Mississippi State’s next home date now has a kickoff window.
The No. 19 Bulldogs will meet Oklahoma at Davis Wade Stadium on Oct. 24 at 2:30 p.m. The game will be shown on either ESPN or SEC Network.
That matchup also sets up the first meeting between Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby and the program where his career got its start. Lebby signed with Oklahoma as a player, launched his coaching career there, and later served as the Sooners’ offensive coordinator from 2022-23 before taking over the Bulldogs.
Mississippi State heads into that game after a road trip to No. 21 LSU on Oct.
- That contest is scheduled for 11 a.m. on ESPN.
Oklahoma, meanwhile, will host No. 17 Kentucky the same night at 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network.
The Sooners arrive in Starkville with a 3-2 record and a fresh jolt from their Oct. 10 upset of No. 1 Texas. Their other victories have come against UTEP and New Mexico, while Michigan and Georgia handed them losses.
The Bulldogs and Sooners have never faced each other in football.
Mississippi State’s 2026 schedule has already featured a strong start before last week’s setback at Alabama. The Bulldogs opened with wins over Louisiana-Monroe, Minnesota, South Carolina and Missouri before falling 56-23 to the Crimson Tide on Oct.
- After LSU and Oklahoma, the slate continues with a trip to Texas on Oct. 31, then home games against Vanderbilt, Auburn and Tennessee Tech before the regular-season finale at Ole Miss on Nov.
In Other News...
LSU May Catch A Huge Break In This SEC Matchup
Mississippi States 4-1 start has been built on a wave of young contributors, with freshmen and sophomores showing up all over the field as the Bulldogs keep sorting out who can handle bigger roles. Quarterback Kamarios Taylor has been right at the center of it, throwing for 1,450 yards and 17 touchdowns while helping energize an offense that has leaned on growth as much as experience.
Now the timing gets tricky with LSU coming to Starkville, because Taylors status is one of the biggest factors in how that matchup looks. Jeff Lebby has kept the conversation focused on competition and development across the roster, but the Bulldogs next step will depend heavily on how their young core holds up if a key piece is limited when the SEC spotlight gets brighter. [Read more 🡒]
Mississippi State Heads To LSU With One Huge Question Still Hanging
Mississippi States quarterback situation is suddenly a major subplot as the Bulldogs prepare for a trip to No. 22 LSU. Kamario Taylors exit from the Alabama game on Oct. 3 in a walking boot left the offense with more questions than answers, and the program has not offered any real clarity on what comes next.
With Saturdays game looming, Taylors availability remains up in the air, and the lack of a defined timeline only adds to the uncertainty around an already difficult road test. For Mississippi State, the difference between having its quarterback and having to reshuffle on the fly could shape the entire game plan in Baton Rouge. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Brings One Major Strength But Mississippi State Can Still Exploit Plenty
LSU enters this matchup with the kind of run defense that can change a game plan before it starts, giving up just 74.5 rushing yards per game and standing first in the SEC and fifth nationally in that category. The Tigers have also gotten impact plays from safety Tamarcus Cooley, who leads the team with two interceptions, and linebacker TJ Dottery, who has forced two fumbles and piled up 40 tackles, so Mississippi State will have to be sharp about every down it can turn into a true test of patience.
There is still room for the Bulldogs to make this interesting through the air, because LSUs secondary has been more vulnerable than its front and quarterback Sam Leavitt has already shown both upside and risk with 1,496 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Missed opportunities could matter even more for LSU if it is short on one of its bigger receiving options, and Mississippi State can at least keep this from becoming a simple strength-on-strength fight by forcing the Tigers to win in the part of the field where they have been less dominant. [Read more 🡒]