Baylor has been criticized for its recent non-conference schedule and rightfully so. But head coach Art Briles mentioned Mississippi State as a future opponent in 2020 and 2021 during an interview with Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman earlier this week.
"We're playing Duke in '16 or '17 or something, they are a Power 5," Briles told Feldman. "You know, we're playing, I think Mississippi State up in '20, '21. But you got to understand, these schedules are made in 2008, 2009; we're making schedules that we are playing now."
A home-and-home with Mississippi State would seem like a step in the right direction for a Baylor program that hasn't played a Power-5 opponent since the Big 12 went to nine conference games in 2011. The only problem is that Mississippi State athletic director Scott Stricklin knows nothing about the potential matchup.
@PJ247Sports I seriously have no idea where that came from ... News to me.
— Scott Stricklin (@stricklinMSU) April 28, 2015@therealclace @TheFrogHorn Who knows? But Mississippi State has had no conversations w/Baylor about playing football. Good luck to the Bears
— Scott Stricklin (@stricklinMSU) April 29, 2015It would seem odd as Mississippi State already has a home-and-home series against North Carolina State scheduled in 2020 and 2021. The Bulldogs travel to Raleigh for the first matchup, followed by a meeting in Starkville in 2021.
But wait, there's more. Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw confirmed later as a guest on ESPN 1660 that there had been communication with Mississippi State about future football games, but nothing had been set.
I guess we'll have to wait and see. You can read more at BearsTruth.com.