Mississippi State Bulldogs is the name given to the athletic teams of Mississippi State University, in Mississippi State, Mississippi. The university is a founding member of the Southeastern Conference and competes in NCAA Division I.
The Mississippi State Bulldogs football program represents Mississippi State University in the sport of American football. The Bulldogs compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They also have won one SEC championship in 1941 and a division championship in 1998. The Bulldogs have 26 postseason bowl appearances. The program has produced 38 All-Americans, 171 All-SEC selections, and 124 NFL players. The Bulldogs’ home stadium, Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field, is the second oldest in the NCAA Division I FBS.
The 2008 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University as a member of the Western Division of the Southern Conference (SEC) during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by Sylvester Croom in his fifth and final season as head coach, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 4–8 with a mark of 2–6 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for fourth in the SEC's Western Division. Mississippi State played home games at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi.
The 2005 Dr. Pepper SEC Championship Game was played on December 3, 2005 in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The game determined the 2005 football champion of the Southeastern Conference. The Georgia Bulldogs, winners of the Eastern division of the SEC, defeated the LSU Tigers, who won the Western division, by a score of 34-14. This was the second time the two teams have met in the conference championship game. The first time was in 2003 when LSU defeated Georgia by the score 34-13.
The 2010 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University during the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Mississippi State has been a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) since the league's inception in 1932, and has participated in that conference's Western Division since 1992. The Bulldogs played their home games at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field in Starkville, Mississippi, which has been MSU football's "home" stadium since 1914. The Bulldogs finished the season 9–4, 4–4 in SEC play and faced Michigan in the Gator Bowl, which they won 52–14. The team finished with a #15 final ranking in the AP Poll, making them 2010's most improved team in the SEC. Vick Ballard set the school record for rushing touchdowns in a single season with 19 in the 2010 season.
The 2012 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Dan Mullen, who was in his fourth season with Mississippi State. The Bulldogs played their home games at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi, and competed in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
The 2006 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University as a member of the Western Division of the Southern Conference (SEC) during the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by third-year head coach Sylvester Croom, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 3–9 with a mark of 1–7 in conference play, placing last out of six teams in the SEC's Western Division. Mississippi State played home games at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi.
The 2005 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University as a member of the Western Division of the Southern Conference (SEC) during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by second-year head coach Sylvester Croom, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 3–8 with a mark of 1–7 in conference play, tying for fifth place in the SEC's Western Division. Mississippi State played home games at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi.
The 2004 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University as a member of the Western Division of the Southern Conference (SEC) during the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by first-year head coach Sylvester Croom, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 3–8 with a mark of 2–6 in conference play, placing last out of six teams in the SEC's Western Division for the fourth consecutive season. Mississippi State played home games at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi.
The 2002 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University as a member of the Western Division of the Southern Conference (SEC) during the 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by 12th-year head coach Jackie Sherrill, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 3–9 with a mark of 0–8 in conference play, placing last out of six teams in the SEC's Western Division. Mississippi State played home games at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi.
The 2001 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University as a member of the Western Division of the Southern Conference (SEC) during the 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by 11th-year head coach Jackie Sherrill, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 3–8 with a mark of 2–6 in conference play, placing last out of six teams in the SEC's Western Division. Mississippi State played home games at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi.
The 2013 TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game held on January 1, 2013, at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida in the United States. The 68th edition of the Gator Bowl began at noon EST and aired on ESPN2. It featured the Mississippi State Bulldogs from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) against the Northwestern Wildcats from the Big Ten Conference and was the final game of the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season for both teams. The Bulldogs accepted their bowl bid after an 8–4 regular season, while the Wildcats accepted theirs after a 9–3 finish. It was the first time that the two teams had met. Northwestern won the game by a score of 34 – 20.
The 2000 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University as a member of the Western Division of the Southern Conference (SEC) during the 2000 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by tenth-year head coach Jackie Sherrill, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 8–4 with a mark of 4–4 in conference play, tying for third place in the SEC's Western Division. Mississippi State was invited to the Independence Bowl, where Bulldogs defeated Texas A&M in overtime. The team played home games at Scott Field in Starkville, Mississippi.
The 1998 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University as a member of the Western Division of the Southern Conference (SEC) during the 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by eighth-year head coach Jackie Sherrill, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 8–5 with a mark of 6–2 in conference play, sharing the SEC's Western Division title with Arkansas. By virtue of Mississippi State's head-to-head win over the Razorbacks, the team advanced to the SEC Championship Game, losing to the eventual national champion, Tennessee. This remains the only appearance in the SEC Championship Game for Mississippi State. The Bulldogs were invited to the Cotton Bowl Classic, where they were defeated by Texas. Mississippi State played home games Scott Field in Starkville, Mississippi.
The 1996 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University as a member of the Western Division of the Southern Conference (SEC) during the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by sixth-year head coach Jackie Sherrill, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 5–6 with a mark of 3–5 in conference play, placing fourth in the SEC's Western Division. Mississippi State played home games at Scott Field in Starkville, Mississippi.
The 1995 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University as a member of the Western Division of the Southern Conference (SEC) during the 1995 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Jackie Sherrill, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 3–8 with a mark of 1–7 in conference play, placing last out six teams in the SEC's Western Division. Mississippi State played home games at Scott Field in Starkville, Mississippi.
The 2016 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bulldogs played their home games at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi and competed in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by eighth-year head coach Dan Mullen. Despite having a 5–7 record, the first losing season since 2009, Mississippi State qualified for a bowl bid due to their high APR score. Mississippi State beat the Miami RedHawks in the St. Petersburg Bowl to finish the season at 6–7.
The 2017 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bulldogs played their home games at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi and competed in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by ninth-year head coach Dan Mullen. They finished the season 9–4, 4–4 in SEC play to finish in a tie for fourth place in the Western Division. They were invited to the TaxSlayer Bowl where they beat Louisville.
The 2020 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bulldogs played their home games at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi, and competed in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by first-year head coach Mike Leach.
The 2023 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University in the West Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bulldogs were led by Zach Arnett, who was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach in December 2022 following the death of Mike Leach, until his firing on November 13, 2023.
