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Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen is confident he has a good football program, especially after destroying Michigan 52-14 in the Gator Bowl on Saturday.
Now his charge is taking the Bulldogs from good to great.
''We had nine wins this year, so it was a successful season,'' Mullen said. ''Next year it'll be more than nine wins for us, and that's something we're going to start working on.''
The dominant win over the Wolverines - one of the most storied programs in college football - is certainly another step in that process. The Bulldogs had been to only two bowl games in the past decade, and the sheer joy from the victory was impossible to miss.
Mullen, who was part of a Florida coaching staff that won two national championships, said there hasn't been a bigger win in his career.
''I told them it's a good thing in your life to be credited as an overachiever,'' Mullen recalled addressing his team. ''That means as an individual you achieve more than anybody thought was possible ... I'm sure coming in this season there's a lot of people that wouldn't have believed we'd win nine games and a New Year's Day bowl game.''
Mississippi State clobbered the Wolverines with a suffocating defense that held quarterback Denard Robinson to just 59 yards rushing. After Michigan took a 14-10 lead late in the first quarter, the Bulldogs scored 42 unanswered points.
''We're a big and physical defense, and I thought our physicality was evident during the course of the game,'' Bulldogs defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said. ''At the same time, you have to be very disciplined in your run because Michigan does a great job of scheming up the run.''
MSU has some serious momentum heading into the offseason, but the Bulldogs will certainly have some holes to fill. Left tackle Derek Sherrod, considered an elite NFL prospect, will be gone. So will linebackers Chris White and K.J. Wright, two anchors of the defense.
During practices leading up to the Gator Bowl, Diaz admitted life without White and Wright is a little scary.
''Those are two great players who have played a lot of football,'' Diaz said. ''You don't replace that overnight. But I do think we've got some guys ready to step up to the challenge.''
Even with the losses, MSU should have a good foundation. Quarterback Chris Relf and running back Vick Ballard return, along with a big chunk of the offensive and defensive lines.
Relf was an enigma coming into the season, known more for his running ability than passing. But with each week, he grew into a more complete quarterback, finishing with 713 yards rushing and 1,789 yards passing. He was especially good against Michigan, completing 18 of 23 passes for 281 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
''I felt really good,'' Relf said. ''It's something I worked on in the offseason three times a week, just throwing with the wide receivers.''
Ballard was one of the SEC's biggest surprises this season, coming straight from junior college to rush for 968 yards and 19 touchdowns. He led the Bulldogs with 76 yards rushing and three touchdowns against the Wolverines.
Improvement in the SEC West will undoubtedly be a challenge. Even though the Bulldogs were much improved, they still finished fifth behind Auburn, Alabama, LSU and Arkansas, and those four programs don't figure to take a dip any time soon.
Still, after watching his Bulldogs dominate a Big Ten powerhouse, the future looks limitless.
''I think that's just the foundation of many big wins to come for this program,'' Mullen said.
