Upcoming Mississippi State Bulldogs Football dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Davis Wade seat decision: sideline, Balcony or east deck
For the clearest look at a Mississippi State Bulldogs game, buy a lower sideline seat between the 30-yard lines at Davis Wade Stadium. If you are coming with a group and want room to stand and talk, look at the Balconies in the west upper deck. If comfort on a hot or cold day matters most, the east upper deck has a sealed, climate-controlled concourse behind it.
The stadium's full name is Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field; it seats 60,311 as of 2022, right on campus in Starkville. Expect home Saturdays from September into late November, with the biggest one, Ole Miss and the Egg Bowl, landing in Starkville every odd year.
- Best view: lower sideline, between the 30s.
- Best for groups: the west upper-deck Balconies.
- Best for comfort: east upper deck, with its climate-controlled concourse.
- Value: the end zones, keeping in mind that low rows flatten the far end.
Inside Davis Wade: what each part of the bowl offers
The stadium has been added to many times, so each area has its own feel. Each end zone has a video board; the southern one rises over the Leo Seal M-Club building.
Lower sidelines
These are the priciest seats on resale, and for good reason. A bit of lore: the original live mascot, Bully I, rests in a grave at midfield beneath the players' bench.
The Balconies, west upper deck
The 2022 project swapped bleachers for stepped, open-air boxes in 301, 302, 312, 313 and portions of 303 and 311. Each box runs roughly 9.5 feet deep and comes with a rail for drinks, and owners may load in supplies the day ahead. They suit families and groups more than fans who want to sit still and watch every snap.
East upper deck
Behind and below these seats is a sealed concourse with heating and air conditioning, which you will appreciate in early-September heat or a raw November night.
End zones
The 2014 expansion closed in the north end. Seats behind either goal line are the usual budget choice; climb a few rows for a better angle.
Sun, by rule of thumb
The end zones face north and south, so on an afternoon kickoff the sun tends to sit behind west-side fans and in the eyes of those on the east. The school does not publish a shade map, and it places the student and visiting-team allotments itself, so check the map on your listing.
Egg Bowl years and other Starkville sellouts
One game outranks everything on the Mississippi State calendar.
- Ole Miss, the Egg Bowl: The rivals met first in 1901 and have played annually since 1915, missing only 1943, which makes it one of the sport's longest unbroken series. A Golden Egg has gone to the winner since 1927, and the Egg Bowl label stuck in 1979. Look for it over Thanksgiving weekend, hosted by Starkville in odd years and Oxford in even ones. An odd-year home date is the toughest ticket of the season.
- Alabama: An annual meeting that goes by two nicknames, the 90 Mile Drive and the Battle for Highway 82.
- LSU: Known to some as "Cajuns vs. Cowbells," it is LSU's most-played series. The teams skipped 2024 and 2025 and are scheduled to meet in 2026 and 2028.
- Auburn: A tight SEC series in recent seasons.
Next in line for demand come ranked conference opponents and anything under the lights, and the SEC's rotating schedule changes who comes to town each year. When the team is winning, seats vanish fast: the stadium posted 31 straight sellouts between October 2009 and September 2014.
Cowbell etiquette, The Junction and the Dawg Walk
Yes, you can bring a cowbell, but timing matters. From 1977 through 2009 the conference outlawed artificial noisemakers, and State fans smuggled bells in regardless; a big game could have as many as 40,000 ringing. A 2010 deal permitted them at designated moments, and the current SEC rule, in place since 2014, allows ringing at all times except while the ball is being snapped and played, from the center setting over it to the whistle. Watch the crowd and ring when they do.
- The Junction: South of the stadium, a lawn replaced a tangle of roads locals called "Malfunction Junction." Today it is a car-free tailgating ground where thousands of tents go up.
- The Dawg Walk: About 120 minutes ahead of kickoff, the team and staff cut through The Junction on their way in, with the Famous Maroon Band playing them along.
- End of the third quarter: A Journey song, "Don't Stop Believin'," has been the cue for swaying, singing and ringing since 2014.
The school also claims credit for the first stadium use of "Who Let the Dogs Out?" As of recent seasons, SEC venues restrict what bags you can carry in. Confirm bag, cowbell, parking and mobile entry rules at hailstate.com before you go.
Buying Bulldogs tickets: booster priority and resale
Season-ticket holders fill most of Davis Wade Stadium. Gifts to the athletics booster program decide who gets the best spots and who can buy Balconies, club seats and other premium inventory. Students are seated from a separate pool.
For early-season games, resale often offers good sideline choices. Not so for an odd-year Egg Bowl or a heavyweight SEC visitor. Season holders hang on to those, so the resale market is the realistic option. Watch the matchup, the standings, the kickoff hour and the weather; all four push prices. Every Reserved Seat order includes free shipping and no digital transfer fees.
Staffs and rosters change each year, so check hailstate.com for the current coaches and schedule.
From Mississippi A&M to the 2014 run at No. 1
Football started in 1895, when the school was Mississippi A&M; W. M. Matthews, the first coach, gets credit for the maroon and white. The Aggies became the Maroons in 1932 and the Bulldogs by formal adoption in 1960, though fans had called them that since 1905 or earlier. State helped found the SEC and has one league title, in 1941. That came right after the school's lone unbeaten team, the 1940 squad that won the Orange Bowl. A division crown followed much later, the 1998 SEC West.
Called New Athletic Field at first, the stadium debuted on October 3, 1914, as State shut out Marion Military Institute 54–0. Only Bobby Dodd Stadium at Georgia Tech is older among Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) venues. The playing surface was named Scott Field in 1920, and Davis Wade became the stadium name ahead of 2001. Building projects in 1986, 2002 and 2014 brought upper decks, roughly 50 skyboxes, 1,700 club seats and a closed north end. Nine days after the September 11 attacks, on September 20, 2001, State and South Carolina played here in the first major college game since.
Postseason highlights include the Liberty Bowl (1963), the Peach Bowl (1999) and the Gator Bowl after the 2010 season, a 52–14 win over Michigan. Then came 2014: behind Dak Prescott, State rose from outside the AP Top 25 to No. 1 within five weeks, quicker than any team before, and sat atop the first-ever playoff rankings until a loss at Alabama. That team ended up in the Orange Bowl.
Frequently asked questions
When can you ring a cowbell at Davis Wade Stadium?
Any time except during a live play, from the center setting over the ball until the whistle, under the SEC rule in place since 2014. Take your cue from the fans around you and confirm current rules with the school.
Which sections are the Balconies?
They sit in the west upper deck: all of 301, 302, 312 and 313 plus portions of 303 and 311. The open-air boxes are roughly 9.5 feet deep and include a drink rail.
Is the Egg Bowl in Starkville this year?
Odd years are Starkville years; even years go to Oxford. Thanksgiving weekend is the usual slot.
How old is Davis Wade Stadium?
It dates to 1914. Among FBS stadiums, only Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd Stadium is older. As of 2022, it seats 60,311.
What is The Junction?
It is a lawn south of the stadium where tents replace cars on gameday. The team walks through it on the Dawg Walk roughly two hours ahead of kickoff.
Which seats have climate control?
The east upper deck has an enclosed concourse with climate control behind it, and club seats and skyboxes from earlier expansions add indoor space too.