Fun with Charts: Returning Starters, Experience, and the Glory of X- and Y-Axes

After establishing that Mississippi State’s football team isn’t going to amount to doodly squat this year, I felt compelled to know more. Yes, we are going to suck; but how much are we going to suck? Is there a way to quantify our anticipated level of suckitude? And if so, could I synthesize the quantum of suckiness in a clear and straightforward manner to present to the remnant of our fanbase that hasn’t yet run for the hills?

My search for knowledge of the suck kept bringing me back to a simple set of undeniable facts, presented with ample clarity by Phil Steele’s staff of statistical wizards:

State fans hither and yon have tried to explain these facts away, but they are inescapable.