Mississippi State Football: 5 Reasons MSU Will Own the SEC in the Next Decade

The Bulldogs flew below the radar this year after starting off the season in the Top 20. Times are tough in the craziest division in the nation, but Dan Mullen and company were able to secure a .500 year and a decent bowl.  

All this mediocrity is about to change.

Mississippi State is loading up to become a threat in the SEC, and no one is expecting it. The powerhouses are too focused on each other or their new conference-mates in Missouri and Texas A&M to notice.

We take a look at the five ways the Bulldogs will pull off this feat over the next decade.

Survival in Toughest Division

The SEC West is the toughest division in football—there is no debating this fact. When not only two of your conference, but also two of your division rivals, are facing off for the National Title, you know you're between a rock and a hard place.

Most squads, such as Ole Miss, would have just lied down and let the big boys walk all over them. The Bulldogs, instead, fought back and emerged with a spot in a decent bowl and fifth place in the division.

This season was all about survival, and MSU is going to remain unscathed as it heads into 2012.

In-State Recruiting

Rivalries are meant to mostly go back and forth, with the home teams usually being favored to win. Since the arrival of former Florida assistant Dan Mullen, however, MSU has owned Ole Miss and gone 3-0 against the hated rival. 

When a rivalry starts to become one-sided, that's when in-state recruiting begins to also get a little lopsided. All of the best recruits from the state want to attend the winner of the rivalry.

The Egg Bowl has not only been won but has also been dominated by Mullen and the Bulldogs, and all of Mississippi's top high school players want to come to Starkville. Once in-state recruiting becomes secure, that's when coaches can start trying to secure big names out of the state.

Dan Mullen

The third-year head coach out of Florida has really been a huge hit in Starkville. His undefeated record against rival Ole Miss is huge, and two straight bowl appearances has the Bulldog alumni more than pleased.

His aggressive offense and ability to find great defensive coordinators has made his squad extremely formidable in the deadly SEC. Although MSU didn't improve from the last season, just being able to survive the year against LSU, Alabama and Arkansas has made this year a success.

As his offenses continue to develop along with his recruiting classes, the Bulldogs will become a huge threat to the established powerhouses in the conference.  

Tyler Russell

This young QB has a very strong arm and huge amount of experience from this season. A sophomore from Meridian, Mississippi, Russell has a lot of potential and a great coach to help him reach it.   

Playing little last season, Russell came in for eight of this year's games, completing 69 of 129 passes for 1,034 yards and eight TDs with four interceptions. This kid could be the engine for future MSU success.

Every big-shot coach has always had some superstar QB early on in their career. For Mullen, that superstar could be Tyler Russell. A huge name and an even bigger arm, this sophomore fits the bill for the next big thing in Mississippi.  

Competitive Against the Powerhouses

The Bulldogs were extremely competitive this season, especially against the big shots who have owned their conference for decades. Although MSU fell apart late in the fourth quarter in most of these matchups, Alabama, LSU, Georgia and South Carolina all had problems with the Bulldogs.

The Auburn game should have been a victory had it not been for some costly mistakes and a single yard as time expired. Mississippi State was in every game they played, except perhaps the Arkansas clash late in the year. 

As they continue to improve, these close games might start falling MSU's way and when that happens, that's when Mullen and company will take advantage. Watch out over the next couple years for Mississippi State for they have all the tools to become the next big thing.