Mississippi State football's 2025 season came to an end a little over a week ago on Black Friday. The Bulldogs fell 38-19 in the Egg Bowl to close out the regular season 5-7, one win short of reaching bowl-eligibility.
But is State's season actually over?
It may not be thanks to some bowl game opt outs. Kansas State and Iowa State each qualified for bowl games this season, but with both going through coaching changes, the programs have decided to opt out of the postseason. With too few teams with at least six wins available to fill those now open slots, the NCAA will instead turn to a group of 5-7 teams and find replacements based on APR (Academic Progress Rate) scores.