SEC football: Grading Auburn, rest of league’s non-conference scheduling
By Rob Maxwell
Mississippi State
The Bulldogs are set for years when it comes to taking care of Power 5 scheduling. That’s good work on the MSU athletic department to lock up those games. With Joe Moorhead on board as head coach, it will be interesting to watch if the Bulldogs take the next step and become a top-tier team in the SEC West and, if so, if they up the ante up in out-of-conference scheduling.
Future non-conference opponents
2018: Stephen F. Austin, at Kansas State, Lafayette, Louisiana Tech
2019: Lafayette (New Orleans), Southern Miss, Kansas State, Abilene Christian
2020: Alcorn State, at N.C. State, Tulane, UMass
2021: Louisiana Tech, N.C. State, at Memphis, Eastern Illinois
2022: Northwestern State, at Arizona, Memphis
2023: Southeastern Louisiana, Arizona, Southern Miss, at Tulane
2024: Eastern Kentucky, at Arizona State
2025: at Southern Miss, Arizona State
2026: at Minnesota, Troy
2027: Minnesota, at Troy
2028: Texas Tech
2029: at Texas Tech
FlyWarEagle analysis: Mississippi State has done its work, getting its Power 5 opponents cleared through 2029. But that “wow” matchup is missing. Mississippi State vs. Kansas State, N.C. State, Arizona, Arizona State, Minnesota and Texas Tech all feel like middle-of-the-road games. Good, solid games, but not that over-the-top game that the Bulldogs need to bolster their image. Of course, that can be done by beating Alabama and Auburn within their own division. Grade: B-