Mississippi State to face Wake Forest in Duke's Mayo Bowl

Mississippi State football is bowl-bound. Despite a 5-7 record, the Bulldogs received a bowl invite thanks to their APR score, as opt-outs by multiple bowl-eligible teams created openings that needed to be filled. It's State's first trip to the postseason since the 2022 season when they played in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

State will head to Charlotte, NC on January 2 for the Duke's Mayo Bowl played at Bank of America Stadium. There, they'll take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons of the ACC.

The Demon Deacons have put together a strong 2025 season, reaching a bowl game for the first time since 2022. In their first year under head coach Jake Dickert, Wake Forest finished the regular season with an 8-4 record, going 4-4 in ACC play. They've been strong on defense, allowing just 322 yards per game and holding strong in the redzone. DE Langston Hardy is tied for the ACC lead with 17 tackles for loss, and RB Demond Clairborne was one of the ACC's best with 907 yards and 10 TDs.

Mississippi State football's last trip to Charlotte went well

This will be Mississippi State's second appearance in Charlotte for a bowl game. In 2015, the Bulldogs played NC State in the Belk Bowl (the previous name for the Mayo Bowl) and won 51-28 for their ninth win of the season. The Bulldog offense racked up 569 yards, the second-most yardage in a bowl game in program history. QB Dak Prescott completed 25/42 passes for 380 yards and four TDs and rushed for 47 yards in his final game as a Bulldog. He earned MVP honors.

Music City Bowl rematch

This won't be the first time Mississippi State and Wake Forest have faced each other in a bowl game. The Bulldogs took on the Demon Deacons in the 2011 Music City Bowl in a battle of 6-6 teams, with State getting the win 23-17. The Bulldog defense held the Demon Deacons to just 287 yards of offense and 2-17 on third downs. MSU RB Vick Ballard broke off touchdown runs of 60 and 72 yards in route to a 180-yard performance and MVP honors. The win gave Mississippi State consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 2000.