Mississippi State prepares for Missouri matchup and busy Starkville weekend

Mississippi State will host No. 19 Missouri on Saturday night at Davis Wade Stadium in a sold-out meeting between the 24th-ranked Bulldogs and the Tigers. It will be the stadium’s first AP Top 25 matchup in nearly a decade.

The game will also feature an effort to set a world record for cowbells rung simultaneously. Fans’ cowbells will be counted as they enter, and officials will designate a point during the game for the coordinated ringing. Mississippi State Athletics urged fans to ring responsibly and to stop ringing when the center is over the ball, warning that cowbells could be taken away if they are not used responsibly.

The weekend schedule begins Friday evening at Nusz Park, where coach Samantha Ricketts’ softball team will host the Maroon and White scrimmage. The event is part of the team’s preparation for a potential return trip to the Women’s College World Series.

Mississippi State men’s basketball will hold an open practice at 2 p.m. Saturday at The Hump. Fans should enter through the southwest entrance for an early look at coach Chris Jans’ 2026-27 squad.

On Sunday, Mississippi State volleyball will open Southeastern Conference play by hosting LSU at 2 p.m. at Newell-Grissom. The Bulldogs have won 11 of their first 12 matches, according to Mississippi State Athletics.

The school also highlighted a recent result from women’s golf. The Bulldogs won the Mason Rudolph Championship, hosted by Vanderbilt, with a three-day total of 2-under par. Mississippi State finished one stroke ahead of Florida and Arizona State after entering the final day three strokes behind Florida.

Source: Mississippi State Athletics.