Feb 27, 2015 01:37 PM EST By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

The Mississippi State University (MSU) football team took a major step forward last season under head coach Dan Mullen, so the school rewarded him for it.

According to ESPN, MSU announced Thursday a contract extension through the 2018 season and raise that bumps Mullen's average annual salary to $4.275 million. He will make $4 million next year and each year's salary from then on will increase.

"Dan has done a phenomenal job in leading our football team the past six years, and we're happy to be in a position to reward his efforts while making sure he'll be able to continue building a championship program for Mississippi State," MSU athletic director Scott Stricklin said in a statement. "Under Dan's guidance, Bulldog football has achieved a level of consistent success unparalleled in our history, during which time we've been ranked No. 1 in the nation and appeared in elite bowl games. We're proud Dan is our coach."

Mullen led the Bulldogs to two notable firsts in school history: a number one Associated Press ranking and a 10-win season, both in the grueling SEC West no less. The Bulldogs' season was highlighted by nine straight wins to open the season, including three straight upsets against LSU, Texas A&M and Auburn. But from there on out, they went 1-3, dropping games to Alabama, Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl and Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl.

"It's a privilege to represent our university, our program and our fans here at Mississippi State," Mullen said in the team's statement. "I appreciate Scott Stricklin and our administration who have given us the tools and resources to be successful and develop Bulldog football into a national brand over the last six years.

"We spent five weeks ranked No. 1 last season for the first time, but we have only scratched the surface on what we can accomplish here. We have created a winning culture both on and off the field and built a program that has sustained success in the nation's toughest conference. I've always said we are going to win a championship here, and I firmly believe that."

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