Mississippi State and Miami (Ohio) both took such unorthodox trips to get to the postseason, that it almost seems fitting the teams will play at an odd time, in a baseball stadium, in their first-ever matchup.

The Bulldogs and Redhawks meet in the St. Petersburg Bowl Monday at 10 a.m., at Tropicana Field. It’s the home of Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays, but for one day it’ll host two teams happy to still be playing football.

Mississippi State finished 5-7 and earned a bowl invitation because not enough .500 or better teams were available to fill all 40 bowl games. MSU was one of the top 5-7 teams in the NCAA’s Academic Progress Report rankings, which are used to fill open bowl slots when not enough eligible teams are available.
Miami started 0-6, then won its last six games to become bowl-eligibile.

Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen said he’s treating the bowl game as a reward to his players for doing the right things away from the field. Most of the team’s prep work was done before it left Starkville last week, and the lead-up to the bowl game centered more on side trips and public appearances in the Tampa Bay area.

“I think bowl games are one of the great experiences for players. The message for our guys was, we didn’t have our best season but because of our academics and how we have taken care of things in the classroom they got rewarded with a bowl game,” Mullen said in a press conference on Thursday. “Bowl games are a reward, because you have all of these guys who have maybe never been to St. Petersburg before and may never have another opportunity to come. There are opportunities to go to the beach, stay in a really nice hotel, and just to experience and see different things in life is an unbelievable part of their education.”

The players seemed to be heeding Mullen’s advice. The team participated in a food drive with Miami players and took field trips to Busch Gardens and an NHL game.

“I do not think you can think of a better bowl destination than Florida in the middle of December. It is 70 degrees outside,” MSU quarterback Nick Fitzgerald said, before adding the team is aware there is still work to do. “Bowl games are a great time, but like Coach Mullen says there is always one team that really puts the emphasis on winning the game and not just on the fun things that are set up for us. They take care of us really well here and we have really enjoyed it.”

This is the seventh consecutive season in which Mississippi State has played in a bowl game. It has won four of the previous six — enough for Mullen to know the next nine months won’t be as enjoyable if the Bulldogs don’t take care of business Monday.

“It is huge. I don’t want to be miserable for nine months,” Mullen said. “We do not play again until September. You want to finish on a win. When you show back up in January, you are excited to get going again. That can really energize you.”

ST. PETERSBURG BOWL
Mississippi State (5-7) vs. Miami (Ohio) (6-6)
Monday, 10 a.m.
TV: ESPN; Radio: 105.5 FM