The Mississippi State Bulldogs have added Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, and Chattanooga to their future football schedules, FBSchedules.com has learned.
A copy of the game contracts for contests with each institution were obtained from Mississippi State University via a state public records request.
Mississippi State will host the Tennessee State Tigers at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss., on Nov. 20, 2021. The Bulldogs will pay the Tigers a $525,000 guarantee for playing the game, according to the copy of the contract.
The 2021 Mississippi State-Tennessee State contest will mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools on the gridiron.
Mississippi State was previously scheduled to host the Eastern Illinois Panthers on Oct. 2, 2021, but that contest has been mutually canceled without penalty. It appears the contest was canceled because the Ohio Valley Conference scheduled a game for Eastern Illinois at Austin Peay on that date, which created a conflict.
The addition of Tennessee State completes Mississippi State’s non-conference football schedule for the 2021 season. Other opponents for Mississippi State that season include Louisiana Tech on Sept. 4 and NC State on Sept. 11, both in Starkville, and Memphis on the road on Sept. 18.
Tennessee State now has two scheduled non-conference opponents for the 2021 season. The Tigers are scheduled to open the season against Grambling in the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic in Canton, Ohio, likely on Sunday, Sept. 5.
The Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles will travel to take on Mississippi State in Starkville on Nov. 21, 2026, which will mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools. Per the copy of the contract, Mississippi State will pay Tennessee Tech a $550,000 guarantee for the game.
Mississippi State now has three scheduled non-conference opponents for 2026. The Bulldogs are also scheduled to play at Minnesota on Sept. 12 and host Troy on Sept. 19.
Mississippi State is the first known opponent for Tennessee Tech’s 2026 non-conference football schedule.
The Chattanooga Mocs will travel to take on Mississippi State at Davis Wade Stadium on Nov. 20, 2027. The Bulldogs will pay the Mocs a $550,000 guarantee for the contest.
Mississippi State and Chattanooga first met on the gridiron in 1909 and have played four times overall. The Bulldogs won the most recent contest, 19-0 in 1947, and lead the series 4-0.
The addition of Chattanooga gives Mississippi State three non-conference opponents for the 2027 season. Also on the slate for the Bulldogs are games at home against Minnesota on Sept. 11 and at Troy on Sept. 18.
Mississippi State is the first scheduled opponent for Chattanooga in 2027.
With the addition of Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, and Chattanooga, Mississippi State now has games scheduled against Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) opponents each season through 2027. Other opponents on the schedule include Alabama A&M (2020), Northwestern State (2022), Southeastern Louisiana (2023), Eastern Kentucky (2024), and Alcorn State (2025).
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