Bulldogs Host No. 1 Tennessee In SEC Opener

STARKVILLE – For the third time in program history, Mississippi State will face the top-ranked team in the nation on Friday night as the Bulldogs host No. 1 Tennessee to open conference play.

Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU.

The matchup comes 21 years to the day from the first game against No. 1 in school history, which coincidentally was against North Carolina in a 2004 tournament hosted by the Lady Vols. The Bulldogs will look to take inspiration from last year's home victory over then-No. 1 Arkansas.

State has won three straight SEC openers and three straight SEC home openers, but the Bulldogs will face a tough test on Friday night. The Lady Vols are the only remaining team in the nation that has not conceded a goal this year. Tennessee has already played three ranked opponents, going 2-0-1 with a pair of top-five wins in those matches.

Friday night is Greek Night at the MSU Soccer Field and the start of alumni weekend. The first 300 students in fraternities or sororities will receive a giveaway rally towel The Bulldogs are also celebrating their 30th anniversary season and will recognize members of the inaugural 1995 team pregame. Remaining alumni in attendance will be honored at halftime.

Kicking Off

Taking On Number One: MSU has played No. 1 twice in its history. The Bulldogs will look for their second straight No. 1 win coming off the heels of last year's defeat of then-No. 1 Arkansas in Starkville.

It Could Be Anyone: Ten different Bulldogs have scored a goal. It's the second-highest number of goal scorers in the SEC and tied for ninth nationally. The program record is 14 set three times, most recently by the 2024 squad.

Our Ball: State has had the majority of possession in every win this year. MSU is averaging 60 percent of possession.

Long Time Coming: Last year's SEC Tournament victory against Tennessee was MSU's first win in the series in 18 years dating back to 2006. Three of the last seven meetings have ended in a draw.

Keep The Streak: The Bulldogs have not lost a regular-season match at home since Sept. 21, 2023, going 14-0-2 in that span.

About Tennessee (6-0-1, 0-0-0 SEC)

Rankings: United Soccer Coaches – 1 | TopDrawerSoccer – 3
Head Coach: Joe Kirt | Record at TENN: 35-20-11 (4th Year) | Career Record: 35-20-11 (4th Year)

Series History

Notables

Tennessee is one of 25 squads across the country that has yet to lose a match. The Lady Vols made early statements with a season-opening, 2-0 victory over then-No. 1 North Carolina and a 1-0 win at then-No. 4 UCLA. The only match that Tennessee has not won was a scoreless draw at then-No. 14 Memphis last week. The Lady Vols are the only team remaining in the nation that has not allowed a goal this season, and their 19 goals as a team rank No. 15 nationally. Shae O'Rourke leads the team with five goals and three game-winners, which is sixth in the country.

Next Up

SEC play continues next week as the Bulldogs travel to Austin, Texas, for a match that pits the defending SEC regular season champions against the 2024 SEC Tournament champion Texas Longhorns. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. on ESPNU.

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Mississippi State University Athletics

Bulldogs Host No. 1 Tennessee In SEC Opener

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