Mississippi State Opens Soccer Season Against South Alabama

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State’s soccer team begins its 2026-27 season Wednesday night at 6 p.m. CT, hosting South Alabama on SEC Network+. The match will serve as the debut for Kevin O’Brien, who was named the Bulldogs’ head coach in December.

O’Brien, the program’s eighth head coach, arrives with a roster featuring 19 newcomers, including three of the team’s four SEC Preseason Watch List representatives. This game marks the fifth consecutive season the Bulldogs and Jaguars have faced each other, and the 14th time in the last 16 years.

Mississippi State has a recent history of success at home, going undefeated in non-conference regular-season matches since Aug. 31, 2023, with a 10-0-0 record. Last season, the Bulldogs recorded three top-10 wins, matching their total from the previous 27 years combined. They also posted four consecutive 10-win seasons, a significant increase from previous decades.

Defensively, the Bulldogs set program records in recent years under goalkeeper coach Kat Stratton, with multiple shutout streaks and a reduction in shots allowed per game. Last fall, opponents averaged just 9.7 shots per game, continuing a trend of strong defensive performances.

South Alabama enters the game with an 0-0-0 record and is led by third-year head coach Chris Hennessey. The Jaguars are led by goalkeeper Sierra Giorgio, a preseason Sun Belt Goalkeeper of the Year, and defender Amelia Campanella, both recognized nationally. South Alabama was picked third in the Sun Belt preseason coaches’ poll and boasts a series record of 11-5-3 against Mississippi State.

The Bulldogs will travel to Birmingham on Sunday to face UAB at 7 p.m. on ESPN+. Mississippi State encourages fans to follow their season updates on X, Facebook, and Instagram by searching ‘HailStateSOC.’

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