In Year 1 of the Mike Leach era, Mississippi State finished the regular season just 3-7, but due to the circumstances of the 2020 season, the Bulldogs got to play in the postseason and end the year on a high note, taking down a ranked Tulsa team in the Armed Forces Bowl.

MSU is hoping that momentum carries over into 2021. ESPN’s Football Power Index sees a big turnaround for the Bulldogs in Year 2 with The Pirate.

In its game-by-game predictions, the FPI has MSU jumping out to a 4-0 start and finishing the year 8-4.

  • Sept. 4 vs. Louisiana Tech (92.6 percent chance to win)
  • Sept. 11 vs. NC State (66.4 percent chance to win)
  • Sept. 18 at Memphis (57.1 percent chance to win)
  • Sept. 25 vs. LSU (50.9 percent chance to win)
  • Oct. 2 at Texas A&M (17.0 percent chance to win)
  • Oct. 16 vs. Alabama (14. 5 percent chance to win)
  • Oct. 23 at Vanderbilt (85.8 percent chance to win)
  • Oct. 30 vs. Kentucky (63.0 percent chance to win)
  • Nov. 6 at Arkansas (44.1 percent chance to win)
  • Nov. 13 at Auburn (31.6 percent chance to win)
  • Nov. 20 vs. Tennessee State (99.5 percent chance to win)
  • Nov. 25 vs. Ole Miss (53.7 percent chance to win)

Judging by the FPI’s predictions, MSU is just a couple of upsets from double-digit victories in 2021. We’ll see how it all plays out in Starkvegas.