WHO: No. 23 Mississippi State (8-4) vs. Louisville (8-4)
WHAT: The 73rd TaxSlayer Bowl
WHEN: Sat. Dec. 30th at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN
WHERE: EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida
THE SKINNY: This has been an up-and-down season for both the Cardinals and Bulldogs so it?s fitting that the two should meet in what was formerly the Gator Bowl for a shot at capping 2017 off with a ninth win and a little momentum heading into the offseason.
If you?re looking for a reason to tune in, look no further than Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson, who likely will be playing his final game for the team before leaving to go to the NFL but has one last chance to leave a lasting impression for fans, scouts and opponents. The electric dual-threat has been as good if not better this year than he was when he was named the most outstanding player in the sport and you can bet that he is looking to add significantly to his already eye-popping numbers (4,932 total yards and a whopping 42 touchdowns) in this game as a potential swan song to his Louisville career.
MSU, on the other hand, heads to sunny Florida in a much different position. Quarterback Nick Fitzgerald broke his ankle in the Egg Bowl to end the year and head coach Dan Mullen (along with several assistants) departed for Florida not long after the regular season ended. While there is plenty of talent on the roster ? especially on defense with defensive linemen like Montez Sweat and Jeffery Simmons ? it will be interesting to see how a group with an interim defensive coordinator tries to slow down one of the most dangerous players in the country. Add in that this will be the first start for freshman signal-caller Keytaon Thompson and it?s safe to say that MSU is a team in that finds itself in quite a transition during the lead up to the game.
Still, there are enough athletes on both sides to make this one a potentially fun finish to close out 2017 and one of the better matchups of bowl season outside the New Year?s Six. The Cardinals have a pretty clear-cut edge coming into the TaxSlayer Bowl but given what a wildcard the Bulldogs are at the moment, they could certainly make things interesting until Jackson really gets going with his arm and his legs.
WHAT: The 73rd TaxSlayer Bowl
WHEN: Sat. Dec. 30th at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN
WHERE: EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida
THE SKINNY: This has been an up-and-down season for both the Cardinals and Bulldogs so it?s fitting that the two should meet in what was formerly the Gator Bowl for a shot at capping 2017 off with a ninth win and a little momentum heading into the offseason.
If you?re looking for a reason to tune in, look no further than Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson, who likely will be playing his final game for the team before leaving to go to the NFL but has one last chance to leave a lasting impression for fans, scouts and opponents. The electric dual-threat has been as good if not better this year than he was when he was named the most outstanding player in the sport and you can bet that he is looking to add significantly to his already eye-popping numbers (4,932 total yards and a whopping 42 touchdowns) in this game as a potential swan song to his Louisville career.
MSU, on the other hand, heads to sunny Florida in a much different position. Quarterback Nick Fitzgerald broke his ankle in the Egg Bowl to end the year and head coach Dan Mullen (along with several assistants) departed for Florida not long after the regular season ended. While there is plenty of talent on the roster ? especially on defense with defensive linemen like Montez Sweat and Jeffery Simmons ? it will be interesting to see how a group with an interim defensive coordinator tries to slow down one of the most dangerous players in the country. Add in that this will be the first start for freshman signal-caller Keytaon Thompson and it?s safe to say that MSU is a team in that finds itself in quite a transition during the lead up to the game.
Still, there are enough athletes on both sides to make this one a potentially fun finish to close out 2017 and one of the better matchups of bowl season outside the New Year?s Six. The Cardinals have a pretty clear-cut edge coming into the TaxSlayer Bowl but given what a wildcard the Bulldogs are at the moment, they could certainly make things interesting until Jackson really gets going with his arm and his legs.
