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By Andy Baeuerle
Week 4 of the 2023 College Football Season is upon us, and I want to try something new. Writers from ESPN, Fox Sports, NBC, and even the Clarion Ledger will publish predictions for specific teams, like those in the Top 25 or of a certain conference. I want to start releasing predictions for all six of Mississippi’s Division I teams. This is something new I’ve been wanting to try, and I hope to keep it going each week.
Mississippi State Bulldogs @ South Carolina Gamecocks
My Prediction: MS State 21, South Carolina 35
Mississippi State has had some trouble this year lighting their spark. After a dominant win over Southeast Louisiana (FCS) in week 1, the Bulldogs struggled against Arizona and #14 LSU. South Carolina has been in a similar predicament despite almost winning over top-ranked Georgia in week 3 action. Along with the Georgia loss, the Gamecocks also hold a win over Furman (FCS) and a loss to #21 UNC in week 1. I don’t see the Bulldogs doing too well in this game as they have to travel to the Gamecocks’ home in Williams-Brice Stadium, one of the most competitive venues in the SEC, as well as the Bulldogs not finding a successful way to move the ball on offense. This will be the 17th meeting between these two teams.
#15 Ole Miss Rebels @ #13 Alabama Crimson Tide
My Prediction: #15 Ole Miss 35, #13 Alabama 29
Ole Miss has been particularly dominant in 2023, pulling off a 73-7 win over Mercer in week 1, followed by wins over former SEC opponents #25 Tulane and Georgia Tech in weeks 2 & 3, respectively. Ole Miss is looking very strong on both sides of the ball, with Jaxson Dart looking like one of, if not the top quarterback in the SEC. The Rebels ought to have a very intriguing season in 2023. Meanwhile, in Tuscaloosa, sports analysts are questioning if Nick Saban’s successful time at Alabama may be over. The Crimson Tide has historically been a quarterback university but has struggled at the position the last three weeks, causing the Tide to suffer. Despite a dominant week 1 win over Middle Tennessee, Alabama suffered a loss to #11 Texas and almost blew it against unranked South Florida last week. This week, Ole Miss and Alabama both come into the matchup with a lot of weight on their shoulders, and it should prove to be an exciting fight in the 71st meeting between these two teams.
Southern Miss Golden Eagles @ Arkansas State Red Wolves
My Prediction: Southern Miss 28, Arkansas State 17
In year three of Coach Will Hall’s time at USM, the Golden Eagles have struggled to find their place. The Eagles picked up a big win over Alcorn State in week 1, and play on both sides of the ball was not back to what USM is known for, but it was evident they were close to what football in Hattiesburg is known for. However, USM dropped a significant loss to #4 FSU in week 2. A loss was expected, but USM did not look good in that game. The down spirits followed into week 3, where USM fell to Tulane. But the offense still seems to look fairly good under Will Hall. Arkansas State has also seen trouble under Butch Jones in 2023. The Red Wolves dropped a 0-73 game to #18 Oklahoma in week 1, plus a loss to rival Memphis in week 2. The Red Wolves defense finally found their role against Stony Brook (FCS) in week 3, as AR State came out on top. Both USM and AR State are at risk of losing coaches and a losing season, so this looks to be a heated matchup. USM and Arkansas State are meeting for the 13th time on Saturday and the second time as Sun Belt rivals.
Jackson State Tigers vs. Bethune-Cookman Wildcats
My Prediction: Jackson State 38, Bethune-Cookman 27
JSU has had mixed results since Deion Sanders left Jackson for Colorado. The Tigers won their week 0 matchup against South Carolina State but then dropped a loss against Florida A&M in the Orange Blossom Classic. The Tigers then picked up a win against SWAC rival Southern before dropping a significant 34-77 loss to Texas State (FBS.) Bethune-Cookman has had trouble as well this year, but their only losses have been to strong FBS teams Miami (FL) and Memphis, and they also have a big win over Savannah State. However, the Wildcats are desperately searching for their first winning season since 2019. Jackson State comes into this matchup looking to keep the win streak over the Wildcats alive because they haven’t lost to B-CU since 2019. This will be the third overall meeting between the Tigers and Wildcats.
Alcorn State Braves vs. Prairie View A&M Panthers
My Prediction: Alcorn 21, Prairie View 28
Despite big losses to Southern Miss and Stephen F. Austin, Alcorn State picked up a win against McNeese in week 3 and is playing very well into week 4. Braves running back Jarveon Howard has taken 168 yards and 3 touchdowns on 47 carries. Alcorn has a lot of tradition behind them and can present trouble to nearly any team. One team they’re hoping to cause a major riff with is Prairie View A&M. Prairie View is, historically, one of the most successful HBCUs in the nation, with an 86.1% winning rate. The Panthers have also had a winning season every year since 2019 and are looking to keep it up. When the Panthers fight the Braves on Saturday evening, it will be the 28th matchup between these two teams.
MS Valley State Delta Devils vs. NC Central Eagles
My Prediction: MVSU 13, NC Central 52
Valley State has had some very hard times lately. Even in 2021 & ‘22, the Delta Devils only had 4 combined wins. Valley State has already fallen to Delta State (Division II) and Central State. Valley State is currently getting used to Kendrick Wade, their new head coach, but it looks like it will take a little bit longer to figure him out. North Carolina Central is coming into this matchup looking to make up for a loss to UCLA last week and to keep the winning season alive. In the MEAC, NC Central has been very successful with 6 total MEAC championships under their belt, the most recent in 2022. The Delta Devils and Eagles will meet for the second time Saturday.
According to my predictions, Mississippi goes 3-3 this weekend, though I’d love to see each team win, and we go 6-0. And it’s football, so that means anything can happen. I guess we’ll see how accurate I am on Saturday.
MageeNews.com is an online news source serving Simpson and surrounding counties as well as the State of Mississippi.
