With Texas Tech set to play Mississippi State in the Liberty Bowl next Tuesday, December 28th, we decided to take a look at the Bulldogs' roster with a trip back down memory lane.

There isn't too much recruiting crossover between the two programs but there is some, and we highlight those prospects below.

Of course there are several coaching ties between the Red Raiders and Bulldogs, with the following coaches listed on Mississippi State's coaching page:

Head coach Mike Leach - former Texas Tech head coach 2000-2009

Special Teams Coordinator/Outside Linebackers Matt Brock - former Texas Tech assistant 2013-2015

Cornerbacks Darcel McBath - former Texas Tech player 2004-2008

Senior Associate A.D./Football Dave Emerick - former Texas Tech chief of staff 2004-2009

Here are the players that Texas Tech once wanted, and will now have to face.

Preston was a top target for Kliff Kingsbury and staff, eventually choosing Mississippi State over a total of 19 offers.

Tech was listed in Preston's top four, and he made an official visit over the summer as well, but it was not enough.

In four seasons on campus, Preston has played 868 defensive snaps with the majority of those (500) coming in the 2020 season.

So far in 2021 he's played 213 snaps, with a season grade of 68.8.

Texas Tech offered Knox in December 2019, but the Red Raiders never seriously factored into his recruitment.

Knox would take visits to programs such as Texas, Baylor and Alabama, and he ended up committing to Mississippi State in June 2020.

Knox has played five snaps in his career so far on offense, and has yet to make a reception.

Page had the best chance to become a Red Raider out of these prospects, seeing as he was actually committed to the program for a couple months.

Page had an interesting recruitment to say the least. His first commitment was to Kansas State in early May, 2020. Texas Tech would offer a week later, and he would quickly open things up.

After a commitment to Texas Tech in August, Mississippi State would come with an offer a few days after that, and once again he would later flip to the Bulldogs.

Page is credited with nine (9) tackles this season, with eight of those coming in the blowout win vs Tennessee State. He has played 52 defensive snaps on the season plus another 153 on special teams.

The former three-star quarterback from Liberty Christian was never offered by Texas Tech, but he was recruited at some level and took an unofficial visit to the South Plains in February, 2019.

Mississippi State offered a couple weeks before signing day and was able to land his commitment.

Green was offered by Texas Tech coming out of Houston Heights high school, but ended up signing with Texas.

Green played over 350 snaps in both of the 2019 and 2020 seasons in Austin, but entered the transfer portal following the firing of Tom Herman and decided on Mississippi State for his next stop.

So far in 2021 he's started 10 of the Bulldogs' 12 games, playing a total of 636 snaps. He's been credited with 42 tackles and two interceptions.

Despite being a 4-star, Rivals250 member playing in Tech's back yard, Robertson was never offered by the Red Raiders. However, he did unofficially visit a handful of times.

Time will tell on if passing on Robertson was the right move.