Bowl Projections for Mississippi State Heading into Selection Sunday

If you follow me on twitter you know I’ve done a couple of Bowl Game Threads. It helps me when I put stuff on paper to try to figure out the logical scenario when it comes to the wide ranging options of Mississippi State’s Possible Bowl Selection. And sorry it’s not going to be the Rose Bowl. The Georgia Bulldogs will get to enjoy that game. Here’s what we know:

Georgia is headed to the playoffs, Alabama is either playoff bound or NY6 Bound, and Auburn is NY6 Bound. It is being reported that the Citrus Bowl will select LSU once again. And that the Outback Bowl has worked a backdoor deal to select Michigan and South Carolina. With that being said Mississippi State will be slotted in one of the other bowl games in this tier in which the Outback, Texas, Liberty, Belk, Gator, and Music CIty are all apart of. These bowl games are selected with the schools, the bowls, and the conferences. We do know that not enough SEC Teams will be selected in this tier as only 5 SEC Teams remain. So it is being reported that the Liberty Bowl is out.

With 2 of the 6 bowls out where is MSU heading? Well it is also being reported that the Music City Bowl and Kentucky are going to be paired together. This makes a lot of sense and makes a good fit for both parties. Now that leaves Mississippi State, Texas A&M, and Missouri for the Belk, Texas, and the Gator. Which are the 3 bowl games I am seeing MSU being projected to go to the most.

As far as the Texas Bowl Goes we know Texas is the opponent. Which makes this the worst bowl for MSU to go to. Playing Texas on a Wednesday night makes this not ideal. It would be a road game for MSU. This wouldn’t be a celebration at all. The Texas Bowl has been wanting to get a Big 12 rematch. Texas is whining about this possibility:

While I don’t think Texas A&M is a possibility, Missouri is and I think ultimately Texas will have to get over their fear of Missouri and play them. Only the Athletic has Mississippi State projected in the Texas Bowl and I don’t think that’s reliable.

Mississippi State went to the Belk Bowl just Two Years Ago. is this a real possibility? It might just be. Our own SB Nation is projecting that along with Athlon Sports and College Football News. While the Bulldogs did just go to the Belk Bowl two years ago, Mississippi State did end up going to the Gator Bowl in 2010 and 2012 so this would not be unprecendented. But the Bowl selection Process is different now than it was then. This tier was created to avoid going to the same bowl games. And I would be surprised to Mississippi State going back to the Belk Bowl. But don’t rule it out.

Lastly the Gator Bowl. Which is where I think MSU is headed. No I’m not calling it the Taxslayer Bowl, it is the Gator Bowl. USA Today, CBS, College Sports Madness, and the ever so reliable Brett McMurphy has Mississippi State pegged to the Gator Bowl. This is ultimately where I expect Mississippi State to go to. Yes I know Mississippi State has been to this bowl game twice in this decade, but that didn’t stop the Outback Bowl from taking South Carolina. It has been 5 years since MSU last went to this bowl game as well so time flies. This would be a nice bowl treat and celebration for all of the fans and players. And Mississippi State earned a Florida Bowl. A 7-5 Texas A&M(who MSU beat) should not get the opportunity to go to a Florida Game over Mississippi State. I think MSU should take this and not put too much stock into the result given the circumstances.

Any thoughts on the Bowl Projections? What is your ideal Bowl Game?