‘We’ve Got Exactly What We Want Saturday Night’
September 24, 2026 | Football, Joel Coleman
The Bulldogs are counting on the Maroon and White faithful this weekend.
STARKVILLE – Saturday night at Davis Wade Stadium, history is set to be made. Cowbells will be counted as fans enter the venue and at a designated point in Mississippi State's top-25 showdown against Missouri, the Bulldog faithful will collectively clang their favorite noisemaker to officially set a new world record for cowbells ringing simultaneously.
MSU fans will need no prompting. Those who'll cram into the stadium Saturday have been waiting three weeks for the chance to once again ring their bells for this year's bunch of Bulldogs that have captured the country's attention and jumped into the Associated Press national poll on the heels of an electric 3-0 start.
"I'm expecting a sold-out crowd that's as volatile as there is in all of college football," State head coach Jeff Lebby said. "I mean, we've got exactly what we want Saturday night. That's why we do what we do, and I would expect Davis Wade to be as good [of an environment] as there is or better than anywhere in the country. We've got some elite football players on this football team that I know people are incredibly excited about. I would expect it to be as good [of an environment] as there is in America."
Like quarterback Kamario Taylor said on the Paul Finebaum show a week ago, Starkville is one of a kind when it's on fire. Well, week by week, Taylor and his teammates have stoked the flames.
They started the year by putting up 762 yards of offense – the most in a single game by any Bulldog team in history – as MSU whooped ULM 62-13.
A week later, State proved it was for real by going on the road and dominating Big Ten foe Minnesota, 38-13.
Then, this past weekend, MSU showed it had not only the skills to win but the mentality, too. The Bulldogs rallied back from a 16-0 hole in South Carolina to open up Southeastern Conference play in style with a 41-34 victory.
Sunday afternoon, it became apparent Mississippi State's noise was being heard far outside of Starkville. The AP tabbed the Bulldogs as the No. 24 team in the country, setting the stage for the first game at Davis Wade Stadium between two top-25 teams since 2017.
"That was a great feeling [after last week's win] to be able to know that we were 3-0 coming home," Lebby said. "So, for our guys, man, [they understand] the excitement and energy of our community, our university, our town inside Davis Wade Saturday night is going to create a ton of life and a ton of energy for us to go play really, really well."
Bulldog players are absolutely chomping at the bit to get after it in front of the home crowd.
"There's nothing better than a night game at Davis Wade," safety Isaac Smith said. "I think it's going to be electric…Couldn't ask for anything else."
Added reigning SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week Amaree Williams: "It's definitely going to be crazy."
Just how crazy? Well, that's on the Bulldog family to decide.
Tickets are going fast. Get yours today by CLICKING HERE, wear white, be a part of a cowbell-ringing world record and don't miss an unforgettable Saturday in StarkVegas.
