It's still early. I realize that. But, ignoring that clichampé, let's take a second to look at the paths our state's two major football-playing universities have taken through three weeks.

No, Southern Miss doesn't count as a major football-playing university.

As of now it looks like opposite paths from a season ago. Ole Miss' new regime has posted two 30-plus point games in a 2-1 start - both 30-plus point performances equaling wins. Mississippi State posted 34 in a win against Southeast Louisiana, but Saturday's whopping two point output left it with an eight point average in two losses.

Maybe the backs are telling a lot of the stories. For the Bulldogs, highly touted Anthony Dixon, who aggravated a groin injury and left in the second quarter Saturday, was getting less than a yard on seven carries when he exited. He has yet to eclipse a 100 yards in a game, so I guess it's bad groin, slow going.

Ole Miss' committee each scored a touchdown Saturday and even Derrick Davis and Devin Thomas saw time late in the 34-10 win against Samford. Freshman Brandon Bolden scored from six yards out, junior Cordera Eason from 12 and freshman Enrique Davis from 4.

Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt said Eason is taking the lead role among the running backs.

amp"I thought Cordera Eason really ran hard (Saturday),amp" Nutt said. amp"I thought he really ran behind his pads. He protected well for us. He's probably a little ahead of everybody. We've got to depend on him.amp"

Comparing the sophomore quarterbacks running the shows, Ole Miss' Jevan Snead has completed 43-of-77 pass attempts for six touchdowns and three picks. Bulldog Wesley Carroll has completed 37-of-73 passes and has four interceptions to three touchdowns. Those numbers may look similar, but more scores and fewer picks always wins out. Snead's NFL-type arm already has people comparing him to a sophomore Eli, you know, Manning.

As said, it's still early, but as long as the Bulldogs are losing to WAC teams and scoring two points a game, Croom probably shouldn't agree to a scrimmage against the Mets or Angels anytime soon. Heck, twenty-four Major League baseball teams scored more than State did on Saturday.