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Mississippi State Football: What Does Athlon Sports Predict for the Bulldogs?

By Andrew Miller

Nov 24, 2022; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs players celebrate with the Egg Bowl trophy after the game against the Ole Miss Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 24, 2022; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs players celebrate with the Egg Bowl trophy after the game against the Ole Miss Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports /
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We’re now 100 days away from the return of Mississippi State football, as the 2023 college football season gets closer and closer. Few things signal college football being just around the corner like the return of preview magazines.

One of the most popular preview magazines, Athlon Sports College Football, has now hit shelves across the country. Like many CFB diehards, I picked myself up a copy, eager to see what they had to say about the upcoming season and, specifically, what they project for Mississippi State.

Starting with All-American and All-Conference selections, nine Bulldogs earned preseason honors. The explosive Tulu Griffin was named 2nd Team All-American as a Kick Returner. Linebacker Nathaniel Watson was named 4th Team All-American after recording 114 tackles last season (second in the SEC to only Bulldog-teammate Jett Johnson).

Both Griffin and Watson were 1st Team All-SEC selections, with Griffin also earning 4th team honors at WR. At 2nd Team All-SEC were 4th-year signal caller Will Rogers and the aforementioned Jett Johnson. No Bulldogs were named to the 3rd Team, but six were given 4th Team designations: RB Jo’quavious Marks, OL Cole Smith and Nick Jones, DL Jaden Crumedy, Punt Returner Zavion Thomas, and Griffin.

Athlon also listed Mississippi State’s LB room as the 10th best in the nation. That makes sense considering the top-two tacklers in the SEC reside in Starkville.

Despite several Bulldogs being recognized as All-Conference talents, Athlon’s actual projections for State’s season weren’t as generous. They predict MSU to go 6-6 (2-6 SEC) and finish 6th in the West division. Here are their full predicted standings:

EAST

  1. Georgia 13-0 (8-0)
  2. Tennessee 9-3 (5-3)
  3. Kentucky 8-4 (4-4)
  4. South Carolina 7-5 (4-4)
  5. Florida 5-7 (3-5)
  6. Missouri 6-6 (2-6)
  7. Vanderbilt 4-8 (1-7)

WEST

  1. Alabama 12-1 (8-0)
  2. LSU 10-2 (6-2)
  3. Texas A&M 8-4 (4-4)
  4. Ole Miss 8-4 (4-4)
  5. Arkansas 7-5 (3-5)
  6. Mississippi State 6-6 (2-6)
  7. Auburn 6-6 (2-6)

SEC Championship Game: Georgia over Alabama

We’ve discussed this at length, but national publications just are not sold on Mississippi State going into the 2023 season (what else is new?). At least they didn’t predict the Bulldogs to finish last in their division as seems to so often be the case.

Athlon also predicts MSU to end its season playing in the Birmingham Bowl against Troy. Though it would be nice to keep the bowl streak going, and that would be an easy trip for fans, the Bulldog faithful are certainly hoping for a more attractive postseason destination than Birmingham.

Mississippi State football has a history of outperforming the national media’s preseason expectations. That bar is once again being set low, so hopefully the trend can continue.

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