WHO??????????????

There was Troy State and then there was Gardner-Webb. Who? Mississippi State announced today they will play Gardner-Webb in football next season to fill a void in the schedule left open by Jacksonville State. Who?

Some of you may be asking if Gardner-Webb is a residence hall on State's campus, because the name sounds like one. You may be wandering if CroomsDogs might be playing an intramural team. No, that is not the case. Gardner-Webb is an actual university. Who?

Gardner Webb is a Division 1 AA school located in Boiling Springs, NC and a member of the Big South Conference in football. They have only been a Division 1 AA school since 2000 and has a whopping enrollment of 4,000. Who?

I knew State was in trouble when it announced a few weeks ago that they needed to fill a hole in their schedule. But I had no clue they would schedule like this. This will do wonders for their RPI and strength of schedule.

Gardner-Webb is coming off a 6-5 2006 season, below were a few of their opponents:

Glenville State(W)
Coastal Carolina(L)
Wofford(L)
Charleston Southern(L)
UT-Martin(L)

Just two years ago in 2005 Gardner-Webb played another stellar Mississippi football school-Bellhaven.

There have been rumors floating around that State tried to contact the Delta Devils form Mississippi Valley State to play them, but the Valley wanted $15,000 and 75 hamburgers for the bus ride home after the game, but State refused to meet those obligations.