The 2022 college football season is just around the corner and the means Mike Leach and the Mississippi State Bulldogs will be looking to build upon the success they were able to find during the 2021 Mississippi State football season. While 2021 wasn’t always a perfect year, Leach and the Bulldogs showed plenty of promise during several stretches.

If the Mississippi State football team is able to build upon where it found success in 2021, then maybe the Bulldogs will be able to exceed expectations in 2022.

Of course, it can be hard to set expectations for this particular team. Mississippi State brings back plenty of experience and talent, but the Bulldogs do take on what currently appears to be arguably the toughest schedule in the country this season.

So, what can fans REASONABLY expect from this team?

ESPN FPI projects 2022 Mississippi State football record

With a number of simulations and a bunch of math and numbers, ESPN’s Football Power Index has attempted to predict just how many games the Bulldogs will be able to win in 2022.

According to ESPN’s FPI, Mississippi State is currently expected to go out and win 6.5 games while racking up 5.5 losses. That wouldn’t be the worst season ever, but it sure falls short of what fans are wanting Leach and the Bulldogs to accomplish this season.

Mississippi State currently ranks 24th in the country, according to ESPN’s FPI. The Bulldogs sit at 8th in the SEC. Here’s what their rankings currently look like, from an SEC perspective:

1. Alabama Crimson Tide
2. Georgia Bulldogs
3. LSU Tigers
4. Auburn Tigers
5. Texas A&M Aggies
6. Ole Miss Rebels
7. Kentucky Wildcats
8. Mississippi State Bulldogs
9. Tennessee Volunteers
10. Arkansas Razorbacks
11. Florida Gators
12. South Carolina Gamecocks
13. Missouri Tigers
14. Vanderbilt Commodores

Of course, there are many unpredictable elements about this whole situation and things will certainly change on a week-by-week basis. So, there’s a good chance that what we see happen at the end of the season may not be totally reflective of what these predictions are expecting.

Enough about projections from a computer. How many games do YOU think the Bulldogs will win this year? Go ahead and take a look at the upcoming Mississippi State football schedule below:

2022 Mississippi State football schedule

1. Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Memphis Tigers – 9/3/22 at 6:30 p.m.
   • Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field in Starkville, Mississippi
2. Mississippi State Bulldogs at Arizona Wildcats – 9/10/22 at 10 p.m.
   • Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona
3. Mississippi State Bulldogs at LSU Tigers – 9/17/22 at 5 p.m.
   • Tiger Stadium (also known as Death Valley) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
4. Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Bowling Green Falcons – 9/24/22 at TBD
   • Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field in Starkville, Mississippi
5. Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Texas A&M Aggies – 10/1/22 at TBD
   • Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field in Starkville, Mississippi
6. Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Arkansas Razorbacks -10/8/22 at TBD (Homecoming)
   • Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field in Starkville, Mississippi
7. Mississippi State Bulldogs at Kentucky Wildcats – 10/15/22 at TBD
   • Kroger Field (previously Commonwealth Stadium) in Lexington, Kentucky
8. Mississippi State Bulldogs at Alabama Crimson Tide – 10/22/22 at TBD
   • Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
9. Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Auburn Tigers – 11/5/22 at TBD
   • Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field in Starkville, Mississippi
10. Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Georgia Bulldogs – 11/12/22 at TBD
    • Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field in Starkville, Mississippi
11. Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. East Tennessee State Buccaneers – 11/19/22 at TBD
    • Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field in Starkville, Mississippi
12. Mississippi State Bulldogs at Ole Miss Rebels – 11/24/22 (Thursday) at 6 p.m.
    • Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi

To read more about ESPN’s FPI projections for the 2022 Mississippi State football season, click either of the links below:

• 2022 Mississippi State football predictions: ESPN FPI predicts 2022 schedule
• 2022 ESPN FPI predictions: Mississippi State football favored in 7 games

For more independent Mississippi State news and commentary, follow The Underdog Tribune on Facebook and Twitter. Follow Ethan Lee on Facebook and Twitter.