Mississippi State and Vanderbilt will meet in Starkville with bowl-eligibility hopes hanging in the balance for both teams.
The Bulldogs (4-4, 2-4 SEC) are in desperate need of a win after dropping four consecutive games following a 4-0 start. A victory over the Commodores would put Jeff Lebby’s team in a much better position to reach the usual six-win postseason threshold, with Auburn, Tennessee Tech, and No. 10 Ole Miss on the horizon.
For Vanderbilt (3-5, 0-5), a loss in Starkville would all but eliminate its chances of reaching six wins. Clark Lea’s group faces a difficult closing stretch after the trip to Starkville, with No. 5 Alabama, No. 24 Florida, and No. 13 Tennessee still on the schedule.
Here’s what else to know about the matchup, including how to listen to the game on the radio and watch it on TV.
Mississippi State and Vanderbilt will kick off inside Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 3:15 p.m. CT. It is the Bulldogs’ homecoming game.
Like all Bulldog football games, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt will air on participating SuperTalk Mississippi stations.
To find a station in your area, click here. You can also listen on the SuperTalk app, available on both Apple’s App Store and Google Play.
Mississippi State and Vanderbilt will air live on ABC.
— This will be the 25th all-time meeting between Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. The Bulldogs hold a 15-7-2 advantage in the series that started in 1904 and are 8-1 at home against the Commodores.
— For this year’s game, Mississippi State opened as a 2.5-point favorite. Mississippi State is 4-4 against the spread in 2026, while Vanderbilt is 3-4.
— Jeff Lebby is in his third season with Mississippi State, holding an 11-22 record, while Clark Lea is in his sixth season with Vanderbilt, holding a 29-41 record. 2025 was Lea’s best season to date, leading the Commodores to a 10-3 record and a No. 15 final rank.
— Mississippi State’s offense, which ranked among the nation’s best statistically earlier in the season, has struggled since losing quarterback Kamario Taylor to a season-ending injury. Over the past three games, the Bulldogs are averaging six points per game.
— Filling in for Taylor have been sophomore Billy Puckett and graduate AJ Swann. It is unclear who will start this weekend, but if Swann is cleared after getting injured against Texas and gets the nod, he will face off against his former team. Swann started 12 games for Vanderbilt across the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
— Mississippi State is averaging 408.1 yards on offense (51st in FBS) and allowing 378 yards per game on defense (91st).
— Vanderbilt is averaging 342.9 yards on offense (109th in FBS) and allowing 366.9 yards per game on defense (109th).
— Stat leaders for Mississippi State include running back Fluff Bothwell (563 yards on 108 carries, 3 TD) and wide receiver Anthony Evans III (666 yards on 56 catches, 5 TD).
— Stat leaders for Vanderbilt include quarterback Jared Curtis (1,489 yards, 8 TD, 8 INT), running back Sedrick Alexander (274 yards on 64 carries, 5 TD), and wide receiver Junior Sherrill (706 yards on 49 catches, 4 TD).
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