Little as you might think about it, today’s Music City Bowl matchup between Ole Miss and West Virginia could be quite a game.

But fast forward to New Year’s Eve, and Mississippi State and Texas A&M just might be even better. Honest.

I received my copy of the University of Mississippi’s &uot;2000 Music City Bowl Media Guide,&uot; and believe you me – it’s a honey. I don’t know when I’ve seen as much info; sports information director Langston Rogers did himself proud with this publication.

For instance, you likely already know that the Rebels of coach David Cutcliffe are 7-4 (4-4 in the SEC), but you might not have read yet that the West Virginia Mountaineers are 6-5 on the season, with a 3-4 Big East mark. Neither is ranked, but don’t let that stop you from watching on TV – they’re both bowl-wise.

The Johnny Rebs will be playing the school’s 29th bowl game. They’re 17-11 in postseason appearances, and happen to be appearing in their fourth straight bowl. There was a time when it seemed Ole Miss was going bowling every year.

West Virginia head coach Don Nehlen knows his way around bowl stadiums, having led the Mountaineers to 13, now the school’s 21st. The school’s bowl record is 8-12 overall, but 0-8 their last eight after-season outings. Nevertheless, you simply never know what &uot;today&uot; might bring.

One thing for sure: Rebel head coach Cutcliffe is just a second-year man where he is and needs to build on his 2-0 bowl start, having upset Texas Tech 35-18 in the 1998 Independence Bowl to start things on the right foot. Last year, again in Shreveport, Ole Miss eased past Oklahoma 27-25.

Today’s Music City Bowl game will be played in Nashville’s 67,000-seat Adelphia Coliseum. Kickoff is supposed to be 3 p.m.

Still bowling, how about hopping right quick to Mississippi State vs. Texas A&M in the Dec. 31 Independence Bowl. Look for that to be a lulu; it has all the earmarks, beginning with A&M having been State head coach Jackie Sherrill’s old school. State’s tougher, I’m saying, and will win something like 27-21.

And LSU in its Dec. 29 Peach Bowl meeting with Georgia Tech; I fear for the Tigers – I pick Georgia Tech to win something like 34-28. If it goes to the wire, though, remember how the Bayou Bengals responded against Tennessee and Mississippi State. They’re tough when they hang in late.

In other New Year’s games involving SEC teams, I’m riding with Tennessee to upset Kansas State; Florida to upset Miami; Michigan to nip Auburn; and Ohio State to beat South Carolina.

And No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 3 Florida State? Florida State, on a hunch, to win. Hey, guys, we have quite a schedule of holiday games on tap, don’t we?

And how about the University of Southern Mississippi’s great comeback in its 28-21, last ditch victory over No. 13 TCU in the Mobile Alabama Bowl! USM’s defense stepped up big time in solving the Horned Frogs’ offense that had a 21-14 lead in the third quarter.

That’s when Jeff Bower’s Hattiesburg warriors took a lead from their coach, I have to believe, settled down and in the clutch went for the jugular. Two incomplete passes hurt with less than two minutes remaining and the score tied at 21. But quarterback Jeff Kelly speared Kenneth Johnson from 29 yards out for the winning TD with 33 seconds remaining!

Hey, happy New Year all!

Glenvall Estes is a long time sports columnist for The Natchez Democrat.