The Wild Wild West: A Pipe Dream

by BrianWalker'sElbow on Oct 27, 2009 4:25 PM EDT

After the loss to Alabama, Nutt said that he'd been around the league for too long to think that the West race was over. He said he still believed in his team. Many fans snickered and threw in the towel. "Alabama is unbeatable!" others yelled. About two and a half weeks later, we are realizing that Alabama is beatable. We also realize that we are getting better.

Do we have a chance of winning the SEC West? Why yes, we do. Is it a small one? Yes, it is.

The SEC West standings are as follows:

Alabama 5-0

LSU 4-1

Ole Miss 2-2

Auburn 2-3

Miss State 1-3

Arkansas 1-4

Nerd analysis after the jump.

One of our writers erroneously reported that we were mathematically eliminated from the SEC West race. WRONG.

Alabama has three SEC games remaining, and they are all against SEC West opponents: Mississippi State, LSU, and Auburn.

LSU has three SEC games remaining, and they are all against SEC West opponents: Alabama, Ole Miss, Arkansas.

Ole Miss has four SEC games remaining, and they are against: Auburn, Tennessee, LSU, and Mississippi State.

In order for there to be a tie (from which we can benefit), Alabama must lose to LSU and one of the other teams. LSU must beat Bama and lose only to us. We must win out.

Then Bama, LSU, and Ole miss all have 6-2 SEC records.

From this page on the SEC website, I gathered the following information on tie-breakers:

THREE (OR MORE) TEAM TIE

(Once the tie has been reduced to two teams, go to the two-team tie-breaker format.)
Combined head-to-head record among the tied teams.
Record of the tied teams within the division.

The head-to-head step means nothing because no one team has the advantage over the others. The next step is the divisional record. Ole Miss and LSU would have 4-1 divisional records while Alabama would have a 3-2 divisional record. Therefore, Alabama is eliminated, and per the first step listed, LSU and Ole Miss will go to the two team tie breaker format.

A. TWO-TEAM TIE

Head-to-head competition between the two tied teams.

Ole Miss has the head-to-head advantage. Therefore, we go to Atlanta!!! Hey, it could happen, right?

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Comments

Perhaps a pipe dream

I’d love to see it happen, but I don’t see Alabama falling to Auburn or State. However, I also didn’t see us beating Florida last year, and look what happened. All things are possible…

-goose

by DYMongoose on Oct 27, 2009 4:34 PM EDT reply actions

So basically

you said everything I said in my “SEC so far” Fanpost. Plagiarizer! :P

Be who you are and say what you want because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. - Dr. Suess

by BimBamOleMissByDamn on Oct 27, 2009 5:01 PM EDT reply actions

He also took the wind out of my sails. If BWE would check his damn email

he’s see that we were bouncing around ideas for “pipe dream” type scenarios for Ole Miss to win the West.

Here’s one: Ole Miss beats Auburn, LSU beats Alabama, Mount Cody erupts in a violent explosion of refried bean dip and stewed tomatoes, suffocating half of the Crimson Tide roster. Rebels win the West.

Red Cup Rebellion - Changing the Culture of Ole Miss Athletics
Take a picture, trick.

by The Ghost of Jay Cutler on Oct 27, 2009 5:15 PM EDT up reply actions

"...erupts in a violent explosion of refried bean dip and stewed tomatoes,..."

Did we not discuss your culinary habits earlier? Or are you just projecting a more clear image of your “illness”?

Don’t rule out pipe dreams…we didn’t think we had a prayer for the BCS after losing to Ark two years ago, and look how many pieces of that puzzle fell perfectly into place.

by artiger on Oct 27, 2009 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions

DARE NOT SPEAK OF THE CODY THAT WAY

but seriously if bama collapses this year and loses two out of the next three SEC games I’m gunna commit Japanese ritualistic suicide, ONLY after taking out every ESPN and SI writer that jinxed us with the BAMA V FLORIDA SEC TITLE hype

Terrence Cody eats your field goal!

by Wallacewade04 on Oct 28, 2009 1:17 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm apparently an idiot.

by BrianWalker'sElbow on Oct 27, 2009 5:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Y'all just a bunch of glass half full folks huh. Amazing what a winning week does.

I live in the past and I'm better than you.

by Destindune on Oct 27, 2009 5:22 PM EDT reply actions

Don't worry.

None of us think any of these scenarios will happen.

Red Cup Rebellion - An Ole Miss Blog
Blame the Baptists.

by Juco All-American on Oct 27, 2009 5:34 PM EDT up reply actions

I can see Alabama losing to Auburn just because it’s a hardcore rivalry game. I’m still praying to God, Allah, Buddha, Tulon, Hoyle, Tau, or whatever ghost that controls the football universe that Alabama will lose a game.

by 7thYearJunior on Oct 27, 2009 7:24 PM EDT reply actions

That hurts

Ole Miss fan, what did Alabama ever do to you?

…

oh, wait…

Terrence Cody eats your field goal!

by Wallacewade04 on Oct 28, 2009 1:19 AM EDT up reply actions

It wasn't so mu BAMA...

…as it was the dark lord of the underworld who holds the souls of all who wear the crimson and white.

"Happiness is riches, complaint is poverty, and the worst I ever had was wonderful." Brother Dave Gardner

by tlcreb17 on Oct 28, 2009 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions

**much (stupid fingers not hitting the keys hard enough...GAH!)

"Happiness is riches, complaint is poverty, and the worst I ever had was wonderful." Brother Dave Gardner

by tlcreb17 on Oct 28, 2009 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Well they....

Stole my story, and they must be punished.

by Evil Betty on Oct 28, 2009 1:34 AM EDT reply actions

I would love for that to work out

but as the title suggests, it’s a dream. I will never completely give up hope though. After seeing the football equivalent of the Earth reversing it’s rotational direction in 2007 allowing LSU to play in the National Title game, nothing can ever be called impossible.

The read dream situation is for us to win out, LSU to win every game but the Ole Miss game, and mississippi state beats Bama to send us to Atlanta. Can you imagine seeing the MSU universe collapse when they realize that their biggest win in a decade is the very thing that wins the west for us? Please Jebus let this happen.

by RedStickRebel on Oct 28, 2009 9:59 AM EDT reply actions

Amen!! And Amen.

"Happiness is riches, complaint is poverty, and the worst I ever had was wonderful." Brother Dave Gardner

by tlcreb17 on Oct 28, 2009 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions

All I know is that msu76's head would explode.

That guy is the epitome of the State fan that still lives off its one football accomplishment in history. If his team were to help Ole Miss take away his only talking point, he, and many others, wouldn’t know what to do..

by RebelBruiser on Oct 28, 2009 10:51 AM EDT up reply actions

One of my friends, who is an MSU superfan, seemed to believe that we have no chance against Tyson Lee’s Brett Favre-esque arm and also stated that “them cornfed boys don’t play.” I believe that this situation would take the wind out of his sails and I’d love it dearly.

Though I’d also like to see Alabama make it to the NC game again, lose, and then get beat by an undefeated TCU/Iowa/Boise State and then maybe Saban will be sacrificed to the Bear for punishment for letting 2 dream seasons slip away.

by 7thYearJunior on Oct 28, 2009 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions