of WAKA CH 8/Alabama News Network)
52-29 (10-5) .642
Park Crossing vs Sidney Lanier (Thur) – Park Crossing
Lee vs. Carver - Lee
Pelham at Wetumpka – Wetumpka
Reeltown at Trinity – Trinity
Beauregard at Tallassee – Beauregard
Texas A&M at Alabama – Alabama
Auburn at Georgia - Auburn
Ole Miss at Kentucky – Kentucky
Missouri at Tennessee – Tennessee
LSU at Vanderbilt – LSU
South Carolina at Florida - Florida
Oklahoma at Iowa St – Oklahoma
Baylor at West Virginia – Baylor
NC State at Pitt - Pitt
Navy at Air Force – Navy