Bowl projections 2021: Mississippi State projected to play Big 12 team in Texas Bowl

The latest college football bowl projections have the Mississippi State football team playing a Big 12 team in Texas Bowl.

After putting forth a respectable effort vs. arch rival Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl, the Mississippi State football team is gearing up for its holiday season bowl.

The Bulldogs went 7-5 under Mike Leach in his second season leading the team. There were moments throughout the regular season where the Bulldogs looked capable of beating or hanging with just about anybody. Given that Ole Miss improved to 10-2 on the year after Thursday night’s road win, the Rebels are poised to play in the Sugar Bowl, or get to a New Year’s Six bowl at least.

Here is the latest bowl projection for the Bulldogs now that their regular season has ended.

Mississippi State bowl projections have Bulldogs playing Iowa State in the Texas Bowl

Brett McMurphy of The Action Network has Mississippi State playing the Iowa State Cyclones in the 2022 Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas on Jan. 4.

While this bowl is a bit disappointing for Matt Campbell’s Cyclones team, getting to a bowl game under Leach in his first normal season at the helm is a big deal. Mississippi State was picked by many prognosticators to miss out on a holiday season bowl with a sub-.500 record and finish in last in the SEC West standings. At 7-5, they can continue to build with their January bowl game.

With Houston not being all that far from Starkville, this should be a good Big 12 vs. SEC matchup at NRG Stadium between the Bulldogs and the Cyclones in the first week of the new year.

For more NCAA football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.