Fully focused on his new team, Derrick Milton can’t help but notice what his former team is doing.

The McNeese State tailback has helped lead the Cowboys to a 4-2 record and No. 10 national ranking in the FCS.

By all accounts his move to McNeese has been a good one. He is getting the touches he wants and is playing for a club that has championship aspirations.

“I love it here,” said Milton, who leads the Cowboys with six touchdowns and has run for 383 yards. “It has worked out great for me. I could not be happier.”

You get the feeling he means it, but not everybody in his position would be saying the same thing, or feeling the same way.

Despite the solid position McNeese is in, Milton’s old team can top it.

Last winter he left Mississippi State for more playing time with the Cowboys. Since then the Bulldogs haven’t lost a game and are the talk of college football, coming from nowhere to own the No. 1 ranking in all the land.

And his old roommate, he has turned himself into the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy. Dak Prescott, who moved to Sulphur last year, has Mississippi State on the road to its greatest season.

Milton could have remained a part of that, but he left on good terms and isn’t looking back.

“I have no regrets,” Milton said. “At the end of the day I did what was best for me and everything seems to be working out best for everybody.”

He has taken notice on what is going on back in Starkville, though.

“Everybody has noticed,” he said.

That is true. It’s hard not to notice the run Mississippi State is on.

While he admitted he didn’t see all this coming, Milton said he knew there was talent on the squad and the Bulldogs were headed in the right direction.

“You could see us getting better and better every year,” said Milton, who spent three seasons in Starkville, his first as a redshirt. “You could see what coach (Dan) Mullen was building and they have all bought into it this year and it is working for them.”

Milton even says he stays in close contact with his old teammates, especially Prescott.

“He is a great guy and we talk all the time,” Milton said. “What is happening for him is great. Dak has earned all this.”

During an offweek, Milton even went over to watch Mississippi State knock off LSU in Baton Rouge. It was the Bulldogs’ coming-out party and he was happy to be on hand. He would like to go see more games but with no more offweeks it is tough.

“I still feel close to that group of players and coaches,” Milton said. “You can’t help but feel that way after all we went through.”

One thing he doesn’t do is say, “What if?”

“I try not to look back,” said Milton, who played in 22 games and ran for 236 yards and four touchdowns in two seasons with the Bulldogs. “It is good to see them having success and us having success.”

His old mates have kept up with him as well.

“They text me when they see our score or if they see I scored in a game,” Milton said. “We are friends that hasn’t changed.”

With both teams as playoff contenders, Milton can’t help but wonder what it would be like for both to win national championships. He could be the only guy to be part of champs in both divisions this year.

“I do think about that all the time,” he said. “That would be crazy.”

A crazy good ending for Milton.

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Jim Gazzolo is managing sports editor. Email him at jgazzolo@americanpress.com(Rick Hickman/American Press)