Mississippi State Football Countdown: Previewing the Bulldogs' Six SEC West Foes

The Bulldogs will once again battle against six incredibly tough SEC West opponents this year.

The SEC West is arguably the toughest division in college football, and Mississippi State has the opportunity to play its six divisional foes every season.

Alabama continues to be a powerhouse, while many other programs have begun to improve dramatically over the last few years. In 2021, each of the seven teams in the West posted a .500 regular-season record or better -- LSU and Auburn both went on to finish the year at 6-7 after losing their respective bowl games. The division continues to get tougher as the game of football changes, and this year will be no exception to that.

Here is a brief preview of the six SEC West teams that Mississippi State will face in the 2022 season.

LSU

LSU is a mystery team, mainly because the program welcomed head coach Brian Kelly in the offseason. Kelly had a mostly successful tenure at Notre Dame, but an SEC schedule is quite different than anything he has seen before. The Tigers have a talented roster -- although young at some positions -- and could put up a fight against just about anyone. The Week Three matchup between Mississippi State and LSU will be the first SEC game of the year for both teams and should give fans an idea of how the season will likely shake out for the rival programs.

Texas A&M

Texas A&M notched the top recruiting class in the nation last year and is ranked No. 6 in the AP Preseason Poll heading into the regular season. Despite the efforts of head coach Jimbo Fisher, the Aggies have never found themselves in the College Football Playoff and have rarely met the expectations of most fans. This could be the year that TAMU finally makes the big leap, but it could just as easily be another average season that puts Fisher in the hot seat. Mississippi State has fared well against the Aggies since they joined the SEC nearly one decade ago, even pulling off a big upset in 2021. The matchup between the two teams should be competitive and close.

Arkansas

No team was more improved last season than Arkansas. The Razorbacks posted a 9-4 overall record in 2021 and have received plenty of recognition heading into 2022. Dual-threat quarterback KJ Jefferson will lead the charge once again, and the team is incredibly physical and gritty on both sides of the ball. This matchup could be surprisingly tough for Mississippi State and will definitely be an intriguing matchup to keep an eye on.

Alabama

Let's face it: Alabama is the most loaded college football team in the entire NCAA nearly every season. Any time a high-caliber player is drafted, another nationwide standout is ready to take his place. The Crimson Tide will benefit from the return of Heisman-winning quarterback Bryce Young and have seldom gone wrong under head coach Nick Saban. Very few teams will have a shot at knocking off the storied program this year. This game will be the most difficult of the season for the Bulldogs, and it will likely not end in their favor.

Auburn

Auburn will head to Starkville with a chip on its shoulder this season: after all, they blew a 25-point lead against MSU just last year. The Tigers lost some top talent in the transfer portal last season and will be looking to fill the gaps and come out on top this year. Signal-caller TJ Finley has been named the team's official starter, but things could change as the season goes on. Overall, Auburn might have a bit of a down year in comparison to the last few seasons. Will Mississippi State be able to take advantage of potential weaknesses and hold off the vengeful Tigers?

Ole Miss

Coach Lane Kiffin and the Rebels dominated the transfer portal in the offseason, and it will soon be time to see if former USC quarterback Jaxson Dart and TCU running back Zach Evans can live up to expectations in the SEC. Ole Miss has struggled defensively over the last few years, giving Mississippi State a slight advantage if they can manage to control a Rebels' offense that has been electric under Kiffin. Since the game is the last of the regular season, both teams should be well developed and will likely have more than just pride on the line.