Game-By-Game Predictions For Mississippi State Football

Coming off a 9-4 season last year with 15 returning starters, how will the Bulldogs do under first-year head coach Zach Arnett?

Southeastern Lousiana

September 2nd, 2023, will be the first game of a new era of Mississippi State football. It will be exciting and hot, with game time set for 3:00pm. The Bulldogs have too much talent for SELA, and they will win big.

1-0

Arizona

The Bulldogs traveled to Tucson last year, and it was an early test for them. It was Pac-12 after dark, with kickoff at 10:00pm CT. MSU won a game that was sloppy at times by a score of 39-17. The Arizona Wildcats make their return trip to Starkville for a 6:30pm kickoff.

The Bulldogs will win, but expect Arizona to be within two scores at the half.

2-0

LSU

It isn't discussed much, but the annual game between the Bulldogs and Tigers has been very competitive as of late. The great former head coach Mike Leach and his team pulled off a surprise in 2020, when the Bulldogs bested the defending-champion Tigers in Death Valley by a score of 44-34. In that game, quarterback KJ Costello set an SEC record with 623 passing yards. 

MSU has lost the last two matchups in close games that had two massive Bulldog mistakes. Austin Williams dropped the ball on a punt return in 2022, and an expensive penalty by Rodney Groce ultimately cost the team in 2021.

I expect this 11:00am game to be competitive, but I see the Tigers pulling away late in the fourth quarter as they continue their march to Atlanta.

2-1

South Carolina

This will be the first meeting between these two football teams since 2016. The Bulldogs will also play at South Carolina for the first time since 2013.

The Bulldogs have split the last two meetings with the Gamecocks, winning at home in 2016 by a score of 27-14 and falling on the road in 2013 with a 34-16 loss. This game will go a long way toward determining if the Bulldogs improve their record from last year.

The Bulldogs win a close one in Columbia.

3-1

Alabama

The Crimson Tide has dominated the Battle for Highway 82. The Tide has its share of questions, and the Bulldogs get to host the game.

However, MSU hasn't beaten Alabama since 2007, and often times it isn't even close. I expect Alabama to win...big.

3-2

Western Michigan

Mississippi State gets a breather after three straight tough games. It's now the Bulldogs' turn to win big.

4-2

Arkansas

Coming off a bye week, the Bulldogs will travel to battle SEC West foe Arkansas. MSU beat Arkansas last year in dominating fashion, 40-17.

The Razorbacks were without star quarterback KJ Jefferson in that one, but they could not stop Mississippi State regardless.

Fayetteville is a tough place to play, but replacing Kendal Briles and Barry Odom -- Arkansas' offensive and defensive coordinators -- will prove to be a difficult adjustment for the Razorbacks. The Bulldogs win this one by two scores.

5-2

Auburn

MSU will make its first trip to the Plains since 2021, a game that saw the Bulldogs erase a 28-3 deficit to win 43-34. Before then, MSU hadn't beaten Auburn in Jordan Hare since 2015.

Under first-year head coach Hugh Freeze, I believe the Tigers will start to click in the second half of the season. Jordan Hare Stadium is also one of the most challenging places to play in the SEC, and something crazy always seems to happen.

The Bulldogs drop a heartbreaker to Auburn.

5-3

Kentucky

The home team has dominated the annual series between these teams. Kentucky has not lost at home to the Bulldogs since 2014, and in turn, Mississippi State hasn't lost at home to the Wildcats since 2008.

Luckily for the Bulldogs, they get the Wildcats at home. Kentucky will be improved, especially at the quarterback position, as the program brought in NC State quarterback Devin Leary in the offseason.

The home-team trend will continue as the Bulldogs win this one.

6-3

Texas A&M

This was the toughest game to pick on the schedule. The Aggies are talented, but their own head coach Jimbo Fisher has held them back with his archaic offense.

The Aggies did bring in Bobby Petrino to be their offensive coordinator. No matter how polarizing he is, Petrino can coach offensive football.

It will boil down to if Jimbo lets Petrino run his offense this fall. I do not see this happening.

The Bulldogs win their third straight over the Aggies.

7-3

Southern Miss

MSU welcomes in-state opponent USM to Starkville for the first time since 2019. This matchup will be an exciting one for Mississippi residents.

However, USM does not have the size, speed, or level of talent to keep up with the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs win big.

8-3

Ole Miss

The Egg Bowl is a game that nobody should ever bet on. This game is just too unpredictable.

Last year's game was a prime example of how wild it is, with Will Rogers fumbling the ball one yard away from scoring the game-securing touchdown. The Rebels scored but had the two-point attempt swatted down by defensive lineman Randy Charlton, and the Bulldogs held on to win 24-22.

This game will be close, but like last year, MSU will dominate up front where the game is won. The Bulldogs win.

9-3