Gameday: MSU Opens 120th Season against Louisiana in New Orleans

Saturday, August 31

New Orleans, La.

11:00 AM

Mississippi State

Louisiana

Kickoff between the Bulldogs and Ragin' Cajuns is set for 11 a.m. CT Saturday at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.

Gameday: MSU Opens 120th Season against Louisiana in New Orleans

August 29, 2019 | Football

HailState.com/gameday Watch Live Listen Live Live Stats MSU Game Notes Louisiana Game Notes

by Brandon Langlois, Associate Director/Communications

NEW ORLEANS – The 120th season of Mississippi State football will commence on Saturday, when the Bulldogs take on the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns in New Orleans at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT.

The matchup will be the Bulldogs' first regular-season trip to the Superdome since defeating Tulane, 38-17, behind a 141-yard rushing performance from Anthony Dixon on Sept. 8, 2007. State owns a 6-2 mark all-time in the Superdome. MSU has won nine straight against non-conference opponents in the regular season.

Viewing Information
The game will be televised live on ESPNU with Mike Corey (play-by-play) and Rene Ingoglia (analyst) calling the action. Live streaming video is available via the Watch ESPN app and WatchESPN.com.

Listening Information
The MSU Sports Network C Spire Tailgate Show hosted by Bart Gregory, Matt Wyatt and Charlie Winfield goes live at 9 a.m. Neil Price, Matt Wyatt and Jay Perry will call the game on the network (check for affiliates here). Live audio is also available for FREE at HailState.com and via the TuneIn app. Fans in Starkville can tune to 100.9 FM.

Gates Open at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome
Gates will open at 9:30 a.m. Saturday. Visit HailState.com/Gameday for more info.

Cowbells
Cowbells will not be permitted in the Superdome.

Social Media/Live Stats
Live updates from the game are available via MSU's official social media channels: Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (click the links). Live Stats are available via Stat Broadcast.

Series History
This will be the sixth meeting between the two schools. MSU leads the series, 4-1 (Starkville: MSU leads, 4-0; Lafayette: Never Met; Neutral: Louisiana leads, 1-0).

Storylines
Joe Moorhead announced on Aug. 22 that Tommy Stevens was named the team's starting quarterback. Stevens joined MSU as a graduate transfer this offseason, reuniting with Moorhead who was his offensive coordinator at Penn State from 2016-17. Stevens also was named a team captain five days later.

It's the first time State has opened a season away from home since 2015, when they beat Southern Miss, 34-16, in Hattiesburg.

It's the first time MSU has opened a season at a neutral site since 2013 against No. 13 Oklahoma State at Reliant Stadium in Houston, where the Cowboys defeated the Bulldogs 21-3.

Only nine times has State played a game in August, and the last time was the opener of the historic 2014 season. MSU shut out Southern Miss, 49-0, and went on to win its next eight games and served as the No. 1 team in the country for five straight weeks.

Joe Moorhead enters his second season in Starkville after becoming just the second MSU head coach to win eight or more games in his debut season and the first since College Football Hall of Famer Allyn McKeen in 1939. Moorhead was also just the second coach in Bulldog history to reach a bowl game in his first season, joining Jackie Sherrill's 1991 squad.

The Bulldogs return 49 letterwinners and several key names, including All-SEC performers linebacker Erroll Thompson and cornerback Cameron Dantzler, in addition to national player of the year candidate running back Kylin Hill and center Darryl Williams, who is a preseason All-American and projected as one of the top lineman in college football. Dantzler is also a preseason All-American.

Moorhead will continue to serve as the offensive playcaller. Moorhead is joined by three new coaches on offense – Tony Hughes (associate head coach/tight ends), Terry Richardson (assistant head coach/run game coordinator/running backs) and Michael Johnson (wide receivers). There are two new coaches on defense – Deke Adams (defensive line) and Chris Marve (defensive run game coordinator/linebackers).

Defensively, MSU has continuity at the playcaller position for the first time since 2014 as 2018 Broyles Award finalist and national defensive coordinator of the year Bob Shoop enters his second year with the program. Shoop's unit was the best in college football last season, allowing the fewest yards per game (263.1) and fewest yards per play (4.13).

Prior to spring camp in March, the Bulldogs spent two months conditioning under the direction of the program's new head strength and conditioning coach Cory Bichey, who served in the assistant role during the 2018 campaign and owns six years of SEC experience. Bichey replaced former head strength and conditioning coach Anthony Piroli, who reunited with new Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians after last season in January.

Season tickets, mini-plans and individual game tickets for the 2019 season can be purchased at HailState.com/Tickets, by calling 1-888-GO-DAWGS or in person at the MSU Athletic Ticket Office on the first floor of the Bryan Athletic Administration Building (288 Lakeview Drive), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For more information on the Bulldogs, follow MSU football on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateFB."