Several weeks ago when we found out that Mississippi State would be opening the 2013 season against Oklahoma State in Houston, many were worried about State being able to fulfill a 7-game home schedule, which is the desirable number in college football these days. Shortly after the announcement of the neutral site game, AD Scott Stricklin tweeted that the Bulldogs would, in fact, have a 7 game home schedule, and the final piece of that puzzle was announced today.
We'll still have 7 home games at #DavisWade in 2013, which is important. More details about '13 slate in coming weeks. #HailState
— Scott Stricklin (@stricklinMSU) October 11, 2012
Mississippi State will swap a game against Alabama Birmingham (UAB) in Birmingham next fall for a home game against Alcorn State at home, the school announced today. Well, officially the school just announced the game with Alcorn, but it is assumed (with high degree of probability, seeing as the UAB game was to be on the same day) that this game will replace the aforementioned trip to Birmingham to face the Blazers. Brandon Marcello of the Clarion-Ledger says he expects that announcement sometime in the coming weeks.
The move secures a 7 game home schedule for State in 2013, as promised by Stricklin. Brandon Marcello reports that State will pay the Braves $350,000 to travel up from Lorman for the game, which is scheduled to take place on September 7th, the weekend after the opening OSU tilt at Reliant Stadium.
To me this is nothing but a win-win situation: State gets 7 home games, gets a fantastic opening game neutral site matchup, and is giving money now to an in-state school, which you always love to see. Stricklin had this to say in that regard:
"It remains important to us to schedule teams from the state of Mississippi," Stricklin said. "We've played Jackson State and Alcorn State and have Southern Miss on the schedule in coming years. We feel it benefits Mississippi State University, as well as our opponents and the state of Mississippi."
via Brandon Marcello's above linked blog post, the 2013 non-conference schedule now looks like this following today's announcement:
- Oklahoma State, August 31, 2013
- Alcorn State, September 7, 2013
- Troy, September 21, 2013
- Bowling Green, October 12, 2013