Mississippi State: Bowl projections ahead of Week 14

Now that the heated rivalry of the Egg Bowl and the Thanksgiving holiday have come and gone, No. 20 Mississippi State (8-4, 4-4) now awaits its fate of which bowl game the Bulldogs will compete in following the final week of the regular season.

For Mississippi State, the chances of playing in a New Year’s Six bowl game are pretty slim as the Bulldogs have four losses and the teams sitting ahead of them have three or fewer losses as Power 5 conference teams except No. 19 Boise State (10-2), No. 7 UCF (11-0) and No. 3 Notre Dame (12-0).

The most logical bowl game possibilities for the Bulldogs would be the Texas Bowl, the Music City Bowl or the Citrus Bowl. Depending on the latest College Football Playoff rankings that will drop Tuesday evening will create a clearer picture as to which bowl game will become more of a reality.

In last week’s CFP rankings, Mississippi State moved two spots up to No. 18. After the drama of Week 13 that saw then No. 13 West Virginia fall to Oklahoma, No. 7 LSU lose in a wild one in College Station against then No. 22 Texas A&M and No. 16 Washington upsetting No. 8 Washington State in the Apple Cup, the Bulldogs should move up again in this week’s rankings.

Depending on what the CFP rankings and how Championship Week turns out will ultimately determine the Bulldogs bowl placement. But, until then, some of the latest projections are below.

Music City Bowl

Mississippi State vs. N.C. State

Mississippi State vs. Georgia Tech

Citrus Bowl

Mississippi State vs. Northwestern

Outback Bowl