Mississippi State favored by 28.5 points to open Jeff Lebby's third season
5 sourcesUpdated Sep 4, 2026
Mississippi State is set to begin its 2026 season opener Saturday night against Louisiana-Monroe, with analysts describing the Bulldogs as a clear statistical favorite to win. One preview highlighted key expectations for the matchup, pointing to analytics that project an easy start for Mississippi State as it enters the third season of coach Jeff Lebby’s tenure. Another game preview also notes Mississippi State’s historical edge over the Warhawks and lists the Bulldogs as a 28.5-point favorite for the ESPN/ESPNU-broadcast kickoff. Beyond the on-field outlook, Mississippi State’s staff and fans are looking for tangible progress early in the campaign, and the game is expected to draw both local and out-of-state recruiting attention.
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Good to see the high school Week 1 scores getting coverage, that's what keeps small town football alive around here.
SMU starting ranked with Jennings back is legit, that's a program that's arrived. Meanwhile State is still trying to prove it belongs in that conversation.
Year three is when the excuses run out for Lebby. Beating ULM by 28 should be the easy part, let's see if it translates to conference play.
