Missouri rolls into Starkville this Saturday as a 6-point underdog against Mississippi State, according to FanDuel, and if State thinks they’re truly “back,” this is a massive test for them to prove it. The Tigers are heading into Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field for a 6:45 p.m. CT kickoff, and all eyes will be on the SEC Network to see if Mizzou can spoil the party.
The History: From Pinkel’s Last Ride to Drinkwitz’s Dominance
Man, SEC scheduling is wild, because even though it feels like these two have played a ton, Missouri and Mississippi State have only faced off 6 times in their entire history. They’ve been conference mates for 15 seasons, but this is only the 5th meeting as SEC foes. Three of those matchups have been in the last three years alone, which is just bonkers. Their first clashes were way back in 1981 and 1984, then a long gap until 2015. You might remember 2015, that was Gary Pinkel’s final season. Mizzou started ranked and even went 4-1, but then dropped four straight conference games, ending with an ugly home loss to a Mississippi State team led by Dak Prescott, who finished 9-4 that year. Fast forward to the 2020 COVID season, Eli Drinkwitz’s first year, and Mike Leach’s first with State, and the Bulldogs absolutely blitzed Missouri for 51 points. That was a rough one to watch.
Recent Matchups and What’s at Stake for This Weekend
Things shifted big time in 2024. Mizzou visited Starkville amidst the Bulldogs’ 2-10 season, while the Tigers were charging towards a 10-win year of their own. Mizzou wasn’t messing around, taking a dominant 28-13 lead at halftime, then just suffocating State’s offense by controlling the time of possession in the second half. They waltzed out of there with a 19-point win. Last season, however, the Bulldogs came to Columbia and it was a more competitive game than some might remember. Matt Zollers was under center, Ahmad Hardy was running wild, and Mizzou needed two interceptions returned for touchdowns to boost the final score to a 49-27 win. State thinks they’re back, huh? They’ve got a lot of excitement on their side right now, and you know what? It would be a real shame if someone ruined all that for them this Saturday.
The betting line has Missouri as the 6-point underdog with the over-under sitting at 58.5. This isn’t just another game; this is a chance for Mizzou to throw a wrench into State’s perceived comeback narrative. You can follow all the action on SEC Network, stream it on ESPN.com/Watch, or hit up @MizzouFootball on Twitter and MizzouFootballShowMe on Facebook. This Saturday, September 26, 2026, at 6:45 p.m. CT, we’ll see if Mizzou plays spoiler or if Mississippi State really does have something cooking.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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