Mississippi 2015 Football Season Preview
On the Gulf Coast three college football teams garner much of the interest of Mississippi sports betting and football fans in the state. While teams from the SWAC like Alcorn State, Mississippi Valley and Jackson State offer other options, the three teams below offer the strongest pull.
Mississippi Rebels Football 2015
Steady improvement has been head coach Hugh Freeze’s trademark in his first three seasons with the Mississippi Rebels, so finding a way to improve from the team’s 9-4 mark in 2014 is the challenge for the 2015 college football season. Freeze welcomes a new quarterback in junior college transfer Chad Kelly, who offers plenty of talent, but brings baggage from a previous stint at Clemson. An arrest after that doesn’t help, but if he’s able to stick to football, Kelly can make things happen for Ole Miss.
He’s got a potent weapon at wide receiver in Laquon Treadwell, who might be one of the first wideouts chosen in the 2016 NFL Draft. Treadwell was sent to the sidelines with a broken leg late in the 2014 season, but he’s a game-breaking threat that Freeze will use extensively.
Jaylon Watkins heads the running game, but there’s not much depth behind him, other than Akeem Judd and Jordan Wilkins. Opening up holes for that trio will be any of the five starting offensive linemen that come back, including tackle Laremy Tunsil, who dominates the line and could be the first offensive lineman chosen next year by the NFL.
The team’s defense was great last year, and should again being in that realm for 2015, with players like Marquise Haynes on the line. If Robert Nkemdiche gets going, this unit will take things up a notch. Some position shifting in the other two areas looks to lock down specific areas and keep the success from the 2014 campaign going.
Mississippi State Football 2015
In 2014, the Bulldogs briefly sat at the pinnacle of college football at the No. 1 team, but the dream died fast after three losses in the latter half of the season. Head coach Dan Mullen has Dak Prescott back for his senior year after he threw for 4,470 yards in 2014, with De’Runnya Wilson expected to be his main receiving target after 47 grabs last season.
The running game took a huge hit with Josh Robinson’s departure, and will need players like Ashton Shumpert to pick up his game to come near Robinson’s production. Even worse for Mississippi State is the fact that their offensive line will completely retooled, with a new center yet to be discovered. That’s much the same story on the defensive side, with three starters gone. Chris Jones and Ryan Brown figure to be the main components here.
Beniquez Brown is a football-smart linebacker, but the team’s pass coverage in 2014 was pretty porous. The fact that the secondary will be almost brand new might be seen as an improvement, but regardless, the transition process will take time. Prescott has a lot riding on his shoulders, since poor play from him dooms the team. A solid year would mean that the Bulldogs are back in the hunt.
Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles Football 2015
Navigating their way in the Conference USA West Division will again be difficult for head coach Todd Monken, who has a 4-20 record in his two seasons. Non-conference games against Mississippi and Nebraska certainly won’t help. Uncertainty at quarterback and a mediocre running game only adds to the concern, while the receiving duo of Casey Martin and Michael Thomas figure to provide a great deal of the offense.
On the defensive side, departures of the top players will be a problem, but players like linebacker D’Nerius Antoine could soothe that issue. The secondary at least has a name to remember: Picasso Nelson, Jr. The 2015 college football season doesn’t look promising for Southern Mississippi, but perhaps Monken can work some magic.
2015 NFL Support from Mississippi Football Fans
Since the New Orleans Saints are just west of the state, they’ve been the choice for most fans. Nearly 15 years ago, the team hinted at moving to the state, but the plan never went through. Still, the team aggressively markets the team to Mississippians. With the trauma they shared a decade ago from Hurricane Katrina, that bond was solidified, with the Saints’ Super Bowl title in 2009 sealing the deal.