College Football Playoff Rankings 2018: Selection Sunday Top 25 projections
By Zach Bigalke
Mississippi State will remain anchored just ahead of a Texas A&M team they beat head-to-head this season, despite the fact the Bulldogs finished lower in the overall SEC West standings. In their first year under new coach Joe Moorhead, Mississippi State finished 8-4 in the regular season. Depending on how their bowl game finishes, the Bulldogs could go 9-4 for the third time in four years.
Nick Fitzgerald was once again the catalyst for Mississippi State’s success on offense. The quarterback came back from his nasty injury sustained against Ole Miss in the 2017 Egg Bowl to lead the Bulldogs for his senior season. Fitzgerald finished the regular season with 1600 passing yards and 1000 rushing yards and racked up 27 total touchdowns.
But Mississippi State’s success was really predicated by the nation’s top-ranked scoring defense, as the Bulldogs gave up just 12 points per game. That is why they will stay ahead of the Aggies in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 of the year. It won’t be enough to land in a New Year’s Six bowl, but the Bulldogs still put together a solid campaign among the top quintile nationally.