STARKVILLE — The first ever matchup between Mississippi State University and Mississippi Valley State University on the football field will not happen in 2013.
MSU athletic director Scott Stricklin confirmed to The Dispatch Wednesday that both schools recently cancelled its opener scheduled for Aug. 31, 2013 at Davis Wade Stadium because of a rule prohibiting Football Bowl Subdivision, previously called Division I-A, teams from counting a win against an Football Championship Subdivision, previously called Division I-AA, team that does not meet the NCAA’s financial aid requirements.
MVSU falls below the guideline, which requires an FCS team to provide financial aid to at least 90 percent of its 63-man roster limit over a rolling two-year period. If MSU, or another FBS school for that matter, were to play an FCS team below that average, the win will not count toward the FBS school’s bowl eligibility total.
FBS teams are allowed to count one victory per season over an FCS team.
Stricklin said MSU officials “have a good idea what direction (MSU is) headed” with a replacement game as the Bulldogs are expected to replace MVSU on its 2013 schedule with another FCS team likely from the Magnolia state. However, MSU officials have not received contracts for the fourth nonconference game beyond the 2012 schedule. Currently the Bulldogs 2013 non-conference schedule includes a road game to the University of Alabama at Birmingham and home games against Troy University and Bowling Green University.
MSU was scheduled to pay MVSU $350,000 for agreeing to play the 2013 game but Stricklin confirmed that payday for the Delta Devils program has obviously been cancelled as well.
Since 2000, Mississippi State is 8-1 against FCS competition and 4-0 under coach Dan Mullen. The only loss for the Bulldogs coming on 9-7 defeat to the University of Maine on Sept. 18, 2004.
MSU opens the upcoming season against Jackson State for the second time in four years. JSU also opened the 2009 season at MSU and will receive more than $650,000 for playing the two games in Starkville.
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