The SEC’s new nine-game schedule was one of the hottest topics in Tampa last week.
The 2026 season will be the first to feature a nine-game SEC conference slate, and it was mentioned 13 times combined among SEC coaches and commissioner Greg Sankey throughout the four-day SEC Media Days press conferences.
LSU’s Lane Kiffin voiced concern about the changes effect on non-conference games, which under the new rules requires SEC schools to play one “high-quality non-conference” opponent as one of its three non-conference games. Texas’ Steve Sarkisian spoke on the challenge of keeping his guys physically and mentally ready each week with an added SEC game. South Carolina’s Shane Bearmer talked about his excitement for the challenge of change.
The consensus among SEC coaches who spoke on the change? It’s going to be a challenge. But it’s hard to find teams dealt a tougher slate than Mississippi State.
The Bulldogs play four of the SEC’s top-5 teams from last season. Their schedule includes a four game stretch of Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma and Texas, all teams in the top 20 of ESPN’s top-25.
MSU’s high-quality nonconference opponent includes a Week 2 road date at Minnesota, and the Bulldogs have to play Texas, LSU and Ole Miss on the road, all stadiums ranked in the top-25 toughest places to play by EA.
College Football writer Phil Steele picked State’s schedule as the eighth hardest in the country, and fourth hardest in the SEC behind Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
“Whether it’s scheduling, it’s roster management, all the different things that are going into college football right now, I’ve consumed myself with making sure that our football team is going to be ready to go play,” MSU head coach Jeff Lebby said. “That’s all that matters. We’ve got our schedule. We’re going to go put the ball down, get ready to go play, and be able to go chase this thing every single week.”
Lebby’s attitude on the schedule change is similar to his players. Starting quarterback Kamario Taylor said his focus is and will continue to be on the next game.
“It’s a harder schedule, of course, for everyone around here,” Taylor said. “I’m just looking forward to playing the next game. It’s my mindset on every game… just trying to be where my feet are.”
MSU ended last year 1-7 in conference play, but had chances to pull off big wins against SEC opponents. The Bulldogs took both Texas and Tennessee to overtime, but dropped both games by seven.
The defense mightily struggled in both losses against the UTs, allowing 41 against the Volunteers and 45 against the Longhorns. Kelley Jones, who is back and set to man the secondary as a redshirt junior cornerback, said those losses have created a hunger within MSU’s defense.
“It’s just going through the things that we went through last year, knowing the games that we could have won. You know, feeling that hurt,” Jones said. “You can’t go back in time, time is now.”
Lebby is looking to make another jump in his third year, after leading State to a 5-7 finish and a bowl game last season. He said there isn’t an added pressure to improve his win record again because State is where they are supposed to be in the process, but the schedule and odds are stacked against them.
MSU’s over/under win total in 2026 is 4.5 according to FanDuel. The Bulldogs were picked to finish second-to-last in the SEC by media.
Jake is the Mississippi State athletics reporter for The Dispatch.
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