Hopes of an undefeated season ended for the Mississippi State Bulldogs with a loss to Alabama one week ago, but the most important goal, a national championship, is still very much in tact for Dan Mullen’s team. While hopes of an SEC Championship are out of the hands of the Bulldogs, as Alabama now controls its own destiny, Mississippi State still sits at No. 4 in the College Football Playoff rankings.
How to watch Vanderbilt vs. Mississippi State: Game guide, TV/streaming, odds
Dak Prescott and Mississippi State will look to get back on track against the struggling Vanderbilt Commodores.
A win over Ole Miss in the season-finale would certainly make it hugely surprising if the Bulldogs don't get in to the four-team playoff, but before that all-important Egg Bowl, Mississippi State will play its final home game of the season against the Vanderbilt Commodores.
Even a close game against Vanderbilt would be a disaster for Mississippi State, as the struggling Commodores should present little challenge to a postseason contender. The only wins of the year for Vanderbilt came against Massachusetts, Charleston Southern and Old Dominion.
Vanderbilt averages just 18.9 points per game, which ranks 119th in the nation, and gives up an average of 32.4 points per game, which is 102nd. Simply put, it’s not a good football team and Mississippi State should make it look like that way if the team wants to stake its claim as one of the top four teams in the nation.
How to watch, listen, and stream
Game time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: SEC Network (Tom Hart/Matt Stinchcomb)
Radio: Mississippi State | Vanderbilt
Online streaming: WatchESPN
The numbers
Rankings and records: Mississippi State enters this game ranked 4th in the College Football Playoff rankings, and is 9-1 (5-1 SEC). Vandebilt is 3-7 (0-6 SEC). The Bulldogs lead the all-time series 12-7-2, and have won two in a row against the Commodores.
Vegas: Mississippi State opened as a 30.5-point favorite, and that line has remained steady in most sportsbooks. It’s now 31 with an over/under for this game is 53.5, per OddsShark.
Weather forecast: Partly cloudy with a high of 65.
Two things at stake
Mississippi State’s playoff chances. Two of the final three games on the schedule were inevitably going to be a huge challenge for the Bulldogs. This matchup against the Commodores isn’t supposed to be one of them. Even a stumble and less-than-convincing performance from Mississippi State could prove costly, while a loss would end any chance of inclusion in the playoff.
Dak Prescott's trip to New York City. Expectations of a Heisman Trophy for Mississippi State's Dak Prescott are probably best forgotten at this point in the season. Oregon's Marcus Mariota is pulling away from the field and if any player has a chance at making a run for the top individual honor in college football, it's likely Melvin Gordon of Wisconsin, not Prescott. Still, a bounce-back showing against Vanderbilt after a rough go against Alabama could be enough to get Prscott a trip to New York City as one of the Heisman finalists. The school has never had a Heisman Trophy winner, so even a finalist would be a big accomplishment for Prescott and stake his claim in Misssissippi State history.
One big matchup
Dak Prescott vs. the Vanderbilt secondary. The Commodores have several inexperienced players in the secondary and have been victimized through the air as a consequence. As mentioned before, Prescott didn’t have his best showing against Alabama and finished the game with three interceptions. After starting the year with 13 touchdowns and two interceptions through the first five games, Prescott has had just seven touchdowns and eight interceptions in the five games since. Vanderbilt is the type of game that Prescott should be able to dominate and use to get back on track.
Further reading
For more on Mississippi State, check out For Whom The Cowbell Tolls. For more on Vanderbilt, head over to Anchor of Gold.
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