Cowbell Corner

How to watch: Northern Illinois at Mississippi State

The Bulldogs will host a Huskies program with a recent, rich history of upsetting big name programs and will take a swing at the Bulldogs on Saturday.
Taylor Hodges|
Mississippi State Running Back Fluff Bothwell (#24) and Mississippi State Offensive Lineman Jacoby Jackson (#75) during the game between the Alcorn State Braves and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field in Starkville, MS.
Mississippi State Running Back Fluff Bothwell (#24) and Mississippi State Offensive Lineman Jacoby Jackson (#75) during the game between the Alcorn State Braves and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field in Starkville, MS. | Mississippi State Athletics

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Mississippi State BulldogsNorthern Illinois Huskies

Mississippi State has known when it’ll be playing Northern Illinois for a while now.

But when the Bulldogs’ first SEC game was to be played wasn’t known until Monday afternoon.

Disappointingly, Mississippi State will host No. 15 Tennessee at 3:15 p.m. September 27. The game was given the flex designation originally, meaning the game could’ve been played at night.

That would’ve given Mississippi State fans to recreate the environment that led to the Bulldogs’ upset win over Arizona State. But the Volunteers couldn’t hold up their end of that deal, losing to Georgia on Saturday.

However, the Bulldogs also still have some work to do before Tennessee rolls into Starkville.

Mississippi State is facing Northern Illinois for the first time in program history.

This is the same program that beat then-No. 5 Notre Dame last season, something that isn’t lost on Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby.

“They've gone on the road, and they've won huge games,” Lebby said at his Monday press conference. “Over the last four years, they've went into somebody else's house, powerful opponent, and won three of the four games. They had opportunities to beat NC State. They're throwing it into the end zone last year to go win that game and beat Notre Dame, who gets beat by a touchdown in a national championship game.

"So, I'm constantly trying to point at Northern Illinois and what they've done from a program standpoint. They'll be an incredibly confident unit, had opportunities to be on the right side of it versus Maryland a couple weeks ago. They've also had an open date again.”

Against Maryland almost two weeks ago, the Huskies trailed 10-3 at halftime and 13-9 headed into the fourth quarter. So, the Terrapins were definitely in danger of being another Huskie upset victim.

And it’s not like the Bulldogs are unfamiliar with a Group of 5 team coming into Davis Wade Stadium and pulling off a stunning upset.

We all remember the Toledo game last season, right?

That’ll make this Saturday’s game worth watching, and here’s how:

How to Watch: Northern Illinois at Mississippi State

Who: Northern Illinois Huskies (1-1) at Mississippi State Bulldogs (3-0)
When: 3:15 p.m., Saturday
Where: Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville, Miss.
TV: SEC Network
Radio: Live Radio
Stats: Live Stats
Series History: First meeting.
Last Meeting: n/a
Last time out, Bulldogs: def. Alcorn State, 63-0
Last time out, Huskies : lost to Maryland, 20-9

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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