Twelve years ago this week, Sports Illustrated put Mississippi football on the map with its “Mississippi Mayhem” cover.
The Magnolia State was the toast of college football, with the national spotlight belonging to Oxford and Starkville.
The magic began Oct. 4, 2014, as 11th-ranked Ole Miss stunned No. 2 Alabama 23-17 to end a 10-game losing streak against the Crimson Tide.
That same day, 12th-ranked Mississippi State steamrolled No. 6 Texas A&M 48-31 behind quarterback Dak Prescott, who accounted for five touchdowns.
The victories propelled both teams to No. 3 (behind Florida State and Auburn) in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, setting off a football frenzy across the state.
A week later, Mississippi State beat Auburn 38-23 to improve to 6-0 and rose to No. 1 nationally.
Ole Miss kept rolling, too, beating Texas A&M 35-20 to go to 6-0 and remain No. 3 in the nation.
Mississippi State started 9-0 and finished the regular season 10-2, while Ole Miss rolled to a 7-0 start before finishing 9-3, including a 31-17 win over the Bulldogs in the Egg Bowl.
For a few unforgettable weeks in 2014, Mississippi wasn’t just part of the college football conversation. It was at the center of it.
Now, 12 years later, the schools are back in the rankings and chasing big things again.
Led by quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, No. 9 Ole Miss (4-1, 2-1 SEC) welcomes No. 13 Missouri (5-1, 2-1) to Oxford on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET/SEC Network).
Paced by sophomore sensation Kamario Taylor, No. 16 Mississippi State (4-1, 2-1) faces No. 22 LSU (4-2, 1-2) in Baton Rouge on Saturday (noon ET/ESPN).
The stakes are different, but the opportunity is familiar.
With two ranked SEC showdowns on tap, Magnolia State football has another chance to deliver a little mayhem.
READ MORE: Ole Miss football traditions that bring Oxford, Vaught-Hemingway Stadium to life
READ MORE: Mississippi State football traditions that bring Starkville, Davis Wade Stadium to life
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Mike Garbett is a content specialist working with McClatchy’s Content Innovation Lab.