Not many believe Mississippi State can repeat the type of year it had last season when it won 10 games and finished second in the SEC West. In fact, the Bulldogs were picked to finish dead last in their division at SEC Media Day this year, which had to have placed a giant chip on the shoulder of Dan Mullen’s team.

Mississippi State lost plenty of starters but still returns key contributors on both sides of the ball, including one of the nation’s best quarterbacks, Dak Prescott. The Bulldogs’ biggest Achilles heel this season might turn out to be the sheer competitiveness of their division rather than any fault of their own.

SEC Network analysts Greg McElroy and Chris Doering recently predicted each game of Mississippi State’s season. They started with some sure wins already up on the board before they got into games in contention:

  • at Southern Mississippi
  • vs. Northwestern State
  • vs. Troy
  • vs. Louisiana Tech

Opening up the season on the road isn’t ideal but the Bulldogs shouldn’t have a problem with one of their in-state rivals. The latter three games should be cake for Mississippi State in Starkville.

Now come the matchups that are harder to decide:

SEPT. 12 — LSU AT MISSISSIPPI STATE

Predicted result: Win

Doering: “I think early in the season it’s going to be hot. I don’t think Mississippi State’s defense is going to have developed that rotational depth that they like to roll in and out of there. I think Leonard Fournette is going to have a big night. I think they are going to run it down their throat. I think fatigued is ultimately going to separate LSU from Mississippi State.”

McElroy: “I saw Brandon Harris play on the road at Auburn last year. He’s not ready for the cowbells. Not yet, at least.”

Doesn’t sound like Doering has much faith in Mullen’s offseason conditioning program for his team. Host Dari Nowkhah had to serve as the tie breaker for this one and he believes the fact that it’s an early season game and LSU still has questions at quarterback swings the game in Mississippi State’s favor.

SEPT. 26 — MISSISSIPPI STATE AT AUBURN

Predicted result: Loss

McElroy: “If it were in Starkville, I think it would be a much more closely contested game, but I think Auburn just has incredibly too much — Jeremy Johnson now throwing the ball down field. I think Auburn is too much for the Bulldogs to handle.”

Doering: “I think Auburn is the better football team here. That’s an easy one for us in agreement.”

OCT. 3 — MISSISSIPPI STATE AT TEXAS A&M

Predicted result: Loss

Doering: “We’ve talked about the defensive passing woes last year in Mississippi State’s secondary. Kyle Allen is going to have a big night. I think Texas A&M wins this football game.”

McElroy: “In Kyle Field, just a little too much for a young, inexperienced football team only five games into the season.”

OCT. 24 — KENTUCKY AT MISSISSIPPI STATE

Predicted result: Win

Doering: “I’m going to give this one to Mississippi State even though I think Kentucky can throw a scare into them.”

McElroy: “I think Kentucky has the talent to make this one scary, but the Bulldogs too much at home, too much cowbell.”

NOV. 5 — MISSISSIPPI STATE AT MISSOURI

Predicted result: Loss

McElroy: “I really like Mississippi State in Starkville. But I think their youth and inexperience, on defense especially, is going to be just too much to overcome. I got to go with Missouri.”

Doering: “I just look at what the East has done against the West historically here. I think Mississippi State goes on the road and gets what’s going to be maybe a big win in determining whether or not they are bowl eligible.”

Nowkhah doesn’t like the fact that it’s the Bulldogs first road game in a month and thinks the Tigers will have more to play for at that point in the season. For those reasons, he broke the tie and gave this game to Missouri.

NOV. 14 — ALABAMA AT MISSISSIPPI STATE

Predicted result: Loss

Doering: “Big separation between the two teams in experience level in my opinion.”

McElroy: “This is a scary one for Alabama because Dak Prescott is so good. This team in the middle of November I think will be much improved but Alabama is just too talented though. I think they’re the better team on paper, and right now, paper is all we have to go on. So I’m going with Alabama.”

NOV. 21 — MISSISSIPPI STATE AT ARKANSAS

Predicted result: Loss

Doering: “I like Arkansas. Arkansas is kind of the trendy pick for me. I like their physicality. I really believe they’re committed in what they’re doing and that’s going to continue to progress that program. So I’m going to go with Arkansas.”

NOV. 28 — OLE MISS AT MISSISSIPPI STATE

Predicted result: Loss

Doering: “I really think Ole Miss is going to have some offensive production by this time in the year.”

McElroy: “Ole Miss with too many answered questions already. I have to go with Ole Miss.”

FINAL PREDICTED RECORD: 6-6