The national buzz has centered heavily on the Magnolia State this week.

Mississippi State will host Texas A&M Saturday in one of the biggest games in school history. Ole Miss will host Alabama in what would have to also rank as that program’s most important contest in half a century.

All four teams are ranked nationally in the Top 12. Two national broadcast networks will launch pregame shows from Starkville and Oxford respectively.

If ever there was a chance for MSU to return to the Southeastern Conference championship game and for Ole Miss to make a first-ever appearance, this weekend is critical.

While football on the senior college level in this state is good, high school football in Oktibbeha County is not half bad either.

Good records

Starkville High School is 5-0. Starkville Academy is 6-0. Factor in 4-0 MSU and the county’s Big Three are presently 15-0.

Yes indeed, times are mighty good for football fans in Starkville.

To add icing to the cake, Starkville Academy took over the top spot in the Associated Press rankings for private schools Tuesday. Starkville High has held the top spot in the overall rankings for right at a month.

Starkville High is also rated No. 8 in the nation by MaxPreps and No. 21 in the USA Today national rankings.

“These are special times indeed,” Starkville fifth-year coach Jamie Mitchell said. “There is a buzz. There is an excitement. You can feel it everywhere you go.”

What makes the climb by all three even more remarkable is that none were ranked this high in the preseason.

MSU has gone from unranked to No. 12 by the Associated Press and No. 14 in the USA Today coaches poll by knocking off Southern Miss, UAB, South Alabama and then-No. 8 LSU. For MSU, it was the first win in Baton Rouge since 1991 and first win anywhere against LSU since 1999.

Moving up

Starkville High was ranked by most publications in the Top Five in the preseason. However, no one had Starkville No. 1.

To make the climb up those rankings, Starkville has knocked off Noxubee County, Oxford, West Point, Florence (Alabama) and Columbus.

Starkville has bypassed some other 5-0 teams to climb on top of the rankings. It has achieved this mark by averaging 31.8 points per game in margin of victory.

Meanwhile, Starkville Academy has gone from afterthought to No. 1 in the state. While the Volunteers did return a roster with more than 50 percent seniors, one was not sure how good they could be.

Beating everybody

Instead, Starkville Academy has barn-stormed to its 6-0 record with victories over Lamar School, East Rankin Academy, Washington School, Hillcrest Christian, Magnolia Heights and Winston Academy. The Volunteers are winning by an average margin of 29.3 points.

“A team full of seniors will always give you a chance,” Starkville Academy fifth-year coach Jeff Terrill said. “If you win some games early, the confidence can really build.”

Terrill inherited a team which was winless in 2009. From there, the team won three games in his first season in 2010. A year late, the gigantic leap took place and Starkville Academy appeared in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class AAA, Division II state championship game. This year’s team hopes to atone for the loss in that title match.

For Mitchell, the task was equally daunting at Starkville. The Yellow Jackets won seven games in 2008 and 2009 combined. Mitchell’s first squad also finished below .500. The gigantic leap took place here in 2011 as well. Starkville also played in the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A state championship game that year. The Yellow Jackets lost that title match but returned a year later to win the school’s fifth state championship but first since 2001.

Many area fans are also aware of the uphill battle for sixth-year coach Dan Mullen at MSU.

From 2001 to 2008, the Bulldogs have seven losing seasons and managed only one bowl appearance. Mullen’s first team was also below .500 at 5-7. The success then followed. MSU appears a lock for a fifth straight bowl game. A win Saturday and MSU suddenly becomes a contender for its first Western Division title since 1998.

One deficit

Not only have MSU, SHS and SA won time and time again, it has been total dominance to this point. Neither Starkville High nor Starkville Academy have trailed in a game this season. MSU’s only deficit was in the second quarter of an eventual 47-34 win over UAB.

Granted it’s barely October and we really haven’t had the first football night where you carry a blanket to the stadium.

Still, this trio of teams has come a long way. They have exceeded all expectations, except perhaps their own.

What we know for sure is the ride will continue to be fun for each fan base. And yes, football will still be the topic of discussion at lunch tables many more days than usual this season.

And if the teams finish a combined 42-0?

Well, let’s just say that story will be a tad bit bigger than this state may be able to handle.

Scott Walters is a sports reporter for the Commercial Dispatch. He may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @dispatchscott.

Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.