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STARKVILLE — Mississippi State football walked off the field at Davis Wade Stadium in disappointment on Nov. 23. After a 17-7 loss against rival Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl, MSU’s season ended with the conclusion of the regular season.
It marked the first year without a trip to a bowl game for the Bulldogs since 2009 – coach Dan Mullen’s first season at the helm.
While a five-win 2023 campaign was telling of a underwhelming year under coach Zach Arnett, Mississippi State was still on the verge of keeping its bowl streak alive. One game could have been the difference between watching bowl season from home as opposed to taking part in it.
A 37-30 defeat at South Carolina on Sept. 30 was likely the one that carried the biggest, “What if?”
If Mississippi State had taken advantage of a game in which quarterback Will Rogers threw for 487 yards, the Bulldogs likely would have made a bowl game. It showed how small the margin can be between a five-win season and a six-win campaign.
As the Bulldogs prepare for the 2024 season, here’s a look at which games could be the difference between making a bowl game or not in coach Jeff Lebby’s first year at the helm.
Mississippi State football schedule 2024: Expected results
Before getting into the toss-up games, here are the expected results for Mississippi State.
The Bulldogs should handle Eastern Kentucky, Toledo and UMass. If MSU loses any of those three games, it’s likely not reaching six wins.
Mississippi State will likely lose at Texas, at Tennessee, at Georgia and home against Missouri. The Egg Bowl, albeit an exciting rivalry, falls into this category with the game in Oxford and with Ole Miss projected as a top-10 team. If MSU wins any of those five games against ranked SEC foes, it could finish with more than six victories.
Sept. 7 at Arizona State
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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/mississippi-state-football-2024-bowl-100303247.html
Author : The Clarion Ledger
Publish date : 2024-06-10 10:03:03
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