Auburn’s 2013 football season was nothing short of miraculous. The Tigers were like a homeless man who won the lottery; they rose from rags to riches and made it all the way the BCS National Championship game.

Whatever Auburn did to gain the favor of the college football gods, it worked. There is no way you convert a fourth and eighteen against Georgia into a game-winning and season-saving touchdown, or beat Nick Saban with a kick-six in the same season without doing some kind of deal with the college football devil (Ironically, the college football devil is actually Lee Corso and not Nick Saban like many people believe).

Last year the Tigers provided a show like nothing I had ever seen on an SEC gridiron. Auburn came out of nowhere and took the SEC out at the knees.

Who Will Be The Breakout SEC Team In 2014?

Will there be another team like Auburn in 2014? Well, no, probably not. But I believe there is a team that could make an unexpected impact this year. To find the breakout SEC for 2014, you’ll have to travel down to Starkville, Mississippi.

The Mississippi State Bulldogs are poised to have their best season of the Dan Mullen era in 2014. Since Mullen was introduced as head coach in 2009, the Bulldogs have had a few nice seasons.

Mullen’s five year tenure is one of the longest in the SEC but none of his seasons have been overly impressive. To Mullen’s credit, the Bulldogs play in the SEC West, the hardest division of the best conference in college football, so not competing for a league title every year is pretty understandable.

But in 2014, Mississippi State will be fielding enough talent on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball to finally breakthrough and finish near the top of the SEC.

The Bulldog Defense Should Be Salty

A great defense has become the element that separates the men from the boys in the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State should have a stellar defense in 2014.

In his first year at the program in 2013, defensive coordinator Geoff Collins put together a unit that exceeded expectations with its “defensive mayhem” scheme. The Bulldogs were one defensive stop from defeating eventual national championship contender Auburn, held Alabama to their lowest point output of the season, and forced a fumble in overtime against Ole Miss that sealed a victory over the Rebels. State’s defense was also ranked 4^th and 5^th, respectively, in total defense and turnovers in the SEC for 2013.

In addition to a quality season, this defensive unit was young; only three players graduated or left for the NFL in 2013. Young and talented sophomore Chris Jones will anchor the defensive line in 2014. In his freshman year, Jones was one of the preeminent linebackers in the SEC. He recorded three sacks and thirty-two tackles on the season; numbers which will only rise given an entire offseason to develop his strength and skills.

In addition to Jones, linebacker Benardrick McKinney and cornerback Jamerson Love will also provide quality support.  State’s defense looks to have all the pieces of a potent attack that will be able to go up against the best offenses the SEC has to offer.

The Offense Should Improve In 2014

On the offensive side of the ball, Mississippi State has not only an excellent quarterback but also a great leader in Dak Prescott. Last season Prescott emerged as the primary QB for the Bulldogs but suffered a hand injury against Texas A&M that forced him to sit out two games late in the year. Prescott returned in the second half of State’s final regular season game against Ole Miss and led the team to a gutsy overtime victory.

The offensive line loses one of the best run-blockers in the SEC in Gabe Jackson as well as primary running back, LaDarius Perkins. But talented skill-position players like receivers Jameon Lewis and De’Runnya Wilson and running back Josh Robinson will be returning and should have a major impact on the success of State’s offense.

All of these elements must work better than in the previous year when State’s offense was truly anemic at times. Being able to produce on the offensive side of the ball will be key to winning since their defense should be able to limit opponents’ offense similarly if not better than in 2013.

With more experience and confidence, Dak Prescott and company should be able to move effectively and put points on the board next season.

Favorable Schedule

Without a doubt, the factor that will be working most in Mississippi State’s favor in 2014 is their schedule. With the exception of games against SEC West juggernauts LSU, Alabama, and Auburn, the Bulldog’s schedule is relatively light.

Its non-conference games include South Alabama, UAB, Southern Miss, and Tennessee Martin and its cross-divisional matchups include Kentucky and Vanderbilt, who are both likely to finish near the bottom of the conference.

There are definite question marks on the schedule as well. Games against Texas A&M and Ole Miss are obvious must wins and won’t be easy victories. Alabama and LSU will be solid teams as usual but both lose a number of key players from 2013 and are in the midst of transitioning to new quarterbacks. Auburn will most likely field another high quality team but the Tigers have historically struggled against Mississippi State, including a near loss in 2013.

Assuming a loss in Tuscaloosa (let’s be honest, it’s still Alabama), State plays at LSU and gets Auburn in Starkville and will potentially have the firepower to upset at least one if not both Tiger teams.

The combination of a thin schedule and a talented team could finally allow Mississippi State to tear down the wall of mediocrity that has kept the Bulldogs out of contention for an SEC West title for so long. Breaking through in 2014 will not be easy but if Dan Mullen and his staff can put the right pieces together, the Bulldogs could shock the Southeastern Conference.

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