Mississippi State-Florida week is here. The game that everyone circled when Dan Mullen left MSU to take the Florida head coaching job will finally take place Saturday Sept. 29 in Davis Wade Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Not surprisingly, much of Mullen’s Monday press conference with local media (streamed live via YouTube) was about the coach’s return to Starkville, Miss. Mullen coached the Bulldogs for nine seasons (2009-2017).

Though Mullen had coached for four seasons in Gainesville, Fla. as UF’s offensive coordinator (2005-08), he was in for a culture change moving to Starkville. It’s no secret that the city further north geographically is more Southern culturally.

“People were really accepting of us, being a Yankee and all, they were very accepting of me at the beginning. Helped when we won,” Mullen said Monday.

Mullen takes pride in winning 69 games at MSU. He said he felt that those past nine seasons have helped make Davis Wade Stadium one of the SEC’s toughest places to play.

“I spent nine years creating the atmosphere, I think,” he said. “I get to go see what it’s like on the other side, seeing what I helped or tried to create.”

When asked if he expects to be booed, Mullen had a humorous answer.

“What do you think?”

On a more serious note, he said he knows the Bulldogs fans will be passionate on Saturday night. He hopes they can appreciate his nine seasons when he leaves the opposing sideline.

“I think there will be a lot of passion on Saturday night with people there,” Mullen said. “I think for the most part they were appreciative of what we were able to accomplish.”