Spring practices are in the books and fall camps will be here before you know it so that means getting an early jump on the 2006 NCAA football season. Knowing the teams now will save you time in August and Matt Fargo is here to help you get a grasp of what to expect this upcoming year. We go from worst to first in this 2006 College Football Preview.

#83 Mississippi St. Bulldogs 3-8 SU; 4-6 ATS

Fargos Take Hard times have fallen upon the once proud Mississippi St. program but things are looking up and the Bulldogs have a chance to have their best year since 2000. They have not won more than three games any year since then so the best year could still mean just a 4-8 record and that will not make the Starkville faithful very happy. Mississippi St. had one of the worst offenses in the country last season which was disappointing because it brought a very solid defense to the field. The Bulldogs finished 29th in total defense and 44th in scoring defense but it did little good when the offense was shutout twice, and scored 10 or fewer points five times. The offense will be better as will the defense but how much better on both sides will determine how much improvement there will be in the win column. This is the third season of the Sylvester Croom experiment and things need to start getting better in a hurry for him to stay for the long haul.

Returning Starters on Offense 8 The offense put up 38 points in the opener against 1-AA Murray St. but didnt score more than 21 points until the season finale against rival Ole Miss. If there is any good news from that, it is that this years starting quarterback Michael Henig was at the helm in that game against the Rebels so it could be a sign of things to come. The biggest loss across the board is that of halfback Jerious Norwood, the schools all-time rushing leader, and replacing him will be a running back by committee. As many as four backs are expected to contribute, led by sophomore Brandon Thornton, and all four have different styles so it could pose problems for opposing defenses. The offensive line averages close to 313 pounds and will provide running room and protection. Former quarterback Omarr Conner could be a star at receiver.

Returning Starters on Defense 9 The defense did its best to keep the Bulldogs in games last season but with the anemic offense, it wasnt good enough. With nine starters returning, that defense could be even better and could pose problems for some of the elite SEC teams. The front seven can compete with anyone in the conference led by tackle Deljuan Robinson and linebacker Quinton Culberson. The rushing defense allowed 3.7 ypc, the least since 2000 but there is still room for improvement as five teams rushed for more than 172 yards. The passing defense was excellent and should be stout once again with three returning starters. The Bulldogs didnt allow a 200-yard passer over their final four games and allowed more than 218 yards through the air only three times the entire season. The defense will be asked to keep things close once again but some of the pressure should be lifted with an improved offense.

Schedule Most teams get a break early on the schedule with some non-conference games but the Bulldogs are being thrown right into the fire with the first two games against South Carolina and Auburn. The only good news from that is that both are at home. Also, three of the four non-conference games are at home including a game against Big East power West Virginia. The only road game from that group is at UAB, a very winnable game. Three SEC road games at LSU, Georgia and Alabama will be impossible while a home game against Kentucky and the road finale against Mississippi can both be had. The highlight of the SEC slate could be missing Florida and Tennessee but the Bulldogs also miss a weak Vanderbilt team. Five of the first seven games are at home so a fast start is an absolute must.

You can bet on Mississippi St. is going to pull off one big upset this year as this squad is going to sneak up on a lot of teams. That game could be the opener against South Carolina, who could already be looking ahead to Georgia the following week. With a defense like the one the Bulldogs should possess, plenty of good can happen. Mississippi St. has not had a winning ATS record since 2001 as it has gone 14-28 against the number since then. It is going to turnaround sometime and this could be the year for it to occur. The Bulldogs have gone 21 straight games on the road in conference action without a win and that streak will likely continue throughout the season until the finale at Mississippi where they have a chance. The Rebels will be in a bad mood however following last years 21-point embarrassment.