Wednesday, August 12
Starkville
6 p.m.
Mississippi State
vs
South Alabama
State Hosts South Alabama To Open O’Brien Era
August 11, 2026 | Soccer
STARKVILLE – The 2026-27 athletic year will officially begin on Wednesday night in Starkville as the Mississippi State soccer team hosts South Alabama.
Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.
The match will mark the beginning of the Kevin O'Brien era after he was named the eighth head coach in program history in December. A new-look Bulldog lineup features 19 newcomers. Three of State's four representatives on the SEC Preseason Watch List are new to the club this year.
This marks the fifth consecutive season that the Bulldogs and Jaguars have met on the pitch and the 14th time in the last 16 years. Over the last four years during the current streak of meetings, State has won twice and drawn twice with the Jaguars.
Protecting Our Pitch: State has not lost a non-conference regular-season match at home since Aug. 31, 2023 (10-0-0).
Top-10 Takedowns: Mississippi State claimed three top-10 wins last year, which was as many as the program had in its entire history prior to 2025.
Double-Digits: MSU has posted four consecutive 10-win seasons. Prior to the current stretch, there were three 10-win seasons in the previous 27 years of the program.
Dawg Defense: Under goalkeepers coach Kat Stratton, MSU set program records three of the last four years in both shutouts and fewest shots allowed per game. Last fall, State allowed just 9.7 shots per game, marking four straight years that opponents have averaged less than 10.0 shots per game.
Head Coach: Chris Hennessey | Record at USA: 20-10-7 (3rd Year) | Career Record: 149-41-28 (12th Year)
Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.
The match will mark the beginning of the Kevin O'Brien era after he was named the eighth head coach in program history in December. A new-look Bulldog lineup features 19 newcomers. Three of State's four representatives on the SEC Preseason Watch List are new to the club this year.
This marks the fifth consecutive season that the Bulldogs and Jaguars have met on the pitch and the 14th time in the last 16 years. Over the last four years during the current streak of meetings, State has won twice and drawn twice with the Jaguars.
Kicking Off
Head Man's History: State hired Kevin O'Brien as the sixth head coach in program history over the offseason. In his 30-year coaching career, 25 teams he has been part of have posted a winning record.Protecting Our Pitch: State has not lost a non-conference regular-season match at home since Aug. 31, 2023 (10-0-0).
Top-10 Takedowns: Mississippi State claimed three top-10 wins last year, which was as many as the program had in its entire history prior to 2025.
Double-Digits: MSU has posted four consecutive 10-win seasons. Prior to the current stretch, there were three 10-win seasons in the previous 27 years of the program.
Dawg Defense: Under goalkeepers coach Kat Stratton, MSU set program records three of the last four years in both shutouts and fewest shots allowed per game. Last fall, State allowed just 9.7 shots per game, marking four straight years that opponents have averaged less than 10.0 shots per game.
About South Alabama (0-0-0, 0-0-0 SBC)
Rankings: United Soccer Coaches – NR | TopDrawerSoccer – NRHead Coach: Chris Hennessey | Record at USA: 20-10-7 (3rd Year) | Career Record: 149-41-28 (12th Year)
Series History
Overall: 11-5-3 | Current Streak: Won 2 | Home: 5-3-2 | Away: 5-2-1 | Neutral: 1-0-0 | Last Meeting: Sept. 7, 2025, MSU 4-2Notables
South Alabama was picked to finish third in the Sun Belt by the league's coaches and is led by a pair of veterans that have garnered national recognition. Goalkeeper Sierra Giorgio was tabbed the Sun Belt Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year and a United Soccer Coaches Goalkeeper to Watch. She set the USA single-season record for save percentage (.866) last year and helped the Jaguars rank seventh nationally in shutout percentage as a team. Amelia Campanella was a USC Defender to Watch and tabbed to the Sun Belt's preseason all-conference team.Next Up
State will travel to Birmingham, Alabama, on Sunday night to face UAB. Kickoff against the Blazers is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.Follow the Bulldogs
For more information on the Bulldog soccer program, follow on X, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSOC."
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