#FromStateToSundays: Conference Championship Preview – Mississippi State Athletics
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Football January 29, 2023 Logan Lowery, Assistant Director/Communications
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State has more alumni competing in the NFL conference championship games today than any other Southeastern Conference program. Four former defensive standouts for the Bulldogs will try to punch their tickets to the Super Bowl today.
Fletcher Cox and Darius Slay will be representing MSU in the NFC Championship Game as members of the Philadelphia Eagles. Willie Gay Jr. and Chris Jones will be doing the same later in the day during the AFC Championship Game on the Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive front seven.
The Eagles are set to host the San Francisco 49ers at 2 p.m. on FOX and FOX Sports. Philadelphia has not played the 49ers since Sept. 19, 2021 in a 17-11 losing effort. Cox recorded four tackles and Slay added three stops in that contest.
The Chiefs will also have homefield advantage as they welcome the Cincinnati Bengals to Arrowhead Stadium at 5:30 p.m. on CBS and Paramount+. The Bengals got the better of their regular season matchup on Dec. 4, edging out a 27-24 win after scoring 10 unanswered points during the fourth quarter.
Gay and Jones each had five tackles during their previous meeting with Cincinnati. One of Gay’s tackles went for a loss, and he also contributed a pass deflection.
SUNDAY, JAN. 29
San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles | 2 p.m. FOX, FOX Sports
DT Fletcher Cox (PHI)
CB Darius Slay (PHI)
Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs | 5:30 p.m. CBS, Paramount+
LB Willie Gay Jr. (KC)
DT Chris Jones (KC)