The sad truth is that all three could fail. They could. USM was an 18-point favourite over Charlotte going into last Saturday’s game. They needed only one victory to reach the six win plateau that would place the golden Eagles inside a bowl. The Golden Eagles were not only defeated by a Division I team for four years but also lost their top two quarterbacks. USM (5-4), now needs to win at least one of these three games: at Old Dominion (at North Texas), Louisiana Tech (at home) and at North Texas. With healthy quarterbacks, the Eagles’ performance Saturday was a hard sell. Old Dominion, which USM is playing on Saturday, beat Charlotte 52-17 earlier. Ole Miss also has issues with its quarterback. The Rebels won a game but lost their best player, quarterback Chad Kelly. Jason Pellerin is elevated to No. Hugh Freeze must now decide whether to give Shea Patterson her red shirt. I think he won’t. It makes no sense to alter the original plan to red-shirt Patterson. It is not worth losing a year of eligibility to be a five-star quarterback recruit in order to get a berth at the Birmingham Bowl. The Rebels will play at Texas A & M and at Vanderbilt, while State plays at home. Kelly is unlikely to win two of these three games. Experts, like most Mississippi State fans, have given up on the Bulldogs’ bowl hopes. That was before State beat Texas A & M on Saturday. State is now 4-5 and must win at least two of these three games: at Alabama, Arkansas at the home, and at Ole Miss. Since Nick Saban’s Alabama assassins seem to be in a different league, this means that State must defeat Arkansas and Ole Miss. However, victories over Arkansas or Ole Miss suddenly seem plausible. Predictions? Predictions? State loses to Bama and beats Arkansas. The Egg Bowl will be the same, with State needing to win to bowl. Given the quarterback situation at both schools right now, I would pick State. I believe USM will win one of the last three, and play somebody else in the New Orleans Bowl.