Matchup: No. 7 Mississippi State (10-2, SEC) vs. No. 12 Georgia Tech (10-3, ACC).
Site: Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Fla.
When: Dec. 31, 8 p.m. ET.
TV: ESPN.
Series: Georgia Tech leads, 4-0.
Last game: Georgia Tech won, 38-7 on Sept. 20, 2008.
Coaches: Dan Mullen (Mississippi State); Paul Johnson (Georgia Tech).
Players to watch: Mississippi State's defense ranks 10th nationally in scoring defense and is led by linebacker Benardrick McKinney, a Sporting News All-American. Bulldogs quarterback Dak Prescott finished eighth in Heisman voting and is a threat on the ground and through the air. The redshirt junior has thrown for just under 3,000 yards and rushed for 939 yards totaling 37 touchdowns. Georgia Tech is know for its deceptive triple option attack piloted by first-year starting quarterback Justin Thomas. The dual-threat quarterback leads the Jackets with 965 rushing yards — the third-most by a Georgia Tech quarterback and ranks eighth nationally in Total QBR (79.3).
Reason to watch: Get SN's take from Bill Bender.