2024 Mississippi State Football Schedule Preview (GAME-BY-GAME ANALYSIS)

all right guys we're back here on South Eastern 14 with Chase Robinson as we continue our look at all of the SEC football schedules for the 2024 season and uh we're about halfway through so far so if you've missed any of the ones we've done at this point you can check them out but if you're a Mississippi State fan and you're here to hear our thoughts on the Bulldogs we'll jump into that in just a second and look at all these matchups for Jeff lebby's team before we do that let's tell you about bet online your number one source for the Stanley Cup playoffs this season which by the time you watch this may be over the NBA Finals uh just finished up but no matter what sport it is they've got every stat every match up and live odds and spreads while the game is being played head on over um to their online casino and get on a game of blackjack or poker once the games are over you can also unwind we live over their 150 slots games head to their website today to get on the action use that promo code believe we always tell you about it bav for your 50% welcome bonus on your first deposit bet online the game starts here all right Chase as usual with these we will kind of go through uh kind of game by game look at different stretches of the season for these teams but for Mississippi State the the Jeff lebby era will begin on August 31st as they will host Eastern Kentucky in a game I would say Mississippi state will be favored in then things start to get interesting after that the late night we can't even call it Pack 12 after dark anymore Chase because there is no Pack 12 but they will uh once again re reignite their rivalry seems like Mississippi State and Arizona played you know the last couple Seasons now it's Arizona State so Mississippi State head the tempy to play Arizona State on September the 7th yeah you know you you get a game in Stark to start the season off against Eastern Kentucky um you know this is a game like you mentioned I'm sure Mississippi Mississippi state will be favored in um it's a chance to kind of fine-tune things because you look at the the rest of the schedule and it's it's not easy and so this is a chance for you to to get ready build some confidence heading into the rest of the year but uh I think Eastern Kentucky game is is definitely a winable game to start the year but you mentioned the Arizona State game that's a challenge right off the bat I mean yeah this is not uh you know I I don't think Arizona state by any means is going to be uh you know a playoff team but this is going to be a a early test for Jeff lebby in Mississippi State for sure uh because it is it's a late kick it's uh it's out in Arizona and so I think this is a uh I think this is a crucial non-conference game just to see where you're at at this point of the Season again you'll have a game under your belt what can you learn from this game because again it does not get any easier as you move through the Bulldog schedule yeah does not at all and of course Arizona State coming off of a a disappointing year but we knew kind of where the program was at they went three and nine last year but um Kenny Dillingham now going to step into season two here uh and we'll see what happens but it's any kind of Road game as you mentioned is always a a tough thing um and then if you go beyond that before we get into the the SEC slate for Mississippi State they are going to play Toledo that game on September 14th and then Begins the grind which we'll get into Chase but they get Toledo before that yeah I think it's a good game comes at a good time uh right before you get into SEC play so you get a game get it home after going out to Arizona you're back home you get Toledo a group of five opponent there and uh again another chance to kind of f tune things before uh a a gauntlet of an SEC schedule begins yeah and it does begin after that because um that is where things start to pick up uh for Mississippi State and I mean we can really just kind of as we've usually done with these it's look at the games that could sort of make or breaker season I don't think there's any doubt from Mississippi state that game on September 21st against Florida uh is a a make or break type game especially if you're talking about Bowl aspirations and all that cuz as we're going to look at I mean if you keep going down that schedule at Texas at Georgia A&M um you know and we're going to get to a couple more after Arkansas and UMass there at the bottom that are probably going to be you know at least touchdown Underdog or more against some of the other teams that are there that's where this Florida game is so huge because you know we talk about Florida and obviously lots of you know discussion surrounding billyon apers job security and is this the year that Florida turns it around or is this the year year where it all just completely falls apart um man what a what a big game this is for for both teams but I guess you could actually say the pressure is probably more so on Florida in this game since this one is in Stark full and you would at least feel like Mississippi States got a chance to build a little bit of early momentum because like we said what if they you know you go win that game at Arizona State decent potential you could be 3 and0 heading into that Florida game yeah this is a huge game uh for Mississippi State and you look at the schedule last year and I feel like State uh lost games in chunks they would lose three maybe win one lose three well the the way the schedule's laid out this year you've got a road trip to Texas and Georgia coming up then you got Texas A&M so this this game is huge just in that fact of hey let's let's let's get this win right here because wins are going to be hard to come by the next few weeks and so yeah this Florida game is so important I feel like there's so many questions on both of these teams it's it's hard to really know uh much about Mississippi State or Florida right now more so Mississippi State just because new coach and and a lot of new players not a lot returning for the Bulldogs but yeah still a lot for Florida as well so this will be interesting I think we'll learn a lot about both teams in this one uh with it being kind of an early season SEC matchup but uh this may be the biggest game on the schedule for Mississippi State uh you win this one you're in a decent position heading into the to kind of the rest of the SEC schedule because you do have an SEC win under your belt you drop this one and uh it's going to be tough sledding the rest of the way here because it is like we mentioned tough and two tough road trips the next couple of weeks for Mississippi State yeah and just as a note quickly I mean I we kind of you know we were looking at the the SEC games but remember too Toledo went 11 and3 last year they were eight and one in the mac and um you know the only which 11 and three is kind of misleading because they were 11-1 the regular season lost in the MAC Championship to Miami of Ohio then lost to Wyoming uh in the car Sports Arizona Bowl uh in that one so that's a really good team I think most people project them I was looking at my my fi steal here actually as you were you were talking I mean they're still projected um to be one of the best teams uh in the max so that can be a tricky game too for Mississippi State and so um that's one you definitely don't want to overlook heading into that Florida game so all right well you're definitely not going to overlook uh these next several games because this is uh this is a grind here um so Texas comes in uh as you know one of the newcomers in the league so Mississippi state gets Texas instead of Oklahoma this year that one is going to be in Austin on September the 28th uh then you get the week off and it's like hey congratulations you got a week off now you get to go to Georgia so boy um again I don't know the expectations will be high for either one of these games uh you would expect probably Texas and Georgia to most likely be double- digit favorites in both of these games uh based on what we know right now uh and so yeah I I don't think these are games you're circling as um ones that you're going to chalk up as wins uh but again that's where also Chase I think it's so important those first four games because knowing that it's not just Texas and Georgia there's several more of these um games here down the stretch that again you're looking at Mississippi State team that could very well likely be double- digit underdogs and at least four of these games on the road and you'll see who the other couple are in a second but um man it's so important to at least get I mean look if you if you're three and one going to this Texas game or if you're 4-0 boy you're going to feel great about things if you're a Mississippi State fan yeah you are and I mean this it's hard to just to to talk about these next two just because I mean you're you're looking at probably the the best two teams in the SEC in Texas and Georgia really uh two of the favorites that that could win at all and so yeah this is this is tough two games for Mississippi State um you know what Steve sares done at Texas and getting this program to where it is building the roster the way it is I mean there there's no doubt they um you know that they're one of the contenders for the title and I mean um I I guess you could use this as a measuring stick if you're Mississippi State though like where are we at in the SEC like we we played Florida but now we've got Texas you know they played in the uh the playoffs last year where is this program ad I think this is a good game to use to kind of measure yourself uh at this point of the season uh but again hey you you you compete in this game you find a way to to challenge Texas as some ways I think that's a great way to measure where this state program is at yep I think so too and man it's just you look at again where where things stand um with these two teams and like you mentioned I mean the expectations are so high obviously for Georgia and Texas um and you know we talking two of the favorites to win the national title there's no question about that uh but then again like you know you keep going down that schedule and as we pull it up here I mean it's like there's an interesting game against Texas A&M on October the 19th um you know the Aggies obviously in in the same sort of boat in terms of um overhauling the coaching staff Mike elco's there now uh and you know kind of another nice thing where when you look at the way the schedule unfolds chase the the good thing is when you get past those Texas and Georgia games well there's a common theme in the next several and it's good for Mississippi State because you're getting these next three games at home now two of those certainly going to be against A&M and Arkansas Arkansas is kind of one of those teams you feel like it's nice to get like a Florida and Arkansas pairing on this schedule because I think if if you ask the most pessimistic Florida and Arkansas fans of like their doomsday scenario like there's one that exists for those two teams uh to where they could just you know the wheels could be falling off for Arkansas at this point for Florida who knows where they're at you know in game four so I think it's it's nice to have two teams like that and that's what we said these are the swing games on the schedule knowing that when you see at Texas you see at Georgia you know A&M's kind of a tricky one we still feel like A&M even with the coaching chains got a lot of talent there um and you know we're going to be projected higher than Mississippi State right off the bat and so um man this is a it's a big three- game stretch here because like we said if Mississippi state's done the work up front gotten at least maybe three wins before they get to that Texas game which could be easier said than done but let's say they get the those three it's a great opportunity to go ahead and you know knock knock out your bull bid right here if you're able to win these three but um again the that's kind of the the nature of these schedules as we always know it's these kind of games are the ones that Define your season because there are so many others where you feel like it's just going to be a a big Challenge and I feel like this off week comes at such a good time because you look at the games they've played you can stop take a deep breath I mean this is a this is a new coaching staff Jeff Levy is his first year a head coach he's still learning some things uh of what he wants to implement with this team I mean it is looking at at the projected starters there's only one returning I mean that's a lot of new guys a lot of new faces to the program so at this point I think the off week is is really good because you can stop and and say hey here's what we need to do because yeah we have a tough slate coming up but here's what we can do for us right now here's the things we can change going into Georgia hosting A&M hosting Arkansas and then the rest of the way like some some really good changes I feel like could be made in this off week and yes coming out of the off week that's a tough game to have to go to to Athens and play Georgia but yeah I think you look ahead to A&M and Arkansas and uh you know like you mentioned A&M's going to be good but this Arkansas game like you said also a swing game like this this could be a game that Mississippi State could really use in their favor because they do have it in Starkville they they got home game there in that one and you you've kind of been able to take a deep breath and figure some things out uh Jeff Levy a great offensive mind I'm excited to see what he implements with uh the offense there for uh Mississippi State but uh yeah it it's a tough stretch but uh if you're Mississippi State you you keep grinding because there are games on this schedule even though we talk about it that are very winnable games and uh I'm interested to see where Arkansas is at at this point because you got Arkansas and then you got UMass uh and then several tough SEC games to come but uh yeah I think if you're Missi say you really Target these games you think you can win and uh and get the job done there yeah and you mentioned I mean after that you know like we said you kind of talk about the the swing games here um at this point in the schedule but then if we go down to like the the rest of the schedule after UMass boy um there not a lot of people are going to have a final three- game stretch that is as tough as this one uh when you look at Mississippi States um setup here they're at Tennessee which again Tennessee a team that feels like it has college football playoff aspirations another week off there on November 16th when you got a lot of SEC teams playing um you know lower competition that week Mississippi state's going to have the week off probably comes to a good time because then they're going to host Missouri who also has college football playoff aspirations they're a preseason top 10 team for a lot of people same with Old Miss in the Egg Bowl on November 29th so that's what we mean by you know it's just there is so little room for error for this Mississippi State team when it comes to some of these games that you know probably will be let's say fi goal to I don't know Sixpoint type spreads uh in those kind of games that could go either way because man it feels like there is so so little margin for error against some of these teams on the road especially when you think about they're going to have to go to Austin go to Athens go to noxville go to Oxford those are all on the schedule and not to say Mississippi State can't win any those games because look I mean who knows like we don't know where they're going to be at this point we don't know how quickly things are going to come along but man there there is not a lot of room um to to lose some of these games let's say like an Arkansas like a Florida because when you start looking at the rest of the schedule especially this La these last three games here it's pretty brutal at least on paper yeah I mean you're looking at three of the I'm going to say top seven teams in the SEC maybe top six teams in the SEC with Tennessee Missouri don't miss and so I mean yeah that's tough but the again I think their off weeks come at a very very good time before that Georgia game and then before Missouri both at uh kind of times where you can kind of reset a little bit and and and finish strong in this case uh against Missouri and and we've seen some crazy things happen in the Egg Bowl uh with with Mississippi State and Old Miss it's uh it's it's kind of been a toss up in that one uh as of late but uh yeah it's it's tough you think about Tennessee though going up to Knoxville um they're GNA have played a a a decently tough schedule as well uh they've had some some good games for them at home uh so you know they're going to be a situation where at this point you know it's hard to tell really where any team will be at but Tennessee is expect to be pretty good so uh you know if the season has gone like we thought they that it it might for the vs uh you know they've got this one at home this could be tough for for Mississippi State and then you look at Missouri uh I think this is good for Mississippi State to have this one at home Columbia is a tough place to play um this is a a situation for Missouri where this is kind of a must-win for them you know if they want to shot at the college football playoff um you know they they don't have the toughest schedule in the SEC by any means but still late in the season you gotta win this game so this could be a game that Mississippi State could could sneak up on Missouri and kind of play spoiler they're able to win this one keep Missouri out of the playoffs and then yeah the Egg Bowl like I said we've seen some crazy things happen this time it's in Oxford Mississippi against Old Miss team who uh if they're having the season I think they will and a lot of folks think they will uh they're definitely going to be a uh a favorite in the college football playoff yeah this is again a very interesting schedule Phil still has this is the fifth toughest SEC schedule um you know it's got it 16th nationally so you know you kind of compare it Florida Georgia Alabama Vander have tougher schedules according to this model for Phil steel so yeah like it's it's a tough one um when you just again look at all those Road games against these I mean really you're talking about four Road games against teams that would it shock any of us that if somehow those four teams finish in like the top seven nationally top eight nationally um when we talk about Georgia Texas you know Tennessee maybe Old Miss Missouri like those are all just you know again teams that feel like they are among potentially the top 10 teams in the country perhaps if all goes according to plan there and then like we said who knows kind of what the process looks like under Mike OKO in year one at A&M and then with Florida and Arkansas two teams that two programs that really want to get back on the way up but man this could be a very interesting season for the Bulldogs Chase to say the least it could be and like I mentioned like they lost to chunks last year like looking at their last last year's schedule they won two lost three one two lost three one and then lost like uh yeah I think they want want to find a way to to not lose in chunks to to get a win in there I mean the the schedule works out that way and it did last year and it wins it does this year where they've got some tough games right in a row well we'll see if they could find a way to win one of those kind of break up those losses give them some momentum some confidence in in what is again a tough schedule for the Bulldogs yep we'll see how it goes and we'll have it covered here at Southeastern 14 so be sure to that subscribe button hit 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