STARKVILLE — Mississippi State is likely headed bowling.
Despite a 2-7 record and a game against Missouri slated for next weekend, all signs point to the Bulldogs playing in a postseason contest following Mike Leach’s up-and-down first season in Starkville.
Following MSU’s loss to Auburn on Saturday, Leach addressed speculation regarding a bowl game, noting he’d be excited about the prospect of doing so but that it remains a day-to-day discussion as far as where MSU could go assuming they’re invited.
“It’s kind of a moving target,” Leach said. “I don’t know the details on it. I don’t know that it’s been decided yet with regards to that. If we have a chance to play another game, no matter what form it comes in, I’d be thrilled to do it because it’d be a great opportunity for our team to work and continue to build.”
At present, the Southeastern Conference’s bowl picture has become slightly clearer after LSU announced it is self-imposing a bowl ban due to an ongoing NCAA investigation. With the Tigers out of the picture, that leaves nine bowl games plus the College Football Playoff and New Year’s Six games as potential landing spots for SEC squads.
Assuming things hold through the final week of the season, it’s expected Alabama will make the playoff should it down Florida in the SEC championship game Saturday, while the Gators, Texas A&M and Georgia should all be in the running for New Year’s Six appearances. Presumably, three of those four teams at most will end up in the New Year’s Six and CFP, leaving nine slots open for the SEC’s remaining 10 teams, sans LSU. Presumably winless Vanderbilt is out on any kind of bowl trip this year, making it a virtual lock MSU will appear in a postseason game.
Given MSU’s spot at the bottom of the SEC standings heading into the final week of the season, MSU’s most likely destinations are the Liberty Bowl (Memphis), Gasparilla Bowl (St. Petersburg, Florida) and the Birmingham Bowl. However, Leach’s deep Texas roots that date back to his time as the head coach at Texas Tech could make the Bulldogs a pull in the Texas Bowl or Armed Forces Bowl, which are both played in the Lone Star State.
While the Bulldogs are an almost guarantee to be selected to a bowl game, it remains to be seen whether MSU would actually accept such an invite. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, consistent testing and the general stress players have been under this season outside the normal realm of football-related endeavors, teams like Boston College, Virginia and Pittsburgh have all opted to end their seasons despite potential postseason opportunities.
Speaking with reporters following the Auburn loss Saturday, both senior linebacker Erroll Thompson and junior receiver Austin Williams voiced that the Bulldogs would more than likely be excited about the prospect of a bowl game. Leach noted it would be a chance to make up for the lost spring given the extra practices it would afford.
“We want to play,” Williams said. “You know, another opportunity to get better, develop, grow, prepare guys for next season, give guys more film if they want to go to the (NFL). Whatever it might be, we want to play. It’s not a question. If we’ve got a chance to roll the ball out, get after it, I’m all for it.”
“We want to play a bowl game, of course,” Thompson added. “… We came here to play football, so why not? We might as well finish it out strong.”
Ben Portnoy reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @bportnoy15.
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