Mississippi State football bowl projections: How win vs Auburn shapes postseason outlook

Andy Kostka, Mississippi Clarion Ledger

November 15, 2021 at 4:40 PM·3 min read

STARKVILLE — There was little doubt Mississippi State football would reach bowl eligibility before facing Auburn, considering Tennessee State remained on the schedule.

But the Bulldogs took care of business Saturday in a comeback victory at Auburn, securing their sixth win of the season and setting themselves up for a better bowl bid, should coach Mike Leach’s squad add a win or two against Tennessee State and Ole Miss to round out the season.

Before beating Auburn, most experts projected Mississippi State (6-4, 4-3 SE to find its way to the AutoZone Liberty Bowl or the Texas Bowl. Now, those projections are far more scattered. The Bulldogs have several signature wins, including NC State, Texas A&M, Kentucky and Auburn.

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Those results — and a strong finish to the season — could lead to a fairly high-profile bowl arrangement.

“I can’t remember the last time Mississippi State hadn’t been bowl eligible,” linebacker Aaron Brule said Saturday. “I think that’s always our expectation each year. And hopefully we can get more wins to build on a bigger bowl.”

Here’s where experts project Mississippi State to play a bowl game.

Texas Bowl

The Bulldogs could still wind up playing in the Texas Bowl on Jan. 4 in Houston, according to The Action Network and CBS. Who they play in that game is up for some debate, though.

Action Network’s Brett McMurphy picks Mississippi State to face Iowa State while CBS’ Jerry Palm predicts Kansas State to be the matchup. The Cyclones are 6-4 this season with wins Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Texas, although they just fell to Texas Tech and face Oklahoma and TCU before the season’s done.

Since the Wildcats (7-3) lost to Iowa State, they’ve rattled off four straight victories — scoring at least 31 points in each of their last three games.

Music City Bowl

Mississippi State has twice played in the Music City Bowl, most recently losing to Louisville in 2019, 38-28. In 2011, the Bulldogs beat Wake Forest in Nashville.

Mississippi State could find itself back in the Music City Bowl this season, facing Minnesota on Dec. 30, according to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach. The Golden Gophers (6-4) are on a two-game losing streak with Indiana and Wisconsin remaining on the slate.

Outback Bowl

Two outlets project Mississippi State to land in the Outback Bowl, making its second appearance at the Tampa-based game. The last time the Bulldogs played at the Outback Bowl was Jan. 1, 2019, losing 27-22 to Iowa.

ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura predicts a matchup against Wisconsin, pinning one of the most pass-heavy teams against a run-first outfit. The Badgers (7-3) lost three of their first four games — coming against Penn State, Notre Dame and Michigan — before winning six straight games.

College Football News pits Mississippi State against Iowa, creating a 2019 rematch. The Hawkeyes (8-2) rose as highly as No. 2 in the country before losing to Purdue in October.

Gator Bowl

The options for Mississippi State are plenty. According to 247 Sports, that includes the Gator Bowl against Pittsburgh — a bowl game the Bulldogs have appeared in three times. The most recent appearance came in 2017, a 31-27 win against Louisville.

Pittsburgh is 8-2 this season, led by quarterback Kenny Pickett and his 32 touchdowns compared to four interceptions.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Where Mississippi State football is projected to play a bowl game

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Texas Bowl

Music City Bowl

Outback Bowl

Gator Bowl

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