Mississippi St. Bulldogs 2023 Future Odds

After having the interim tag removed, former defensive coordinator Zach Arnett takes over as head coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs. He replaces Mike Leach, who died of a heart attack last December at the age of 61. Known as one of college football’s most innovative offensive minds, Leach was in his third season with the Bulldogs, posting a 19-17 record.

What can we expect from the Bulldogs as they turn the page to a new era? We break down the Mississippi St. Bulldogs future odds in our team preview.

Mississippi St. Bulldogs At A Glance

The Post-Leach Era Begins

For the Mississippi St. Bulldogs, it’s back to business following the death of beloved head coach Mike Leach. Former defensive coordinator Zach Arnett, who coached last year’s ReliaQuest Bowl win over Illinois, takes over after having the interim tag removed.

The Bulldogs will certainly look different this year, most notably on offense. The air-raid attack, a staple of Leach’s at every stop, is being phased out. After three consecutive years leading the nation in passing attempts, the Bulldogs are seeking more balance. Former Appalachian State offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay is the new play-caller. It’s a bold move, especially with a veteran in Will Rogers back at quarterback. Rogers holds the SEC record in completions (1,159) and also sits atop the school record books in career passing yards (10,689) and career passing touchdowns (82). The Bulldogs were efficient last season, ranking 43rd nationally in scoring. But with everything, comes change.

The Bulldogs are coming off a 9-4 finish, matching their best since 2017. They’ve been to 13 consecutive bowls, including three straight under Leach. There’s a solid foundation for winning in Starkville. As good as the SEC is, oddsmakers expect that to continue.

National Championship Odds: Trending in the Wrong Direction

Since the start of the preseason, the Mississippi St. Bulldogs future odds have dropped from +10000 to +20000. Need we say more? That speaks volumes about how outsiders feel.

Sure, Mississippi St. could make a surprise move up the SEC NCAA football standings. Maybe it’ll pull off a big upset or two. But it’ll have a hard enough time winning its division, let alone the SEC or national title. The conference is simply too deep, and Mississippi St. doesn’t have the pieces in place to compete with the country’s best teams on a consistent basis. Maybe someday, but certainly not now.

Conference Odds: Longshot at Best

The SEC remains the preeminent conference in college football, headlined by two-time defending national champions Georgia and Alabama. With a Heisman candidate at quarterback, LSU is in the mix, too. But Mississippi St.? The school’s only SEC title came in 1941, though it did finish atop its division in 1998. That’s not likely to change anytime soon.

The Mississippi St. Bulldogs future odds are +8000, matching four other schools for the second-longest in the conference. Frankly, even that seems a bit too short given what’ll actually take to win the league.

Regular Season Wins: More of the Same for Bulldogs?

Once again, Mississippi St. is projected for 6.5 wins. It managed to beat expectations last season, just as it did in 2021 when it was pegged for 6.0 wins. There’s slightly more skepticism this time around, as the Over’s been juiced to +125. Still, despite the quality of the SEC, it’s a reasonable target.

The non-conference NCAAF schedule is manageable. The Bulldogs will open on Sept. 2 against FCS school Southeastern Louisiana before hosting Arizona the following week. There are also matchups with Western Michigan and Southern Mississippi sprinkled in later in the season.

As always, the stiffest competition will come in SEC play. Two of their first three conference opponents are LSU and Alabama. Yikes. Fortunately, both are at home. Then again, it may not matter. That’s a brutal start, one that could wreck their season if they’re not careful. They need to leave those relatively healthy.

To Make Playoffs: Not Under Consideration

Mississippi State in the College Football Playoff? Oddsmakers aren’t even considering it at the moment. Why? As we stated above, the SEC is really, really good. Many NCAAF predictions have Georgia as the best team in the country. Again.

For now, the CFP seems like a pipe dream for Mississippi St.

For NCAAF betting news, odds, analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.

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