Mississippi State Bulldogs fans react during the second half against the Mississippi Rebels at Humphrey Coliseum. Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Mississippi State's fundraising records a surprise for some

Originally posted on Mississippi State Bulldogs on SI
By Taylor Hodges | Last updated Jul 15, 2025 3:00 PM ET

With SEC Media Days currently underway, there are other stories that may not get as much attention as they deserve.

One of those was released by Mississippi State on Monday. Mississippi State Athletics and the Bulldog Club set fundraising records for the 2025 fiscal year, raising $84.6 million in donations and pledges. That total doubles the previous record. The department received 202 major gifts, 10 of which were $1 million or more.

"In our unwavering pursuit of new heights for Mississippi State Athletics, direct investments and contributions from our supporters are mission critical," Director of Athletics Zac Selmon said. "The generosity, passion and clear desire to invest in Mississippi State and our student-athletes are truly remarkable and we are overwhelmed with gratitude to our Bulldog Club members. It is hard to put into words how much this support means to us. This year's support set the standard for what we strive to achieve each year going forward, and for that, we are grateful. The inspiring philanthropic support, in addition to new revenue generation, continues to align our department's transformation to the new era of college athletics."

Thankful for each of our Bulldog Club members!

Every gift fuels the experience for our student-athletes and the future of our programs.

Thank you for believing in our vision.

We’re proud of the progress, but the work never stops. Let’s keep pushing forward together. https://t.co/er7fUjUUHm
— Zac Selmon (@zacselmon) July 14, 2025

If this was Texas or Alabama or Georgia making this announcement, it wouldn’t be very surprising. However, for Mississippi State, this is a huge surprise and I know for a fact I’m the only one to feel that way.

It’s great for Mississippi State. Great timing, too, with the world of college sports changing on an-almost-daily basis. This will allow the Bulldogs to do many different things, from building an indoor football facility to adding lights at different fields.

All of those things lead to wins, either directly or indirectly. And you have to think this helped Mississippi State baseball’s program get to where it is right now with a new coach and championship-caliber roster.

Now, Mississippi State fans have to hope this doesn’t become one of the reasons Oklahoma hires Selmon to be its next athletics director.

This article first appeared on Mississippi State Bulldogs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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