Neil Price, in his first year as the radio "Voice of the Bulldogs", reminded listeners that coach Dan Mullen would appear on the program in a matter of moments. Although he had been calling Bulldog football for just two months, Price witnessed one of the most heartbreaking games in Mississippi State history.

A game against the best team in the United States. A game against a team that State had not beaten in a decade. A game that State won for three quarters. A game in which State had a touchdown lead in the final stanza. A game that State lost in the final 30 seconds.

A 31-24 loss to Alabama.

Mullen showed up to be interviewed. He has been in plenty of these situations before, having to be asked questions about a loss that grabs hold of your heart, rips it out of you, and throws it into a garbage can.

He sounded defeated. Dejected. Desolate. It was the saddest he had ever sounded in his nine years as head coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

However, in his depressing tones and quips about drinking "a product made in Lynchburg, Tennessee", there was a sense of optimism.

He elaborated on the game. He talked about the program. He reminisced to when he arrived in Starkville in December of 2008, inhering a losing program. He mentioned his desire to win a championship at Mississippi State and his dedication to winning a second one, right after winning the first. He admitted we haven't gotten there yet, but that we were close, and he was convinced that we'll get there.

Neil Price thanked Mullen for his time. Mullen responded with an emphatic "Hail State".

Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Winning a championship at Mississippi State has always been extremely unlikely. Only twice has it happened, winning the SEC in 1941 and the SEC West in 1998. Other than those instances, State hasn't come close or have finished within a hair.

In present day, it has been especially difficult with the presence of one of college football's greatest dynasties, Nick Saban's Alabama. From 2008-2016, State had averaged 7.7 points per game against the Tide, had scored in double digits only twice, and scored multiple touchdowns once, in 2014. It seemed impossible to conquer that mountain.

That is no longer the case.

Mississippi State entered Davis Wade Stadium this past Saturday with a true belief that they can take down Alabama. They battled in a heavyweight championship boxing match, throwing punches and answering every swing the Tide sent flying. State scored three offensive touchdowns for the first time since the inception of this millennium. They controlled the line of scrimmage and moved the ball at will; an occurrence that had not been witnessed in years. The Bulldog defense was able to wreak havoc on the mighty Crimson Tide. Even Nick Saban, college football's version of the Terminator who is seemingly infuriated by any sluggish performance his team fields, was "proud as hell" of his guys.

We had them beat.

Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Mississippi State lost on Saturday. You can blame it on bad play calling, the officials, or whatever you want. It was heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, demoralizing.

However, for the first time in a decade, the Bulldogs matched toe-to-toe with Alabama. It is the one hurdle State has to overcome in order top finally bring a championship back to Starkville.

Dan Mullen has repeatedly and painstakingly promised a championship to Mississippi State fans. It seemed impossible.

However, Saturday proved that it isn't.

We remember 2008. We remember overtime in 2011. We remember a 14-0 deficit in 2015. Louisiana Tech is always a trap. But, on Saturday in Ruston, the Bulldogs evaded the disaster in fine fashion.

Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

State needed a convincing win. It wasn't pretty, finding themselves down 9-0 early in the game with a passing game that was nothing short of anemic. But, things flip turned in an instant.

Nick Fitzgerald got his act together. The defense started dominating. Mississippi State needed some weird things to get it done, such as two touchdowns from defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons and making Louisiana Tech face a 3rd and 93. But, it doesn't matter. The Bulldogs — the ones wearing maroon and white, that is — won.

But, now comes something completely different. Something that involves a 2-23 record over the last quarter century different. Now comes LSU.

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

This is a pivotal moment for Mississippi State's 2017 season. We have marveled about Todd Grantham's defense and been captivated by State's ability to run the ball. But, although the first two performances have been very impressive, Charleston Southern and Louisiana Tech are no LSU.

LSU is going to run it down the defensive line's throats, go after Nick Fitzgerald, and will take advantage of any inaccurate pass.

Mississippi State — as is the case for basically any game against the Bayou Bengals —is going to have to play flawless football. Nick Fitzgerald needs to be sharp with his throws. This game requires the offensive line to maintain LSU's front seven, so Fitzgerald and Aeris Williams can run the football.

But, this is the first time Todd Grantham's guys up front will be tested by a lethal rushing attack. Derrius Guice can pick a part a vast majority of defensive lines that are thrown his way. I don't think they will be able to completely shut him down. However, the line is going to have to maintain him at the very least.

State does not have many advantages in this game. However, we still don't know much about Danny Etling and his ability at quarterback. This is a call to action for State's secondary. They had a solid showing in Ruston, but LSU is a program that historically prides themselves on having some of the country's best receivers. If Etling misfires, State's defensive backs will need to take advantage.

This is the most important game on Mississippi State's schedule. A win can propel them into road trips to Athens and Auburn with confidence that hasn't been seen since 2014. This game can be the different between a 7-8 win team and a 9-10 win team.

The last two games were great. They showed that Mississippi State has improved dramatically since last season. But, now, they hit the real part of the schedule. This team has the talent to do big things this season, but they need to put the pieces together. And, it starts this weekend against LSU.

My personal favorite moments of the calendar year

My 15th favorite Mississippi St. Bulldogs moment of 2016 is something of a personal one. The #AlwaysRunNeverPass hash tag that actually became a thing.

It started based off of a couple of tweets I posted during the Kentucky game. Here they are.

The following week, our managing editor Ethan had written an article and included the tweets and actually turned the phrase into a hashtag. I don’t think either of us really thought about trying to make into anything special, but then the Arkansas game rolled around.

Arkansas entered the game in Starkville with the worst yards per carry allowed in the country. We tweeted about it a little bit, and it started to make its presence on Twitter a little more and more. Then I heard Brian Hadad mention it on Bulldog Sports Radio. So I ran a piece and linked the Twitter search results for the #AlwaysRunNeverPass hashtag to try to give it a little momentum. Ethan took it a step further and put it in the title of a post. Next thing I know, this happened.

There were literally hundreds more I could have put on this post. It’s amazing how it took off.

So thanks to Ethan for taking a couple of tweets I posted during a game as a joke and trying to make it into a movement. And thanks to you guys for picking the ball up and running with it, no pun intended. Okay, maybe it was a little intended. It was really fun to watch unfold.

Dak Prescott and Buffalo Wild Wings have teamed up with the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Dallas to give back to the community in Dallas. The partnership has brought a newly renovated football field for kids to enjoy as well as a cool video for those of us that miss Dak in Starkville to enjoy. It’s always heartwarming to see NFL players give back and support the communities around them, it’s even better when it’s a player that you love.

Mississippi State’s game against BYU started Friday night at 9:21 central. It went into double overtime and lasted until Saturday morning. The Bulldogs played with a lot of intensity. It seemed like Mississippi State’s players knew this was a must win game. The young and inexperienced team that has seemingly played with so little heart for what feels like an eternity put everything on the field last night, but it still wasn’t enough.

Early in the first quarter, Mississippi State jumped out to a 7-0 lead over the Cougars. But BYU would strike back with a long sustained touchdown drive that took just under 8 and a half minutes. 15 plays and 75 yards later, the game was tied back up to end the first quarter at 7-7.

But the Bulldogs would strike again, this time with a 75 yard drive of their own. 14 plays and 5 minutes and 44 seconds off the clock and the Bulldogs had a 14-7 lead, and it appeared we had a game that would be relatively high scoring and fun. That was wrong.

BYU and Mississippi State’s offenses would both effectively shut down thanks to opportune plays be defenses and, well, dumb mistakes. Turnovers and failed drives stalled the scoring until early in the 4th quarter where the Cougars would tie the game back up at 14-14. Another 13 or so minutes dripped off the clock and the scoring was still halted. To overtime, instead of bed, we went.

Overtime, being the interesting thing that it always is, featured three incredible touchdowns. Unfortunately, two of them were for BYU, and only one was for Mississippi State. The slow, back and forth affair would come to an end when Nick Fitzgerald was forced to throw on the run on 4th and 9 in double overtime.

Errors and missed opportunities cost the Bulldogs in Provo. A young and inexperienced team showed incredible intensity on the road in a hostile environment, but again, it simply wasn’t enough.

Here’s what I expect to happen for the Bulldogs on their trip to Baton Rouge

Mississippi State is currently 1-0 in SEC play so far. They’re at the top of the SEC West. And the Bulldogs want to find a way to continue to be the current leader in the race to Atlanta amongst the SEC West teams. A win in Baton Rouge would keep them at the top of the division’s standings.

But the Bulldogs are facing an immensely talented program. Like Mississippi State, LSU is still trying to recover mentally from their week one loss to an inferior opponent. However, unlike the Bulldogs, they didn’t get much of a significant win in week two. Instead, they had a few bright spots from a new quarterback, but other than that there are still plenty of questions around the LSU program.

The offense for the Tigers has questions. This is without a doubt the weakest aspect of their team. And it starts with a mess at the quarterback situation. Brandon Harris hasn’t developed at all under Les Miles and the LSU offensive staff. And he doesn’t look any better than he did a season ago. Add in the fact that his competition, Danny Etling, is a Purdue transfer that couldn’t excel with the Boilermakers, and LSU fans have a right to be concerned about the output of their offense.

It surely doesn’t help calm their nerves that Leonard Fournette isn’t fully healthy. He’s been struggling with an ankle issue since the offseason, and he had to sit out the game against Jacksonville State.

Now, I’m not a superhuman, Heisman caliber talent like Fournette, but it’s always taken me more than a full week to heal up my injured ankles. But even if he is injured, the Tigers always have a stable of talented backs that they can turn to. Mississippi State will need to stop them to have a realistic shot at winning. And the Bulldogs have a mean front seven that might match up well here.

LSU’s defense is always stout, and their front seven is something that’ll cause nightmares for opposing quarterbacks. Mississippi State’s offensive line looked sharp at times against the Gamecocks, but they’ll need to be far better at generating running lanes against the Tigers or it’ll be a long night for the Bulldogs.

And while the Bulldogs have a significant amount of confidence after the South Carolina game and an incredible amount of motivation and fire generated by the South Alabama loss, all of that may not translate over to the field. The Bulldogs will need to play perfectly tonight to come away with a victory, and we have only really seen them execute well in the first halves of each of the first two contests.

Some of that was driven by fans leaving because of weather in both games (super hot in week one and lightning scares in week two), but ultimately the level of play falls on the shoulders of the coaches and the team. Dan Mullen will need his team fired up and focused for 60 full minutes of football, otherwise an upset win is unlikely.

And even though my gut is telling me to pick Mississippi State in this game, and thoug I believe it’ll be a close contest, I do honestly think that LSU will come away with a win. Mississippi State’s defense should shine, but the questions surrounding the young offense for the Bulldogs on the road might prove to hold too much weight for Mississippi State to overcome in Baton Rouge.

Final Score Prediction: LSU 21-MSU 17

Podcast Preview:

Mississippi State’s quarterback battle has dominated offseason discussions. Here’s a look at the position

Can the offseason please be over? Right now? No more offseason please.

Mississippi State’s defensive back depth took a hit as two senior corners are injured.

Mississippi State, along with seven other SEC schools, is adopting a clear bag policy for the upcoming football season. This is an effort by the university to enhance safety measures for fans and to decrease the amount of time that it takes to get the fans into the stadium.

From the official policy page:

Only clear tote bags that do not exceed 12" x 6"” x 12" or one-gallon plastic freezer bags will be allowed in Davis Wade Stadium. In addition, small handheld clutch purses no larger than 4.5" x 6.5" will be permitted. Spectators also will be able to carry other items allowed into the stadium such as binoculars, cameras, and smart phones, but their cases will not be permitted.

This new policy will go into effect September 3rd for the kickoff of the season against South Alabama. Here is the official list of approved and prohibited bags:

Approved Bags:

Clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags that do not exceed 12"x 6" x 12"

One-gallon clear, re-sealable plastic storage bag (Ziploc bag or similar)

Small clutch bags no larger than 4.5" x 6.5", approximately the size of a hand, with or without a handle or strap

Medically necessary items (after proper inspection, enter through Gates B, E and I)

Prohibited Bags:

Purses larger than a clutch bag

Briefcases

Backpacks

Fanny packs

Cinch/Drawstring bags

Luggage of any kind

Computer bags

Diaper bags

Binocular cases

Camera bags

Non-approved seat cushions, which include large traditional seat cushions that have pockets, zippers, compartments or covers

Jeffery Simmons showed up in court today and was found guilty of simple assault and malicious mischief.

Jeffery Simmons, whose actions were caught on a video that went viral, was found guilty of simple assault and malicious mischief today.

Simmons is also charged with malicious mischief and disturbing the peace by fighting

— Cody Long (@CodyLongWTVA) July 26, 2016

Simmons attorney puts in no contest plea for assault charge...not guilty pleas for other charges

— Cody Long (@CodyLongWTVA) July 26, 2016

Jeffery Simmons found guilty of simple assault, guilty of malicious mischief #wtvanews

— Cody Long (@CodyLongWTVA) July 26, 2016

Simmons will be responsible for paying restitution to Sophia Taylor, the woman that was seen fighting with and ultimately forced onto the ground by Jeffery Simmons and another woman. The restitution will cover hospital bills and damage that resulted to Taylor's car. Simmons will also have to pay a couple of fines, one for simple assault and one for malicious mischief.

Fines: $175 for simple assault and $300 for malicious mischief

— Cody Long (@CodyLongWTVA) July 26, 2016

In restitution Simmons will pay $711 for medical bills and $175 for alleged damage to Sophia Taylor's car

— Cody Long (@CodyLongWTVA) July 26, 2016

As Sophia Taylor was involved in the altercation before ultimately being forced on the ground by Simmons and another woman, she is responsible for paying a fine for disturbing the peace.

Jeffery Simmons was in court today. Here's the details: pic.twitter.com/FomGmGNqvb

— Joel Coleman (@JoelTColeman) July 26, 2016

Although this won't stop people from talking about it, especially folks on message boards and twitter, the case has been taken care of in the legal system. Simmons will now be preparing for football season by wrapping up the required counseling Mississippi State has set for him and then serving his one game suspension before he can play.