SEC · Starkville, MS

Mississippi State

Bulldogs

17AP Week 62026: 4-1 (2-1 conf) Davis Wade Stadium

National titles

Claimed

Heisman winners

CFP berths

since 2014

All-time

615-600-37

.506 win pct

Weeks ranked

of 104 polls since 2020

Weeks at No. 1

since 2020

The program

Overview

Mississippi State is known for its cowbell-ringing crowds and the annual Egg Bowl against Ole Miss. Jackie Sherrill led the Bulldogs to the 1998 SEC West title, and in 2014 Dan Mullen's team, led by quarterback Dak Prescott, reached No. 1 in the AP poll for the first time. Mike Leach brought his Air Raid offense to Starkville in 2020.

Rivals

Ole MissEgg Bowl

Alabama

LSU

Institution: Mississippi State University
Nickname: Bulldogs
Founded: 1878
First season: 1895
Conference: SEC
Head coach: Jeff Lebby (since 2024)
Fight song: Hail State
Colors
X / Twitter: @HailStateFB

Since 2020

AP poll history

Season	Preseason	Best	Final / latest	Weeks ranked
2026	NR	16	17 (Week 6)	3/6
2025	NR	NR	NR (Final)	0/17
2024	NR	NR	NR (Final)	0/17
2023	NR	9	9 (Final)	1/16
2022	NR	16	20 (Final)	6/16
2021	NR	NR	NR (Final)	0/16
2020	NR	16	NR (Final)	1/16

4-1 overall

2026 season

Latest poll →

Sep 5
UL Monroe13
#17Mississippi State (home)62
Sep 12
#17Mississippi State38
Minnesota (home)13
Sep 19
#17Mississippi State41
South Carolina (home)34
Sep 26
#14Missouri24
#17Mississippi State (home)31
Oct 3
#6Alabama56
#17Mississippi State (home)23
Oct 17· EARLY: Noon - 1pm ET start
#17Mississippi State
#10LSU (home)
Oct 24· FLEX: 3:30 - 4:30pm OR 6 - 8pm ET start
Oklahoma
#17Mississippi State (home)
Oct 31· NIGHT: 6 - 8pm ET start
#17Mississippi State
#1Texas (home)
Nov 7· FLEX: 3:30 - 4:30pm OR 6 - 8pm ET start
Vanderbilt
#17Mississippi State (home)
Nov 14· EARLY: Noon - 1pm ET start
Auburn
#17Mississippi State (home)
Nov 21
TennTennessee Tech
#17Mississippi State (home)
Nov 27
#17Mississippi State
#9Ole Miss (home)

2026 roster

Roster & stats

Passing leader

1,450 yds

#1 Kamario Taylor

Rushing leader

403 yds

#24 Fluff Bothwell

Receiving leader

574 yds

#3 Anthony Evans III

Tackles leader

31 tkl

#11 Tyler Lockhart

Full roster117 players · 56 with stats

#	Player	Pos	Class	Ht / Wt	Hometown	Season stats
50	LJ Prudhomme	OL	FR	6'3" / 320	Shreveport, LA
53	Dylan Steen	OL	FR	6'5" / 315	Doral, FL
54	Blake Steen	OL	JR	6'6" / 340	Miami, FL	1 tkl
55	Jakheem Shumpert-Perkins	OL	JR	6'5" / 330	Plantersville, MS
56	Wesley Davis	OL	SR	6'4" / 300	Collierville, TN
58	Miles McVay	OL	JR	6'6" / 335	East St. Louis, IL
59	Tyler Miller	OL	FR	6'6" / 335	Laurel, MS
60	Matthew Lefeau	OL	JR	6'5" / 350	Tacoma, WA
62	Jamari Freeman	OL	SR	6'4" / 300	Fairburn, GA
63	Mario Nash	OL	FR	6'4" / 305	De Kalb, MS
65	Spencer Dowland	OL	FR	6'6" / 300	Athens, AL
66	Ja'Elyne Matthews	OL	FR	6'6" / 350	Toms River, NJ
70	Breyden Turnage	OL	FR	6'7" / 320	Dyersburg, TN
71	Saquon Miles	OL	JR	6'5" / 320	Greenville, AL
72	Canon Boone	OL	SR	6'4" / 315	Kemah, TX
73	Leon Noil Jr.	OL	FR	6'5" / 290	New Orleans, LA
74	Kison Shepard	OL	JR	6'7" / 350	Memphis, TN
75	Isaiah Dent	OL	SO	6'6" / 320	Fulton, MS
76	Jayden Ross	OL	FR	6'6" / 330	Ocean Springs, MS
77	TJ Lockhart	OL	SO	6'5" / 350	Kilmichael, MS
78	DJ Chester	OL	JR	6'6" / 315	Conyers, GA
79	Dalton Toothman	OT	FR	6'5" / 320	Vancleave, MS
1	Kamario Taylor	QB	SO	6'4" / 230	Macon, MS	102/154, 1,450 pass yds, 17 TD, 4 INT · 43 car, 159 rush yds, 1 TD
8	Jaden Rashada	QB	JR	6'4" / 195	Pittsburg, CA
14	Brodie McWhorter	QB	FR	6'2" / 220	Kingston, GA
15	Parker Puckett	QB	FR	6'0" / 180	Flowood, MS	8/14, 89 pass yds, 0 TD, 0 INT · 2 car, 24 rush yds, 0 TD
17	AJ Swann	QB	SR	6'2" / 220	Canton, GA
5	Xavier Gayten	RB	JR	6'0" / 205	Brookhaven, MS	16 car, 51 rush yds, 1 TD
6	Kolin Wilson	RB	FR	5'9" / 190	Gulf Shores, AL	31 car, 131 rush yds, 0 TD · 5 rec, 50 yds, 0 TD
21	J.J. Hill	RB	FR	6'0" / 220	Tupelo, MS	10 car, 124 rush yds, 2 TD
22	Brinston Williams	RB	SR	6'2" / 215	Suwanee, GA	2 tkl
24	Fluff Bothwell	RB	JR	5'10" / 230	Oneonta, AL	74 car, 403 rush yds, 3 TD · 9 rec, 96 yds, 1 TD
25	Cooper Crosby	RB	FR	6'0" / 205	Gulfport, MS	4 car, 10 rush yds, 0 TD
4	Zayion Cotton	TE	FR	6'5" / 230	Grenada, MS
18	Riley Williams	TE	JR	6'5" / 250	Portland, OR	2 rec, 16 yds, 0 TD
84	Adam Land	TE	FR	6'3" / 230	Panama City, FL
85	Luke Hutchinson	TE	FR	6'3" / 235	Nashville, TN
87	Sam West	TE	JR	6'4" / 250	Greensburg, IN	7 rec, 58 yds, 1 TD · 1 tkl
88	Joeseph Skipworth	TE	FR	6'5" / 225	Pace, FL	3 rec, 26 yds, 0 TD
0	Gracen Harris	WR	FR	5'11" / 175	Ennis, TX	1/1, 7 pass yds, 1 TD, 0 INT · 2 rec, 21 yds, 0 TD
2	Marquis Johnson	WR	SR	5'11" / 190	Dickinson, TX	13 rec, 218 yds, 2 TD
3	Anthony Evans III	WR	SR	5'11" / 180	Converse, TX	2 car, 1 rush yds, 0 TD · 40 rec, 574 yds, 5 TD
7	Zion Ragins	WR	SO	5'8" / 170	Macon, GA	11 rec, 184 yds, 4 TD
9	Camden Capehart	WR	FR	5'8" / 180	Winnsboro, TX	1 car, 6 rush yds, 0 TD · 1 tkl
10	Bull Mitchell	WR	FR	5'11" / 210	Fort Valley, GA
11	Ayden Williams	WR	SR	6'3" / 205	Ridgeland, MS
12	Matt Mayfield	WR	JR	6'2" / 185	Sunset, LA	1 rec, 9 yds, 0 TD
13	Sanfrisco Magee	WR	SO	6'2" / 200	Mccomb, MS	16 rec, 259 yds, 5 TD
16	Jayden Cration	WR	FR	6'3" / 200	Canton, MS
19	Junior Henderson	WR	FR	6'4" / 190	Carthage, TX
22	Jayytee Taylor	WR	FR	6'0" / 195	Macon, MS
80	Fisher Southall	WR	FR	6'2" / 185	Fairhope, AL
81	Zion Crumpton	WR	FR	6'1" / 165	Montgomery, AL	2 rec, 35 yds, 0 TD
89	Jessie Primer IV	WR	FR	6'0" / 175	Canton, MS
1	Kelley Jones	CB	SR	6'4" / 205	Clarksdale, MS	17 tkl, 1.5 TFL
8	Kaylib Singleton	CB	FR	6'1" / 190	Jacksonville, FL	8 tkl
17	Kyle Johnson	CB	FR	5'11" / 185	Cottonport, LA	1 tkl
20	Jett Jefferson	CB	JR	6'1" / 200	Tylertown, MS	25 tkl
24	Quentin Taylor	CB	SO	6'0" / 205	Apopka, FL	4 tkl
26	Jamroc Grimsley	CB	SO	6'2" / 200	Tampa, FL	3 tkl, 1 TFL
30	Camron Brown	CB	FR	6'1" / 180	Valdosta, GA
36	Terrell Johnson Jr.	CB	FR	6'2" / 180	Lexington, MS
37	Dre Otey	CB	FR	6'2" / 160	Murfreesboro, TN
38	Jaylen Antoine	CB	FR	5'11" / 180	Bay Saint Louis, MS
47	Sean Pleasant	DB	FR	6'2" / 170	Austin, TX
40	Gus Cordova	DE	FR	6'4" / 270	Austin, TX
1	Eddie Kelly Jr.	DL	SR	6'5" / 288	Orlando, FL	2 tkl
9	Jaray Bledsoe	DL	SR	6'4" / 315	Marlin, TX	15 tkl, 4.5 TFL, 1.5 sk
14	Dealyn Evans	DL	SO	6'5" / 310	Longview, TX	5 tkl, 1.5 TFL, 1.5 sk
19	Micah Nickerson	DL	FR	6'5" / 260	Magnolia, MS	1 tkl
23	Trevion Williams	DL	JR	6'4" / 295	Crystal Springs, MS	4 tkl, 1 TFL, 1 sk
33	Douglas Adams III	DL	JR	6'3" / 240	San Francisco, CA
35	Kalvin Dinkins	DL	SR	6'2" / 320	Lake, MS	9 tkl, 1 TFL, 1 sk
41	Tyshun Willis	DL	FR	6'2" / 260	Camden, MS	3 tkl
42	DJ Reed	DL	JR	6'4" / 285	Columbus, GA	12 tkl, 1 TFL
43	Will Whitson	DL	SR	6'5" / 295	Cincinnati, OH	13 tkl, 3.5 TFL, 2 sk
55	Colin Coates	DL	JR	6'2" / 320	Baltimore, MD
88	Tico Crittendon	DL	FR	6'4" / 310	Lithonia, GA
90	Davon Young	DL	FR	6'3" / 320	Mobile, AL
91	Lorenz Cammon	DL	JR	6'4" / 260	Upland, CA
92	Kaleb Morris	DL	FR	6'4" / 285	Mobile, AL
97	Jayson Jenkins	DL	SR	6'6" / 280	Bordentown, NJ	10 tkl
99	Diesel Moye	DL	SR	6'5" / 345	Phenix City, AL
4	Amaree Williams	EDGE	JR	6'4" / 240	North Palm Beach, FL	26 tkl, 3 TFL, 1.5 sk
	Shawn Gee	EDGE	SO	6'4" / 240	Birmingham, AL
0	Fatt Forrest	LB	SO	6'2" / 235	Kilmichael, MS	14 tkl, 0.5 TFL, 0.5 sk
7	Zakari Tillman	LB	SR	6'2" / 235	Florence, MS	3 tkl
10	Jalen Smith	LB	JR	6'2" / 230	Grayson, GA	28 tkl, 1 TFL · 1 INT
11	Tyler Lockhart	LB	SO	6'2" / 225	Kilmichael, MS	31 tkl, 2.5 TFL, 2 sk
12	Ja'Bryis Stewart	LB	JR	6'1" / 215	Crystal Springs, MS
13	LaKendrick James	LB	JR	6'2" / 250	Shelby, MS	9 tkl
16	Derion Gullette	LB	JR	6'3" / 240	Marlin, TX	1 tkl
32	AJ Rice	LB	FR	6'1" / 240	Huntsville, AL	3 tkl
44	Gav Holman	LB	FR	6'1" / 245	Uniondale, NY
45	James Heard Jr.	LB	JR	6'2" / 230	Camden, NJ
48	Chris Addison	LB	FR	6'3" / 250	Winnsboro, LA
2	Isaac Smith	S	SR	6'0" / 220	Fulton, MS	17 tkl, 1 TFL
3	Kendel Dolby	S	SR	5'11" / 195	Springfield, OH	22 tkl
5	Jardin Gilbert	S	SR	6'1" / 195	White Castle, LA	26 tkl, 2 TFL, 1 sk
6	Bralan Womack	S	FR	6'1" / 210	Brandon, MS	10 tkl
15	Marcus Williams	S	SR	5'11" / 200	Hoover, AL	23 tkl, 1 TFL, 1 sk
18	Sekou Smith Jr.	S	FR	6'0" / 180	Miami, FL
21	Dre Riley	S	JR	6'1" / 185	Charleston, MS	14 tkl · 1 INT
25	Kolby Barrett	S	FR	6'2" / 210	Chattanooga, TN
27	Antavious Watts	S	FR	6'0" / 185	Columbus, GA
28	Tanner Johnson	S	SR	6'0" / 185	Kyle, TX	7 tkl
29	Jatavious Johnson	S	FR	6'2" / 200	Hooks, TX	1 tkl
29	Boogie Johnson	S	SO	6'2" / 200	Hooks, TX
31	Terrance Love	S	JR	6'2" / 210	Atlanta, GA
34	Vic Sutton	S	JR	6'3" / 215	Madison, MS
39	Kallen Cosper	LS	FR	6'4" / 215	Humble, TX
46	Kyle Rushing	LS	FR	6'1" / 200	Mccomb, MS
88	Ethan Pulliam	P	JR	6'1" / 190	Starkville, MS
47	William Wilkinson	PK	SO	6'2" / 185	Oxford, MS
48	Hayden Chambers	PK	FR	6'1" / 185	Fort Payne, AL
80	Kyle Ferrie	PK	SR	6'1" / 205	Searcy, AR	7/8 FG
83	Oisin Flynn	PK	FR	6'3" / 200	Dublin	1 tkl

Home field

Davis Wade Stadium

Capacity

61,337

Starkville, MS

Opened: 1914; 112 seasons ago
Surface: Natural grass
Roof: Open air
Elevation: 362 ft
Time zone: Chicago
Avg. home crowd: 47,082; 77% of capacity · 40 games since 2020
Biggest crowd since 2020: 60,417; vs Tennessee, 2025
Zip: 39762
Map: 33.456, -88.793

Titles & awards

Trophy case

National championships0

No claimed national titles.

Heisman Trophy winners0

No Heisman winners yet.

College Football Playoff0

No playoff appearances yet.

1902–2026

Program history

Win %★ National title season

Best seasons

194010-0-1Allyn McKeen
19176-1Sid Robinson
199910-2Jackie Sherrill
19769-2Bob Tyler
19398-2Allyn McKeen
19418-1-1Allyn McKeen

On the sideline

Head coaches

Coach	Tenure	Record	Pct	Best final AP
Jeff Lebby	2024–2026	7-18	.280	—
Greg Knox	2023	1-1	.500	—
Zach Arnett	2022–2023	5-6	.455	#20
Mike Leach	2020–2022	19-17	.528	#20
Joe Moorhead	2018–2019	14-12	.538	—
Greg Knox	2017	1-0	1.000	#19
Dan Mullen	2009–2017	69-46	.600	#11
Sylvester Croom	2004–2008	21-38	.356	—
Jackie Sherrill	1991–2003	74-76-2	.493	#13
Rockey Felker	1986–1990	21-34	.382	—
Emory Bellard	1979–1985	37-42	.468	#19
Bob Tyler	1973–1978	39-25-3	.604	#17
Charles Shira	1967–1972	16-45-2	.270	—
Paul Davis	1962–1966	20-28-2	.420	—
Wade Walker	1956–1961	22-32-2	.411	#14
Darrell Royal	1954–1955	12-8	.600	—
Murray Warmath	1952–1953	10-6-3	.605	—
Slick Morton	1949–1951	8-18-1	.315	—
Allyn McKeen	1944–1948	31-14-1	.685	—
Allyn McKeen	1939–1942	34-5-2	.854	#9
Spike Nelson	1938	4-6	.400	—
Ralph Sasse	1935–1937	20-10-2	.656	—
Ross McKechnie	1933–1934	7-12-1	.375	—
Ray Dauber	1931–1932	5-11	.313	—
Red Cagle	1930	2-7	.222	—
J.W. Hancock	1927–1929	8-12-4	.417	—
Bernie Bierman	1925–1926	8-8-1	.500	—
Earl Able	1923–1924	10-6-2	.611	—
Charles Noble	1922	3-4-2	.444	—
Fred Holtkamp	1920–1921	9-7-1	.559	—
Sid Robinson	1917–1919	15-5	.750	—
E.C. Hayes	1914–1916	15-8-2	.640	—
William Chadwick	1909–1913	29-12-2	.698	—
Fred Furman	1907–1908	9-7	.563	—
Dan Martin	1906	2-2-1	.500	—
Dan Martin	1904	2-5	.286	—
L. Gwinn	1902	1-4-1	.250	—

16 picks · 2 first-rounders

NFL Draft since 2020

20262 picks

#105Brenen ThompsonWide Receiver · Los Angeles
#180Seydou TraoreTight End · Miami

20243 picks

#112Decamerion RichardsonCornerback · Las Vegas
#200Jaden CrumedyDefensive Tackle · Carolina
#206Nathaniel WatsonLinebacker · Cleveland

20232 picks

#16Emmanuel ForbesCornerback · Washington
#123Cameron YoungDefensive Tackle · Seattle

20222 picks

#9Charles CrossOffensive Tackle · Seattle
#68Martin EmersonCornerback · Cleveland

20212 picks

#253Marquiss SpencerDefensive End · Denver
#256Kylin HillRunning Back · Green Bay

20205 picks

#63Willie Gay Jr.Inside Linebacker · Kansas City
#89Cameron DantzlerCornerback · Minnesota
#106Tyre PhillipsOffensive Tackle · Baltimore
#240Tommy StevensQuarterback · New Orleans
#249Brian Cole IISafety · Minnesota