Mississippi State Football 2026 Schedule Outlook and Analysis

The Good

There might be five road games, but they're all spread out.

Two of them are in the first three games, and one of the others is in the regular season finale. The other two - at LSU and Texas are in a nine-game run.

The Bad

The early non-conference road game at Minnesota is a problem. 

Without pulling off a few upsets, getting to six wins will be tough. ULM and Tennessee Tech should be wins, but unless the Bulldogs come out roaring, it should be the underdog in just about every other game.

What SEC Teams Mississippi State Will Miss

Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas A&M.

This hurts. Arkansas and Kentucky would, at worst, be 50/50 games, and they're not on the slate. Missing Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas A&M is nice, but it would've been a plus to miss more of the potential SEC elite.

Mississippi State’s Best and Worst Case Scenarios in 2026

Best Case: 4-0 September

The Bulldogs started last year 4-0, and then it all fell apart.

With what's coming from October on, getting off to a whale of a run early on is everything. Mississippi State does it again, shocks Alabama, and then it's off to the races.

The Bulldogs split the road games against LSU and Texas, get past Oklahoma, and then comes the run with wins over Vanderbilt, Auburn, and Tennessee Tech before ...

Of course Mississippi State wins the Egg Bowl in the best-case scenario. Or ...

Worst Case: Party like it's 2024

The team is okay, but it can't catch a break.

It loses at Minnesota, drops the SEC opener at South Carolina, and there are a slew of close early losses.

All hopes are gone before November, but a few wins turn things around a bit before Ole Miss wins at home by 30, and the Bulldogs start their new coaching search.

Mississippi State Football 2026 Schedule

Sept 5 ULM
Sept 12 at Minnesota
Sept 19 at South Carolina
Sept 26 Missouri
Oct 3 Alabama
Oct 10 OPEN DATE
Oct 17 at LSU
Oct 24 Oklahoma
Oct 31 at Texas
Nov 7 Vanderbilt
Nov 14 Auburn
Nov 21 Tennessee Tech
Nov 28 at Ole Miss

Games That Will Decide Mississippi State’s Season

1. at South Carolina, Sept. 19
Since 1999, Mississippi State is 1-8 against the Gamecocks. Winning the SEC opener is a must with a brutal run to follow.

2. at Ole Miss, Nov. 28
It's not a We Don't Care If We Go 1-11 As Long As We Beat Ole Miss thing, but it might not be too far off if it's a rough season.

3. Missouri, Sept. 26
Mississippi State has to steal wins to get to six. ULM and Tennessee Tech are two, a few upsets will be in the mix, and a game like Missouri at home might have to be a part of it.