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The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame are one of the most polarizing teams in all of college football and the world of sports as a whole. The Irish are coming off their first loss of the 2014 season in a classic battle with number two Florida State.

The Seminoles defeated Notre Dame 31-27 in a game that went down to the last play. The loss hurt Notre Dame, but didn’t eliminate them from playoff contention because of how competitive they appeared against the defending national champions.

The Irish sit at 6-1 with five games remaining in their 2014 campaign. Notre Dame still has two PAC 12 powers to battle with this season when they face Arizona State and Southern California. The Irish are legit contenders this season and if they find a way to finish the regular season 11-1 they will likely be in the first annual College Football Playoff.

The Irish are a good team this year now that starting quarterback Everett Golson has returned from his year off due to academic issues. The Irish play a respectful schedule every year, but let’s play a hypothetical game and ask what if Notre Dame played in the SEC and more specifically the SEC West?

I have been on record as calling this year’s SEC West division the greatest division in college football history. I feel the depth of this division from top to bottom in terms of competiveness, parity and talent is unmatched. The SEC West has already begun to beat up on each other, but how would Notre Dame stack up in this 2014 SEC West?

If Notre Dame played in the SEC West this season what team would they honestly be better than?

We will start with the Mississippi schools. The Ole Miss Rebels and Mississippi State Bulldogs are having arguably the greatest years in their program’s history as a football program. I believe both Mississippi State and Ole Miss would defeat Notre Dame.

These games would be tight depending on whether the game was played in Notre Dame or in the home stadiums of Mississippi State and Ole Miss. For argument sake, we will imagine all of these games are played at a neutral site.

If Notre Dame played in the SEC West they would also have to compete against Auburn and Alabama in a year where both are national title worthy. Alabama is coming off a beat down of Texas A&M 59-0 this past weekend. If Alabama played to that level against Notre Dame this season the outcome could be much the same.

Notre Dame against Auburn would also be a challenge because of the speed at which the Tigers play offense. They have athletes all over the field and run Gus Malzahn’s offense at a tempo that is unrivaled by any other team in college football. The Irish would have a tough time keeping up with the speed of Auburn and would likely fall apart in the second half.

So, the top four teams in the SEC west of Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Alabama and Auburn all would have the upper hand against Notre Dame this season. The SEC West is a brutal road this season and for teams like Notre Dame, Florida State and Oregon that are top level teams elsewhere the journey to making the playoff this season would be much more difficult if they played in the SEC West.

The bottom three teams in the SEC West this season appear to be LSU, Arkansas and Texas A&M. I feel Notre Dame could win two out of three against these teams, but even that would be tough in my mind.

The Aggies appear to be falling part, but it’s easy to forget their three losses have all come to three teams currently in the top five of the AP Poll. Think about that for a minute, the Aggies have three losses and they are to the number one, three and four team in the country.

I believe the Aggies are better than what they showed this past Saturday against Alabama and would give Notre Dame all they wanted and more. The Aggies pass offense would challenge an Irish secondary that doesn’t get tested often in their schedule this season.

The other two teams in the SEC West, being LSU and Arkansas, would give the Irish problems as well. The LSU Tigers are currently 6-2 and appear to be improving by the week. The Tigers of LSU lost to the Auburn Tigers 41-7 earlier this month, but have vastly improved since then.

I believe LSU would play Notre Dame in a classic battle much like Florida State did this past weekend. If the LSU defense was at their typical top notch level they would defeat Notre Dame easily this season.

Last but not least we have the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Razorbacks haven’t won an SEC game since the 2012 season. They have struggled against SEC competition, but are still a potentially top 25 team in the nation this year because of their running game.

The Razorbacks went on the road to Lubbock, Texas to face Texas Tech and won handily earlier this season thanks to that running game. They physically manhandled Texas Tech on both sides of the ball and proved to be a mismatch for the Red Raiders.

So, I feel Notre Dame would go 4-4 or 5-3 at best if they played in the SEC West this season. I feel this is a combination of an over ranked team in Notre Dame, but more importantly how dominant the SEC West is this season.

I believe other top teams across the country such as Florida State, Oregon, Oklahoma, Baylor, Kansas State and Michigan State would also have the same difficulties in the SEC West this season.

The Irish, I feel, would finish a 12 game schedule of four nonconference games and eight SEC games with a record of 7-5 or 8-4 at best. Notre Dame and all other teams throughout the country this season should be thankful they are not a part of the SEC West this season because of the extreme depth and talent.

Notre Dame is a legit contender in 2014, but if they happen to make the first annual College Football Playoff this year and have to face an SEC West team, the Irish will endure their share of problems.

The SEC West has four of the top five teams in the country and it’s well deserved. They are dominant, strong, aggressive and the best of the best. The SEC is king of college football and the SEC West alone would be the best set of teams in the land. 2014 is the year of the SEC West and it’s not even close.

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame are one of the most polarizing teams in all of college football and the world of sports as a whole. The Irish are coming off their first loss of the 2014 season in a classic battle with number two Florida State.

The Seminoles defeated Notre Dame 31-27 in a game that went down to the last play. The loss hurt Notre Dame, but didn’t eliminate them from playoff contention because of how competitive they appeared against the defending national champions.

The Irish sit at 6-1 with five games remaining in their 2014 campaign. Notre Dame still has two PAC 12 powers to battle with this season when they face Arizona State and Southern California. The Irish are legit contenders this season and if they find a way to finish the regular season 11-1 they will likely be in the first annual College Football Playoff.

The Irish are a good team this year now that starting quarterback Everett Golson has returned from his year off due to academic issues. The Irish play a respectful schedule every year, but let’s play a hypothetical game and ask what if Notre Dame played in the SEC and more specifically the SEC West?

I have been on record as calling this year’s SEC West division the greatest division in college football history. I feel the depth of this division from top to bottom in terms of competiveness, parity and talent is unmatched. The SEC West has already begun to beat up on each other, but how would Notre Dame stack up in this 2014 SEC West?

If Notre Dame played in the SEC West this season what team would they honestly be better than?

We will start with the Mississippi schools. The Ole Miss Rebels and Mississippi State Bulldogs are having arguably the greatest years in their program’s history as a football program. I believe both Mississippi State and Ole Miss would defeat Notre Dame.

These games would be tight depending on whether the game was played in Notre Dame or in the home stadiums of Mississippi State and Ole Miss. For argument sake, we will imagine all of these games are played at a neutral site.

If Notre Dame played in the SEC West they would also have to compete against Auburn and Alabama in a year where both are national title worthy. Alabama is coming off a beat down of Texas A&M 59-0 this past weekend. If Alabama played to that level against Notre Dame this season the outcome could be much the same.

Notre Dame against Auburn would also be a challenge because of the speed at which the Tigers play offense. They have athletes all over the field and run Gus Malzahn’s offense at a tempo that is unrivaled by any other team in college football. The Irish would have a tough time keeping up with the speed of Auburn and would likely fall apart in the second half.

So, the top four teams in the SEC west of Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Alabama and Auburn all would have the upper hand against Notre Dame this season. The SEC West is a brutal road this season and for teams like Notre Dame, Florida State and Oregon that are top level teams elsewhere the journey to making the playoff this season would be much more difficult if they played in the SEC West.

The bottom three teams in the SEC West this season appear to be LSU, Arkansas and Texas A&M. I feel Notre Dame could win two out of three against these teams, but even that would be tough in my mind.

The Aggies appear to be falling part, but it’s easy to forget their three losses have all come to three teams currently in the top five of the AP Poll. Think about that for a minute, the Aggies have three losses and they are to the number one, three and four team in the country.

I believe the Aggies are better than what they showed this past Saturday against Alabama and would give Notre Dame all they wanted and more. The Aggies pass offense would challenge an Irish secondary that doesn’t get tested often in their schedule this season.

The other two teams in the SEC West, being LSU and Arkansas, would give the Irish problems as well. The LSU Tigers are currently 6-2 and appear to be improving by the week. The Tigers of LSU lost to the Auburn Tigers 41-7 earlier this month, but have vastly improved since then.

I believe LSU would play Notre Dame in a classic battle much like Florida State did this past weekend. If the LSU defense was at their typical top notch level they would defeat Notre Dame easily this season.

Last but not least we have the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Razorbacks haven’t won an SEC game since the 2012 season. They have struggled against SEC competition, but are still a potentially top 25 team in the nation this year because of their running game.

The Razorbacks went on the road to Lubbock, Texas to face Texas Tech and won handily earlier this season thanks to that running game. They physically manhandled Texas Tech on both sides of the ball and proved to be a mismatch for the Red Raiders.

So, I feel Notre Dame would go 4-4 or 5-3 at best if they played in the SEC West this season. I feel this is a combination of an over ranked team in Notre Dame, but more importantly how dominant the SEC West is this season.

I believe other top teams across the country such as Florida State, Oregon, Oklahoma, Baylor, Kansas State and Michigan State would also have the same difficulties in the SEC West this season.

The Irish, I feel, would finish a 12 game schedule of four nonconference games and eight SEC games with a record of 7-5 or 8-4 at best. Notre Dame and all other teams throughout the country this season should be thankful they are not a part of the SEC West this season because of the extreme depth and talent.

Notre Dame is a legit contender in 2014, but if they happen to make the first annual College Football Playoff this year and have to face an SEC West team, the Irish will endure their share of problems.

The SEC West has four of the top five teams in the country and it’s well deserved. They are dominant, strong, aggressive and the best of the best. The SEC is king of college football and the SEC West alone would be the best set of teams in the land. 2014 is the year of the SEC West and it’s not even close.

In NCAA College Football traditionally, we see many great players from universities located in the southern states. However, only one state can claim that it has produced the current National Football League all-time leaders in passing and receiving, plus the all-time rusher from 1984 through 2002, and that state is not Texas, California or Florida, but surprisingly Mississippi. In this article we will look back at the five best players it has produced, plus a couple of honorable mentions, and all are well known to college or pro fans. They are listed in chronological order.

In Mississippi there are six universities that play college football NCAA Division I, the first three play in the Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I-A), two play in the Southeastern Conference, the other in Conference USA; and the other three are historically black colleges that play in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (Division I-AA). The towns and the colleges' nicknames are in parenthesis:

- University of Mississippi (Oxford, Rebels)

- Mississippi State University (Starkville, Bulldogs)

- University of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg, Golden Eagles)

- Alcorn State University (Lorman, Braves)

- Jackson State University (Jackson, Tigers)

- Mississippi Valley State University (Itta Bena, Delta Devils)

Here are the best players, one from five or the six schools (sorry Mississippi State). I will try to focus more on their college resume, since their pro careers are better known:

1. Walter Payton (Running back, Jackson State, 1971-1974)

Born in Columbia, Payton was not recruited by any Southeastern Conference School in a time when most of those colleges were not integrated. Instead he joined Jackson State, an Historically Black College where his older brother Eddie (who later played in the NFL for the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings) also played as a running back. Payton finished his college career with 3,600 yards rushing for a 6.0 yard per average and scored 63 touchdowns. Interestingly, he also was the team part-time placekicker, and kicked 5 field goals and 53 extra points in his college career. In 1996, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Payton (nicknamed "Sweetness") was selected in the 1975 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears with the fourth overall pick of the draft. In his 13 seasons with the Bears, Payton had 10 seasons with more than 1,000 yards rushing (a NFL record when he retired, but two of the three seasons he missed the mark were strike-shortened season, the other time was in his rookie year), was selected to the Pro Bowl 9 times and was a 1st team All-Pro 5 times, he was twice the League's Most Valuable Player (in 1977 and 1985), he led the Bears to a Super Bowl title in 1985 and retired as the NFL all-time leading rusher (he was surpassed by Emmitt Smith in 2002, but he's still the second all-time leading rusher). He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, his first year as an eligible. Sadly, Payton died in 1999 of liver cancer. His legacy lives on, as the Walter Payton Award is given to the top player in the Football Championship Subdivision, and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award is given to the top player who excels also in his charity and volunteer work.

2. Jerry Rice (Wide receiver, Mississippi Valley State, 1981-1984)

Born in Starkville, but raised in Crawford, Rice went to Mississippi Valley State. There he got the nickname "World", because "there was not a ball in the world that he couldn't catch" and he teamed with quarterback Willie Totten to break many passing records. In 1983 had 102 receptions for 1,450 yards and caught 24 passes in a game (all NCAA records). Next season, he broke his own records with 112 receptions for 1,845 yards and 27 touchdowns. He finished ninth in the Heisman Trophy after his senior season. In 2006, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Rice was selected in the 1985 NFL Draft by the reigning Super Bowl champions San Francisco 49ers with the 14th overall pick of the draft. There he started a 20-year career that shattered every receiving record, which most of them still stand (and one full article wouldn't be enough to list all of them!). He played sixteen seasons with the 49ers, and led them to three Super Bowl championships. He was the League's MVP in 1987 and Super Bowl MVP the next season. In 2001, at the age of 39, he joined the Oakland Raiders, and helped them to reach the Super Bowl the next season. Rice finished his career with the Seattle Seahawks in 2004. He was selected to 13 Pro Bowls and was All-Pro 10 times. Perhaps his most impressive record is that he is the all-time leader in games played by a non-punter or placekicker in NFL history with 303. He also is the all-time touchdown scorer with 208. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010, his first year as an eligible.

3. Brett Favre (Quarterback, Southern Mississippi, 1987-1990)

Born in Gulfport, but raised in Kiln, Favre went to Southern Miss, the only college that recruited him. Initially was thought as a defensive back, but Favre won the starting quarterback position in his freshman year, and in his sophomore year he lead the Eagles to a win in the Independence Bowl against Texas-El Paso. In 1990 he led the Golden Eagles to the All-American Bowl, and although they lost against North Carolina State, Favre was named MVP. He finished with the school all-time passing records, but most of them were broken by current St. Louis Rams quarterback Austin Davis.

Favre was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2nd round of the 1991 NFL Draft. Seeing little action as a rookie, he was traded the next year to the Green Bay Packers, where he starred and started for 16 years. Favre led the Packers to a Super Bowl title (their first since the Vince Lombardi era), and another Super Bowl appearance, was three times the League's MVP, went to 11 Pro Bowls, was 3 times All-Pro and he holds every passing record, including . He finished his career with one season with the New York Jets and two for the Minnesota Vikings. He played in 302 regular season games (one less than Jerry Rice), including 297 consecutive starts. His records are been threatened by a player with Mississippi roots: Peyton Manning (his parents and brothers all attended Ole Miss, the University of Mississippi. Peyton attended the University of Tennessee).

4. Steve McNair (Quarterback, Alcorn State, 1991-1994)

Born in Mount Olive, McNair attended Division I-AA Alcorn State since other colleges wanted to convert him to a running back. In his senior season he ran and passed for nearly 6,000 yards and threw or ran for 53 touchdowns. He won the Water Payton Award and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting.

In the 1995 NFL Draft, McNair was selected third overall, at the time the highest rank by a black quarterback, by the Houston Oilers. In 1999, after the Oilers moved to Nashville and became the Tennessee Titans, McNair led them to a Super Bowl appearance against the St. Louis Rams. In 2003 he was NFL co-MVP with Peyton Manning. He played his last two seasons for the Baltimore Ravens, where in 2007 he finished his 13-year NFL career. McNair was murdered in 2009 in Nashville by his lover, but he is still considered one of the best players in Titans history.

5. Eli Manning (Quarterback, Mississippi, 2000-2003)

Manning was born in New Orleans, Louisiana due to his father's job (quarterback for the Saints at that time), but both his parents attended Ole Miss. Archie Manning (his father, who also was a quarterback for the Rebels from 1967-1970, is a living legend down there, as attested by his number 18 retired and eighteen miles serving as the limiting speed on campus. Archie was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989 and surely would have made this list if he had the fortune to be on a playoff participant in his 14 seasons in the NFL. As he couldn't be on a winning team on the pro level, we'll give Archie an Honorable Mention, and let's look on Eli:

He became the full-time starter in his sophomore season, and as a junior and senior he led the Rebels to bowl victories. He also was named the 2003 Southeastern Conference MVP, 34 years after Archie, and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting.

He was the top overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft and has been the New York Giants starting quarterback since the middle of his rookie year. He has led the Giants to two Super Bowl titles in his 11-year career.

Honorable Mention: Ray Guy (punter, Southern Mississippi 1969-1972)

Last, you have to include a player who, like Walter Payton, has an award named after him. The Ray Guy Award is given to the Nation's best punter each year. Guy is inducted in both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame, and revolutionized the art of punting. He also was the first punter to be drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft.

In NCAA College Football traditionally, we see many great players from universities located in the southern states. However, only one state can claim that it has produced the current National Football League all-time leaders in passing and receiving, plus the all-time rusher from 1984 through 2002, and that state is not Texas, California or Florida, but surprisingly Mississippi. In this article we will look back at the five best players it has produced, plus a couple of honorable mentions, and all are well known to college or pro fans. They are listed in chronological order.

In Mississippi there are six universities that play college football NCAA Division I, the first three play in the Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I-A), two play in the Southeastern Conference, the other in Conference USA; and the other three are historically black colleges that play in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (Division I-AA). The towns and the colleges' nicknames are in parenthesis:

- University of Mississippi (Oxford, Rebels)

- Mississippi State University (Starkville, Bulldogs)

- University of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg, Golden Eagles)

- Alcorn State University (Lorman, Braves)

- Jackson State University (Jackson, Tigers)

- Mississippi Valley State University (Itta Bena, Delta Devils)

Here are the best players, one from five or the six schools (sorry Mississippi State). I will try to focus more on their college resume, since their pro careers are better known:

1. Walter Payton (Running back, Jackson State, 1971-1974)

Born in Columbia, Payton was not recruited by any Southeastern Conference School in a time when most of those colleges were not integrated. Instead he joined Jackson State, an Historically Black College where his older brother Eddie (who later played in the NFL for the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings) also played as a running back. Payton finished his college career with 3,600 yards rushing for a 6.0 yard per average and scored 63 touchdowns. Interestingly, he also was the team part-time placekicker, and kicked 5 field goals and 53 extra points in his college career. In 1996, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Payton (nicknamed "Sweetness") was selected in the 1975 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears with the fourth overall pick of the draft. In his 13 seasons with the Bears, Payton had 10 seasons with more than 1,000 yards rushing (a NFL record when he retired, but two of the three seasons he missed the mark were strike-shortened season, the other time was in his rookie year), was selected to the Pro Bowl 9 times and was a 1st team All-Pro 5 times, he was twice the League's Most Valuable Player (in 1977 and 1985), he led the Bears to a Super Bowl title in 1985 and retired as the NFL all-time leading rusher (he was surpassed by Emmitt Smith in 2002, but he's still the second all-time leading rusher). He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, his first year as an eligible. Sadly, Payton died in 1999 of liver cancer. His legacy lives on, as the Walter Payton Award is given to the top player in the Football Championship Subdivision, and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award is given to the top player who excels also in his charity and volunteer work.

2. Jerry Rice (Wide receiver, Mississippi Valley State, 1981-1984)

Born in Starkville, but raised in Crawford, Rice went to Mississippi Valley State. There he got the nickname "World", because "there was not a ball in the world that he couldn't catch" and he teamed with quarterback Willie Totten to break many passing records. In 1983 had 102 receptions for 1,450 yards and caught 24 passes in a game (all NCAA records). Next season, he broke his own records with 112 receptions for 1,845 yards and 27 touchdowns. He finished ninth in the Heisman Trophy after his senior season. In 2006, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Rice was selected in the 1985 NFL Draft by the reigning Super Bowl champions San Francisco 49ers with the 14th overall pick of the draft. There he started a 20-year career that shattered every receiving record, which most of them still stand (and one full article wouldn't be enough to list all of them!). He played sixteen seasons with the 49ers, and led them to three Super Bowl championships. He was the League's MVP in 1987 and Super Bowl MVP the next season. In 2001, at the age of 39, he joined the Oakland Raiders, and helped them to reach the Super Bowl the next season. Rice finished his career with the Seattle Seahawks in 2004. He was selected to 13 Pro Bowls and was All-Pro 10 times. Perhaps his most impressive record is that he is the all-time leader in games played by a non-punter or placekicker in NFL history with 303. He also is the all-time touchdown scorer with 208. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010, his first year as an eligible.

3. Brett Favre (Quarterback, Southern Mississippi, 1987-1990)

Born in Gulfport, but raised in Kiln, Favre went to Southern Miss, the only college that recruited him. Initially was thought as a defensive back, but Favre won the starting quarterback position in his freshman year, and in his sophomore year he lead the Eagles to a win in the Independence Bowl against Texas-El Paso. In 1990 he led the Golden Eagles to the All-American Bowl, and although they lost against North Carolina State, Favre was named MVP. He finished with the school all-time passing records, but most of them were broken by current St. Louis Rams quarterback Austin Davis.

Favre was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2nd round of the 1991 NFL Draft. Seeing little action as a rookie, he was traded the next year to the Green Bay Packers, where he starred and started for 16 years. Favre led the Packers to a Super Bowl title (their first since the Vince Lombardi era), and another Super Bowl appearance, was three times the League's MVP, went to 11 Pro Bowls, was 3 times All-Pro and he holds every passing record, including . He finished his career with one season with the New York Jets and two for the Minnesota Vikings. He played in 302 regular season games (one less than Jerry Rice), including 297 consecutive starts. His records are been threatened by a player with Mississippi roots: Peyton Manning (his parents and brothers all attended Ole Miss, the University of Mississippi. Peyton attended the University of Tennessee).

4. Steve McNair (Quarterback, Alcorn State, 1991-1994)

Born in Mount Olive, McNair attended Division I-AA Alcorn State since other colleges wanted to convert him to a running back. In his senior season he ran and passed for nearly 6,000 yards and threw or ran for 53 touchdowns. He won the Water Payton Award and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting.

In the 1995 NFL Draft, McNair was selected third overall, at the time the highest rank by a black quarterback, by the Houston Oilers. In 1999, after the Oilers moved to Nashville and became the Tennessee Titans, McNair led them to a Super Bowl appearance against the St. Louis Rams. In 2003 he was NFL co-MVP with Peyton Manning. He played his last two seasons for the Baltimore Ravens, where in 2007 he finished his 13-year NFL career. McNair was murdered in 2009 in Nashville by his lover, but he is still considered one of the best players in Titans history.

5. Eli Manning (Quarterback, Mississippi, 2000-2003)

Manning was born in New Orleans, Louisiana due to his father's job (quarterback for the Saints at that time), but both his parents attended Ole Miss. Archie Manning (his father, who also was a quarterback for the Rebels from 1967-1970, is a living legend down there, as attested by his number 18 retired and eighteen miles serving as the limiting speed on campus. Archie was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989 and surely would have made this list if he had the fortune to be on a playoff participant in his 14 seasons in the NFL. As he couldn't be on a winning team on the pro level, we'll give Archie an Honorable Mention, and let's look on Eli:

He became the full-time starter in his sophomore season, and as a junior and senior he led the Rebels to bowl victories. He also was named the 2003 Southeastern Conference MVP, 34 years after Archie, and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting.

He was the top overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft and has been the New York Giants starting quarterback since the middle of his rookie year. He has led the Giants to two Super Bowl titles in his 11-year career.

Honorable Mention: Ray Guy (punter, Southern Mississippi 1969-1972)

Last, you have to include a player who, like Walter Payton, has an award named after him. The Ray Guy Award is given to the Nation's best punter each year. Guy is inducted in both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame, and revolutionized the art of punting. He also was the first punter to be drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft.

In NCAA College Football traditionally, we see many great players from universities located in the southern states. However, only one state can claim that it has produced the current National Football League all-time leaders in passing and receiving, plus the all-time rusher from 1984 through 2002, and that state is not Texas, California or Florida, but surprisingly Mississippi. In this article we will look back at the five best players it has produced, plus a couple of honorable mentions, and all are well known to college or pro fans. They are listed in chronological order.

In Mississippi there are six universities that play college football NCAA Division I, the first three play in the Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I-A), two play in the Southeastern Conference, the other in Conference USA; and the other three are historically black colleges that play in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (Division I-AA). The towns and the colleges' nicknames are in parenthesis:

- University of Mississippi (Oxford, Rebels)

- Mississippi State University (Starkville, Bulldogs)

- University of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg, Golden Eagles)

- Alcorn State University (Lorman, Braves)

- Jackson State University (Jackson, Tigers)

- Mississippi Valley State University (Itta Bena, Delta Devils)

Here are the best players, one from five or the six schools (sorry Mississippi State). I will try to focus more on their college resume, since their pro careers are better known:

1. Walter Payton (Running back, Jackson State, 1971-1974)

Born in Columbia, Payton was not recruited by any Southeastern Conference School in a time when most of those colleges were not integrated. Instead he joined Jackson State, an Historically Black College where his older brother Eddie (who later played in the NFL for the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings) also played as a running back. Payton finished his college career with 3,600 yards rushing for a 6.0 yard per average and scored 63 touchdowns. Interestingly, he also was the team part-time placekicker, and kicked 5 field goals and 53 extra points in his college career. In 1996, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Payton (nicknamed "Sweetness") was selected in the 1975 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears with the fourth overall pick of the draft. In his 13 seasons with the Bears, Payton had 10 seasons with more than 1,000 yards rushing (a NFL record when he retired, but two of the three seasons he missed the mark were strike-shortened season, the other time was in his rookie year), was selected to the Pro Bowl 9 times and was a 1st team All-Pro 5 times, he was twice the League's Most Valuable Player (in 1977 and 1985), he led the Bears to a Super Bowl title in 1985 and retired as the NFL all-time leading rusher (he was surpassed by Emmitt Smith in 2002, but he's still the second all-time leading rusher). He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, his first year as an eligible. Sadly, Payton died in 1999 of liver cancer. His legacy lives on, as the Walter Payton Award is given to the top player in the Football Championship Subdivision, and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award is given to the top player who excels also in his charity and volunteer work.

2. Jerry Rice (Wide receiver, Mississippi Valley State, 1981-1984)

Born in Starkville, but raised in Crawford, Rice went to Mississippi Valley State. There he got the nickname "World", because "there was not a ball in the world that he couldn't catch" and he teamed with quarterback Willie Totten to break many passing records. In 1983 had 102 receptions for 1,450 yards and caught 24 passes in a game (all NCAA records). Next season, he broke his own records with 112 receptions for 1,845 yards and 27 touchdowns. He finished ninth in the Heisman Trophy after his senior season. In 2006, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Rice was selected in the 1985 NFL Draft by the reigning Super Bowl champions San Francisco 49ers with the 14th overall pick of the draft. There he started a 20-year career that shattered every receiving record, which most of them still stand (and one full article wouldn't be enough to list all of them!). He played sixteen seasons with the 49ers, and led them to three Super Bowl championships. He was the League's MVP in 1987 and Super Bowl MVP the next season. In 2001, at the age of 39, he joined the Oakland Raiders, and helped them to reach the Super Bowl the next season. Rice finished his career with the Seattle Seahawks in 2004. He was selected to 13 Pro Bowls and was All-Pro 10 times. Perhaps his most impressive record is that he is the all-time leader in games played by a non-punter or placekicker in NFL history with 303. He also is the all-time touchdown scorer with 208. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010, his first year as an eligible.

3. Brett Favre (Quarterback, Southern Mississippi, 1987-1990)

Born in Gulfport, but raised in Kiln, Favre went to Southern Miss, the only college that recruited him. Initially was thought as a defensive back, but Favre won the starting quarterback position in his freshman year, and in his sophomore year he lead the Eagles to a win in the Independence Bowl against Texas-El Paso. In 1990 he led the Golden Eagles to the All-American Bowl, and although they lost against North Carolina State, Favre was named MVP. He finished with the school all-time passing records, but most of them were broken by current St. Louis Rams quarterback Austin Davis.

Favre was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2nd round of the 1991 NFL Draft. Seeing little action as a rookie, he was traded the next year to the Green Bay Packers, where he starred and started for 16 years. Favre led the Packers to a Super Bowl title (their first since the Vince Lombardi era), and another Super Bowl appearance, was three times the League's MVP, went to 11 Pro Bowls, was 3 times All-Pro and he holds every passing record, including . He finished his career with one season with the New York Jets and two for the Minnesota Vikings. He played in 302 regular season games (one less than Jerry Rice), including 297 consecutive starts. His records are been threatened by a player with Mississippi roots: Peyton Manning (his parents and brothers all attended Ole Miss, the University of Mississippi. Peyton attended the University of Tennessee).

4. Steve McNair (Quarterback, Alcorn State, 1991-1994)

Born in Mount Olive, McNair attended Division I-AA Alcorn State since other colleges wanted to convert him to a running back. In his senior season he ran and passed for nearly 6,000 yards and threw or ran for 53 touchdowns. He won the Water Payton Award and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting.

In the 1995 NFL Draft, McNair was selected third overall, at the time the highest rank by a black quarterback, by the Houston Oilers. In 1999, after the Oilers moved to Nashville and became the Tennessee Titans, McNair led them to a Super Bowl appearance against the St. Louis Rams. In 2003 he was NFL co-MVP with Peyton Manning. He played his last two seasons for the Baltimore Ravens, where in 2007 he finished his 13-year NFL career. McNair was murdered in 2009 in Nashville by his lover, but he is still considered one of the best players in Titans history.

5. Eli Manning (Quarterback, Mississippi, 2000-2003)

Manning was born in New Orleans, Louisiana due to his father's job (quarterback for the Saints at that time), but both his parents attended Ole Miss. Archie Manning (his father, who also was a quarterback for the Rebels from 1967-1970, is a living legend down there, as attested by his number 18 retired and eighteen miles serving as the limiting speed on campus. Archie was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989 and surely would have made this list if he had the fortune to be on a playoff participant in his 14 seasons in the NFL. As he couldn't be on a winning team on the pro level, we'll give Archie an Honorable Mention, and let's look on Eli:

He became the full-time starter in his sophomore season, and as a junior and senior he led the Rebels to bowl victories. He also was named the 2003 Southeastern Conference MVP, 34 years after Archie, and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting.

He was the top overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft and has been the New York Giants starting quarterback since the middle of his rookie year. He has led the Giants to two Super Bowl titles in his 11-year career.

Honorable Mention: Ray Guy (punter, Southern Mississippi 1969-1972)

Last, you have to include a player who, like Walter Payton, has an award named after him. The Ray Guy Award is given to the Nation's best punter each year. Guy is inducted in both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame, and revolutionized the art of punting. He also was the first punter to be drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft.

In NCAA College Football traditionally, we see many great players from universities located in the southern states. However, only one state can claim that it has produced the current National Football League all-time leaders in passing and receiving, plus the all-time rusher from 1984 through 2002, and that state is not Texas, California or Florida, but surprisingly Mississippi. In this article we will look back at the five best players it has produced, plus a couple of honorable mentions, and all are well known to college or pro fans. They are listed in chronological order.

In Mississippi there are six universities that play college football NCAA Division I, the first three play in the Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I-A), two play in the Southeastern Conference, the other in Conference USA; and the other three are historically black colleges that play in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (Division I-AA). The towns and the colleges' nicknames are in parenthesis:

- University of Mississippi (Oxford, Rebels)

- Mississippi State University (Starkville, Bulldogs)

- University of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg, Golden Eagles)

- Alcorn State University (Lorman, Braves)

- Jackson State University (Jackson, Tigers)

- Mississippi Valley State University (Itta Bena, Delta Devils)

Here are the best players, one from five or the six schools (sorry Mississippi State). I will try to focus more on their college resume, since their pro careers are better known:

1. Walter Payton (Running back, Jackson State, 1971-1974)

Born in Columbia, Payton was not recruited by any Southeastern Conference School in a time when most of those colleges were not integrated. Instead he joined Jackson State, an Historically Black College where his older brother Eddie (who later played in the NFL for the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings) also played as a running back. Payton finished his college career with 3,600 yards rushing for a 6.0 yard per average and scored 63 touchdowns. Interestingly, he also was the team part-time placekicker, and kicked 5 field goals and 53 extra points in his college career. In 1996, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Payton (nicknamed "Sweetness") was selected in the 1975 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears with the fourth overall pick of the draft. In his 13 seasons with the Bears, Payton had 10 seasons with more than 1,000 yards rushing (a NFL record when he retired, but two of the three seasons he missed the mark were strike-shortened season, the other time was in his rookie year), was selected to the Pro Bowl 9 times and was a 1st team All-Pro 5 times, he was twice the League's Most Valuable Player (in 1977 and 1985), he led the Bears to a Super Bowl title in 1985 and retired as the NFL all-time leading rusher (he was surpassed by Emmitt Smith in 2002, but he's still the second all-time leading rusher). He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, his first year as an eligible. Sadly, Payton died in 1999 of liver cancer. His legacy lives on, as the Walter Payton Award is given to the top player in the Football Championship Subdivision, and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award is given to the top player who excels also in his charity and volunteer work.

2. Jerry Rice (Wide receiver, Mississippi Valley State, 1981-1984)

Born in Starkville, but raised in Crawford, Rice went to Mississippi Valley State. There he got the nickname "World", because "there was not a ball in the world that he couldn't catch" and he teamed with quarterback Willie Totten to break many passing records. In 1983 had 102 receptions for 1,450 yards and caught 24 passes in a game (all NCAA records). Next season, he broke his own records with 112 receptions for 1,845 yards and 27 touchdowns. He finished ninth in the Heisman Trophy after his senior season. In 2006, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Rice was selected in the 1985 NFL Draft by the reigning Super Bowl champions San Francisco 49ers with the 14th overall pick of the draft. There he started a 20-year career that shattered every receiving record, which most of them still stand (and one full article wouldn't be enough to list all of them!). He played sixteen seasons with the 49ers, and led them to three Super Bowl championships. He was the League's MVP in 1987 and Super Bowl MVP the next season. In 2001, at the age of 39, he joined the Oakland Raiders, and helped them to reach the Super Bowl the next season. Rice finished his career with the Seattle Seahawks in 2004. He was selected to 13 Pro Bowls and was All-Pro 10 times. Perhaps his most impressive record is that he is the all-time leader in games played by a non-punter or placekicker in NFL history with 303. He also is the all-time touchdown scorer with 208. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010, his first year as an eligible.

3. Brett Favre (Quarterback, Southern Mississippi, 1987-1990)

Born in Gulfport, but raised in Kiln, Favre went to Southern Miss, the only college that recruited him. Initially was thought as a defensive back, but Favre won the starting quarterback position in his freshman year, and in his sophomore year he lead the Eagles to a win in the Independence Bowl against Texas-El Paso. In 1990 he led the Golden Eagles to the All-American Bowl, and although they lost against North Carolina State, Favre was named MVP. He finished with the school all-time passing records, but most of them were broken by current St. Louis Rams quarterback Austin Davis.

Favre was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2nd round of the 1991 NFL Draft. Seeing little action as a rookie, he was traded the next year to the Green Bay Packers, where he starred and started for 16 years. Favre led the Packers to a Super Bowl title (their first since the Vince Lombardi era), and another Super Bowl appearance, was three times the League's MVP, went to 11 Pro Bowls, was 3 times All-Pro and he holds every passing record, including . He finished his career with one season with the New York Jets and two for the Minnesota Vikings. He played in 302 regular season games (one less than Jerry Rice), including 297 consecutive starts. His records are been threatened by a player with Mississippi roots: Peyton Manning (his parents and brothers all attended Ole Miss, the University of Mississippi. Peyton attended the University of Tennessee).

4. Steve McNair (Quarterback, Alcorn State, 1991-1994)

Born in Mount Olive, McNair attended Division I-AA Alcorn State since other colleges wanted to convert him to a running back. In his senior season he ran and passed for nearly 6,000 yards and threw or ran for 53 touchdowns. He won the Water Payton Award and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting.

In the 1995 NFL Draft, McNair was selected third overall, at the time the highest rank by a black quarterback, by the Houston Oilers. In 1999, after the Oilers moved to Nashville and became the Tennessee Titans, McNair led them to a Super Bowl appearance against the St. Louis Rams. In 2003 he was NFL co-MVP with Peyton Manning. He played his last two seasons for the Baltimore Ravens, where in 2007 he finished his 13-year NFL career. McNair was murdered in 2009 in Nashville by his lover, but he is still considered one of the best players in Titans history.

5. Eli Manning (Quarterback, Mississippi, 2000-2003)

Manning was born in New Orleans, Louisiana due to his father's job (quarterback for the Saints at that time), but both his parents attended Ole Miss. Archie Manning (his father, who also was a quarterback for the Rebels from 1967-1970, is a living legend down there, as attested by his number 18 retired and eighteen miles serving as the limiting speed on campus. Archie was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989 and surely would have made this list if he had the fortune to be on a playoff participant in his 14 seasons in the NFL. As he couldn't be on a winning team on the pro level, we'll give Archie an Honorable Mention, and let's look on Eli:

He became the full-time starter in his sophomore season, and as a junior and senior he led the Rebels to bowl victories. He also was named the 2003 Southeastern Conference MVP, 34 years after Archie, and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting.

He was the top overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft and has been the New York Giants starting quarterback since the middle of his rookie year. He has led the Giants to two Super Bowl titles in his 11-year career.

Honorable Mention: Ray Guy (punter, Southern Mississippi 1969-1972)

Last, you have to include a player who, like Walter Payton, has an award named after him. The Ray Guy Award is given to the Nation's best punter each year. Guy is inducted in both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame, and revolutionized the art of punting. He also was the first punter to be drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft.

By Steve Keating OTTAWA (Reuters) - Next year's women's World Cup in Canada will be played on artificial turf despite threats of legal action from several top international players, an unmoved FIFA executive said after touring one of the host venues on Tuesday. With players threatening a lawsuit if forced to play on artificial pitches, resolute FIFA officials were unfazed as they began site inspections of the six Canadian venues that will host the June 6-July 5 competition. ...

By Steve Keating OTTAWA (Reuters) - Next year's women's World Cup in Canada will be played on artificial turf despite threats of legal action from several top international players, an unmoved FIFA executive said after touring one of the host venues on Tuesday. With players threatening a lawsuit if forced to play on artificial pitches, resolute FIFA officials were unfazed as they began site inspections of the six Canadian venues that will host the June 6-July 5 competition. ...

By Steve Keating OTTAWA (Reuters) - Next year's women's World Cup in Canada will be played on artificial turf despite threats of legal action from several top international players, an unmoved FIFA executive said after touring one of the host venues on Tuesday. With players threatening a lawsuit if forced to play on artificial pitches, resolute FIFA officials were unfazed as they began site inspections of the six Canadian venues that will host the June 6-July 5 competition. ...