Mississippi State to Host Alabama in Regular-Season Finale

Mississippi State was scheduled to host No. 6/11 Alabama at noon Sunday at MSU Soccer Field in Starkville in its final match of the regular season. The match was listed for broadcast on SEC Network+.

The Bulldogs entered the game looking to end a scoring drought after back-to-back scoreless ties. They had scored twice across their previous seven matches and had gone 335 minutes, 20 seconds without a goal, according to the team’s preview.

Mississippi State’s defense had allowed six goals in Southeastern Conference play. The Bulldogs had also kept three ranked opponents scoreless: No. 9 Tennessee, No. 11 South Carolina and No. 21 Auburn. The team had recorded a school-record six ties, all in conference play, and finished the regular season unbeaten on the road for the first time in program history.

Goalkeeper Jenny Harrison had seven shutouts, placing her among the top five single-season totals in program history. Five came in SEC play. The preview said only Maddy Anderson had recorded more shutouts in a season for Mississippi State.

Alabama was listed at 14-3 overall and 7-2 in the SEC, with rankings of No. 6 from IWSOC and No. 11 from TopDrawerSoccer. Forward Larkin Thomason led the team with 10 goals and 22 points and was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy midseason watch list. Goalkeeper Madi Munguia was one shutout short of tying Alabama’s single-season record, while the Crimson Tide had nine shutouts as a team.

The teams’ series history stood at 10-16-5 in Alabama’s favor, with Mississippi State winning the most recent meeting, 1-0, on Oct. 19, 2025. The Bulldogs were scheduled to open the SEC Tournament on Sunday, Nov. 8, in Pensacola, Florida; their seed and opponent had not been determined.

Source: Original Article