STARKVILLE — The mourning period for the Mississippi State football team ended Saturday on its bus ride back to Starkville.
MSU coach Dan Mullen, who flew back to Starkville on Saturday with the rest of the coaches on a private jet, said once the team gathered back on campus following its 41-34 loss at Auburn University its focus immediately shifted to its home opener against No. 3 LSU at 7 tonight (ESPN) at Davis Wade Stadium.
“You”ve got to put it behind you and move on,” Mullen said. “Nothing”s ever going to happen that changes the outcome of that football game. You”ve got to play another one in a couple days, so we”ve had to put that one away and start getting ready for an even tougher opponent this week.”
Mullen flew back to Starkville with the coaches to give them a faster start to prepare the game plan for LSU. The players said the numbers 3-4-5 highlight the importance of the game. Inside No. 25 MSU”s locker room, it”s about LSU”s ranking (No. 3), the four letters of ESPN, and the five turnovers the Bulldogs had last year in a 29-7 loss in Baton Rouge, La.
“We got a chance to right this wrong,” MSU junior cornerback Corey Broomfield said.
Mullen said the Bulldogs have responded differently to the Auburn loss than they did to a 30-26 loss to then-No. 7 LSU on Sept. 26, 2009, at Davis Wade Stadium. The attitude adjustment starts with senior quarterback Chris Relf, whose rushing attempt with 10 seconds remaining in the game fell 1 yard short of giving the Bulldogs a chance to tie the score.
“I think there”s a lot of guys on our team, especially Chris, that are angry with that loss because expectations around here have changed a little bit,” Mullen said. “I think a couple years ago if we would”ve lost a close game to a defending national champion team, there was disappointment. Now there”s guys that are angry because they felt they should have won the football game.”
Mullen disagreed that two losses in the Southeastern Conference”s Western Division would eliminate the Bulldogs from a shot at playing in the league”s championship game in Atlanta because of the depth in the SEC. He said South Carolina won the SEC”s Eastern Division with three league losses last season.
MSU (1-1, 0-1 SEC) has lost to LSU 11 straight times. The short week has increased speculation about how the Bulldogs will prepare for arguably the league”s most athletic defense.
“We played some Thursday night games in the past, and I think our guys know how to prepare for this type of game,” Mullen said. “There”s no better challenge than LSU (because) they are probably the best team in the country today.”
Counting the Egg Bowl matchups that were played on Thanksgiving Day, MSU is 17-24-2 on Thursdays. Former MSU Director of Athletics Larry Templeton, who now is a consultant with the SEC on scheduling,
said MSU always has been open to scheduling a conference home game on Thursday night.
“I think it”s safe to say certain schools in the league initially had no desire to play on Thursday, and immediately other schools in the league, like Mississippi State, understood the value of the exposure element,” Templeton said.
The game marks the second time LSU coach Les Miles has had to face MSU on a short week. He said Wednesday he would have preferred to play his season opener or conference season opener at home on a Thursday night.
“The issues for us and I”m sure are the same for Mississippi State is you have to close school because otherwise your students have no place to park,” Miles said. “If you invite your fan base into town for Thursday and they come with their RVs … you really have to close classes Thursday and Friday. I don”t think there”s any room in our academic calendar to do that.”
MSU officials have closed classes for today, but classes will go on as scheduled Friday on the Starkville campus.
In 2005, LSU played Tennessee on a Monday night due to the effects of Hurricane Rita. They were forced to play the Bulldogs the following Saturday. LSU lost to Tennessee but rebounded to beat MSU 37-7.
“I think our guys have enjoyed the schedule this week,” Miles said. “There”s no definite benefits post-game because it”s not a bye week, but you gain some health and planning for your next opponent.”
