Mississippi State vs. Wake Forest: Game Time and TV Coverage for Music City Bowl

The Mississippi State Bulldogs look to get back-to-back bowl victories for the first time in over a decade but their opponent, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, are just as motivated because this is their first bowl appearance since 2008. 

Neither team had quite the season they'd hoped for, but they managed to do enough to become bowl eligible. 

Both teams finished 6-6 on the year, but the Bulldogs faced tough competition, going 2-6 in SEC play. Wake Forest went 5-3 in ACC play, which goes to show how much stronger the SEC truly is. 

With that said, let's take a look at some specifics of the Music City Bowl. 

When: Friday, Dec. 30 at 6:40 p.m. ET 

Where: LP Field, Nashville, TN 

Watch: ESPN, ESPN3.com,

Listen: WZNO 105.9 FM in MS, WFNZ 610 AM in NC

Betting Line: Miss. St (-7) 

Key Storyline 

One team will finish the year with a losing record, while the other barely manages to get above .500. Avoid a losing season is a must for both teams, which is what makes this game worth watching.

Another good storyline here is that this could be Dan Mullen's final game as head coach at Mississippi State. He denied being linked to Penn State, but once the bowl game is over things can easily change.

Who Might Not Play for Mississippi State 

* According to USA Today

QB Tyler Russell (knee): Probable 

Who Might Not Play for Wake Forest 

* According to USA Today

RB Josh Harris (hamstring): Probable 

OT Steven Chase (knee): Questionable 

OG Colin Summers (leg): Questionable 

NT Ramon Booi (knee): Questionable 

DL John Gallagher (knee): Questionable 

FB Lovell Jackson (shoulder): Doubtful 

What It Means for Mississippi State 

The Bulldogs were expected to make some noise in the SEC this season, but they flopped big time. This bowl game is very crucial to the future of their program because a win would help them forget how horrible the year was.

However, a loss would devastate the team and make this season one of their worst ever because they were expected to do such great things. 

What if Means for Wake Forest 

The Demon Deacons haven't been relevant in the college football world for a few years, but a win over a strong SEC team would give the program a great boost of confidence moving forward. 

Wake Forest doesn't have a ton of pressure on them for this game, as nobody believes they'll win this game. As underdogs, they have a chip on their shoulder and it's up to them for prove their critics wrong. 

What They're Saying

Brandon Marcello covers the Bulldogs for The Clarion-Ledger, and he tweeted some recent news about Mississippi State's top player. 

Cox is likely going to be a late first-round pick, but depending on his pre-draft workouts he could rise or fall. 

Given how poor the Bulldogs were this season, and since some talented players are graduating, I highly doubt Cox would return. He's one of the top defensive tackles in the 2012 draft class, and it would greatly benefit him to depart to the NFL while his ceiling is high. 

Cox is definitely one of those players who needs to shine bright in a bowl game to further help his draft stock. 

Wake Forest senior linebacker Kyle Wilber told Dan Collins of the Winston-Salem Journal that playing Mississippi State is going to be tough. 

"It's a strong SEC team, a team that held LSU to 19 points. It will be a great challenge to play them. They have big ol' linemen, and they try to run it down your throat. They've got strong, athletic players."

The toughest defense Wake Forest battled this season was Florida State, but they ended up winning that game. The Demon Deacons aren't a bad team, and they're fully capable of taking down Mississippi State.

However, Wake Forest was demolished 41-7 in its final game of the year, which just so happened to be against Vanderbilt, the only SEC school the Demon Deacons played against this season. 

Mississippi State Player to Watch 

Vick Ballard has rushed for over 100 yards five times this season, but he's also had some pretty rough games. Of course, those came at the hands of Alabama, LSU and Georgia, the nation's top rushing defenses. 

The senior running back has to be successful on the ground because it opens up a number of plays for the Bulldogs. Anytime you can have a great ground and pound it greatly increases the chances of you winning, so Ballard has to step up and deliver on the big stage and his final collegiate game. 

Wake Forest Player to Watch 

Tanner Price is the guy for the Demon Deacons. If he didn't have an impressive season there is no way Wake Forest becomes bowl eligible. 

The sophomore quarterback can't freeze in the national spotlight, or else the Demon Deacons are toast. A good game from Price and Wake Forest can definitely pull the upset.

Key Matchup 

The Bulldogs pass defense ranks 23rd in the country, meaning Price is going to be challenged. If the Demon Deacons want to win, Price has to be smart with his throws. 

Price does a good job of taking care of the ball too, having a touchdown interception ratio of 20-6, but only once on the season did he throw for over 300 yards. 

He may not need to get over 300 to beat the Bulldogs, but he has to deliver in key moments if the Demon Deacons hope to pull the upset. Mississippi State knows if it shuts down Price, then the Bulldogs will definitely walk away victorious. 

Prediction 

Mississippi State 34, Demon Deacons 24