Fellow Missouri Southern football fans, it has been a trying year.

With the team only winning one game against the University of Missouri-Rolla, it has been tough to root for the Lions every Saturday.

Do not give up hope. The head coach may have resigned, but there is no need to become discouraged. I have faith in Rob Green to turn the program around. The last time Green was interim head coach, the Lions went 4-0.

I know Southern lost this past weekend to Northwest Missouri State University, but fans have to give Coach Green some time to work with the team.

Did you really expect him to come out after a heartbreaking 15-3 loss to Truman State University, Bill Cooke’s resignation and win? There has to be some time to adjust to Green’s coaching style. I guarantee you Southern will win again this

season. Southern will win again.

As any fan of Southern football knows this weekend is the U.S. Cellular Miner’s Bowl. This is the 35th time Pittsburg State University and Southern have met on the gridiron. It is officially the 17th Miner’s Bowl and the sixth U.S. Cellular Miner’s Bowl. Southern is 8-26-1 in the series. The last win came in 1993 when the Lions defeated the Gorillas 20-3; that same year Southern became MIAA Champions. Since then the Gorillas of PSU have dominated the series.

Last year should have been the year of the upset. The Lions went into the game 4-0 – Southern’s best start since 1996. The Lions had Josh Chapman leading the charge into the game. Chapman was dominating the record books.

Don’t get me wrong; Kokain Mothershed is a great quarterback, and the Lions could pull off the upset this year. Why? They are the underdogs in this contest, that’s why. No one expects Southern to win, except for Southern (or at least me).

Being the underdogs, the Lions can go into the game and upset the Gorillas. Let me give you some examples of the underdog spirit: the American Revolution.

Remember in history class Americans trapped the British at Yorktown and won the war? That is the slanted view of history that is taught. The truth is America was heavily outnumbered and we should have lost – badly. As underdogs, America pulled out the victory.

How about an example of Southern’s underdog fighting spirit.

In 2001, the Lions defeated Central Missouri State University, 35-13. Southern should have lost that game. CMSU should have slaughtered the Lions. Southern kept the Mules scoreless until the third quarter.

Southern can do this. The Lions need all of the fans backing them. PSU will be out in force; the Gorillas have prepared for this game all season.

The Gorillas want to come in and destroy Southern. The Lions have home field advantage, and they have a new turf. Southern can pull off the upset.

This is the year for the upset. Southern can pull off the win. The Lions are the underdogs in this match up; they should use it to their advantage.