With Bowl Championship Series bids still undecided and three major conference championship games this weekend, MSU’s bowl challenger remains unknown.
While there are favored locations for head coach Mark Dantonio and his Spartans, including the Capital One and Outback bowls, a final announcement for MSU’s travel plans isn’t expected to be made until Sunday.
Until then, here are the scouting reports of MSU’s most likely competitors along with the estimated odds MSU will see each team to end its season:
Record: 9-3 overall, 6-2 Southeastern
Key wins: At Louisiana State, at South Carolina, Central Michigan
Key losses: No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Florida, No. 15 Georgia Tech
Player to watch: Sophomore running back Knowshon Moreno — The breakout back from New Jersey averaged nearly six yards per carry while compiling more than 125 rushing yards in five big games, including 172 against Vanderbilt and 163 at LSU.
Team rankings (out of 119): Rushing offense — 54, Passing offense — 16, Rushing defense — 42, Pass defense — 32
Key statistic: The Bulldogs might actually embrace playing at a neutral site. Georgia never lost on the road but dropped three games in Athens, Ga.
Chances of playing MSU: 65 percent
Bowl most likely to face MSU: Capital One — The SEC’s third-best team should snatch the highest-paying non-BCS game instead of the lesser Cotton Bowl.
Matchup edge: Georgia — The Bulldogs are strong in the trenches and boast an impressive array of skill players, led by Moreno and senior wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi.
Record: 8-4 overall, 5-3 SEC
Key wins: At Florida, at LSU, Auburn
Key losses: At Wake Forest, at Alabama, South Carolina
Player to watch: Sophomore quarterback Jevan Snead — The Texas transfer led Mississippi to its first winning season in five years and has been impressive down the stretch, throwing 11 touchdowns and one interception in the Rebels’ final four games.
Team rankings: Rushing offense — 30, Passing offense — 58, Rushing defense — 5, Pass defense — 63
Key statistic: Mississippi is one of the hottest teams in the nation that will not play in a BCS bowl, winning its final five games against the likes of Arkansas, Auburn and LSU.
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Chances of playing MSU: 5 percent
Bowl most likely to face MSU: Capital One — The Rebels likely will be selected for the Cotton Bowl in Dallas but could fall if Georgia is taken to Texas instead.
Matchup edge: Even — Mississippi’s run defense and ability to win the big game (see: a 31-30 upset of Florida on the road) match up well with MSU’s ground game and strong defense.
Record: 7-5 overall, 4-4 SEC
Key wins: At Mississippi, Arkansas, North Carolina State
Key losses: At Clemson, at Vanderbilt, LSU
Player to watch: Redshirt freshman quarterback Stephen Garcia — The Gamecocks’ game of musical chairs at quarterback has finished with Garcia, who has thrown 104 passes this season and been named the starter for South Carolina’s bowl game.
Team rankings: Rushing offense — 108, Passing offense — 55, Rushing defense — 41, Pass defense — 4
Key statistic: It’s a good thing for Gamecock fans that South Carolina’s defense is so strong because the offense has turned the ball over 33 times, which is tied for third-worst in the nation.
Chances of playing MSU: 20 percent
Bowl most likely to face MSU: Outback — South Carolina is a sound pick for the Outback Bowl, so it would require MSU to fall out of the Capital One Bowl to see Dantonio’s alma mater in January.
Matchup edge: MSU — The Gamecocks’ offense is scary in its inefficiency and an opportunistic Spartans defense would take advantage.
Record: 7-5 overall, 3-5 SEC
Key wins: At Auburn, at South Carolina
Key losses: Mississippi, at Arkansas, Georgia
Player to watch: Junior running back Charles Scott — The 5-foot-11 tailback has averaged 5.5 yards per carry in his first year as LSU’s premier rusher and the Tigers were 5-1 when he went for more than 100 yards.
Team rankings: Rushing offense — 44, Passing offense — 68, Rushing defense — 16, Pass defense — 81
Key statistic: LSU’s quarterback situation is tenuous at best (head coach Les Miles has hinted that freshman quarterback Jordan Jefferson will start the bowl game) with its men under center throwing 18 interceptions and 20 touchdowns.
Chances of playing MSU: 3 percent
Bowl most likely to face MSU: Outback Bowl — The Tigers would be lucky to sneak into a Jan. 1 bowl and MSU would need to slide out of the Capital One Bowl.
Matchup edge: MSU — As long as the Spartans could contain Scott, the Tigers’ passing struggles and poor pass defense would mean big numbers for MSU’s defense.
