TEMPE, Arizona – Mississippi State failed to secure an invitation to a bowl game last season, and the road to getting there has become much more difficult this season.
Before the season, it wasn’t hard to imagine a way for the Bulldogs to win six games. But it wasn’t going to be easy.
Eastern Kentucky, Toledo and UMass were considered sure winners.
Arkansas was considered a Bulldogs game should win and Florida was seen as a game that they could Victory. That’s already five victories, they only need one more victory.
No. 1 Georgia and No. 3 Texas, barring some crazy cowbell magic, will be losses for Mississippi State.
No. 9 Missouri and No. 14 Tennessee wouldn’t be as big of a surprise (but still a pretty big one), but looking at the preseason schedule, you can’t assume those games will count as wins.
So who’s left on the schedule? Arizona State, Texas A&M and No. 6 Ole Miss.
For a variety of reasons, none of these games can be dismissed as losses, but only one of them (earlier in the season) came against an unranked team: Arizona State.
Well, that can now be considered a loss after the Sun Devils won 30-23 on Saturday night.
Editors Jacob Bain and Taylor Hodges share their postgame reactions about what the loss means for Mississippi State.
Bulldog fans would never admit it, but Ole Miss may be on the verge of one of its best seasons ever. However, anything can happen in a rivalry game, so the possibility of Mississippi State winning the Egg Bowl cannot be ruled out.
Texas A&M is, well, Texas A&M. The Oct. 19 game in Starkville could go either way.
Coach Jeff Lebby will probably never admit this, but beating Arizona State was the Bulldogs’ easiest path to a bowl game.
This path has now narrowed considerably.
You can see our reactions to the entire game in the video below.
Mississippi State showed fighting spirit in loss to Arizona State
Mississippi State collapses in the trenches: What went wrong against Arizona State?
Mississippi State loses to Arizona State: Bulldogs can’t overcome bad first half
