The Mississippi State Bulldogs have added the North Alabama Lions to their 2028 football schedule, FBSchedules.com has learned.
Mississippi State will host North Alabama at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss., on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2028. The Bulldogs will pay the Lions a $525,000 guarantee for playing the game, according to a copy of the contract obtained from Mississippi State University via a state public records request.
The contract also contains a stipulation that Mississippi State reserves the right, at no cost or penalty, to move the game to Saturday, Nov. 18, 2028. A draft version of the contract indicated that this stipulation was added in case the SEC moves to a nine-game conference schedule.
The 2028 Mississippi State-North Alabama contest will mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools on the gridiron.
North Alabama is a member of the United Athletic Conference (UAC) in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Lions are entering their first season under head coach Brent Dearmon, who was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Florida Atlantic in 2022.
The Bulldogs have two other non-conference games scheduled for the 2028 season. Mississippi State is slated to host the Texas Tech Red Raiders on Sept. 9 and will visit the Memphis Tigers the following week on Sept. 16.
Mississippi State is the first known non-conference opponent for North Alabama’s 2028 schedule.
Football Schedules