Mississippi State soccer opens SEC play at Ole Miss in Magnolia Cup rivalry

Mississippi State will open Southeastern Conference play at Ole Miss on Friday, Sept. 11, at 7 p.m. CT, with the Magnolia Cup at stake. The match will be carried on SEC Network+.

The Bulldogs are seeking their seventh consecutive Magnolia Cup, which would extend the longest winning streak by either school in the rivalry’s history. Mississippi State has won six straight meetings and is pursuing a new record for retaining the cup with a win or tie.

The teams enter the match with a combined 13-2-0 record and an .867 winning percentage, the highest combined mark entering a game in the rivalry’s history. The meeting also marks the first time since the programs’ inaugural seasons in 1995 that both teams are led by first-year head coaches.

Mississippi State has won four consecutive SEC openers dating to 2022. During the Bulldogs’ current Magnolia Cup winning streak, they have scored first in every match and have not allowed a goal to Ole Miss since 2021.

Ole Miss enters at 7-1-0 overall and has recorded six shutouts, including five in its last six matches. The Rebels have not conceded a goal in 284:17.

Mississippi State will host No. 23 Florida on Friday, Sept. 18, in its home SEC opener. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. on SEC Network+.

Source: Mississippi State Athletics.