No. 18 Mississippi State (9-3, SEC) vs Iowa (8-4, Big Ten), Jan. 1, 12 p.m. ET
LOCATION: Tampa, Florida
TOP PLAYERS
Mississippi State: DE Montez Sweat, 51 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks.
Iowa: TE T.J. Hockenson, 46 catches, 717 yards, six touchdowns.
NOTABLE
Mississippi State: No. 18 final playoff ranking best since ending at No. 7 in 2014. Joe Moorhead joins Jackie Sherrill as only MSU coaches to make bowl game in first season.
Iowa: Four losses came by a combined 23 points. Beat Illinois and Nebraska to end the regular season.
LAST TIME
First meeting.
BOWL HISTORY
Mississippi State: One of only five SEC schools to go to a bowl every season in this decade; 13-8 in bowl games.
Iowa: Lost 30-3 to Florida two years ago in Outback Bowl, falling to 2-3 in Tampa game; 15-15-1 all time in bowl games
