Friday, September 18
Starkville
6 p.m.
Mississippi State
vs
Florida
State Prepares For SEC Home Opener On Friday
September 17, 2026 | Soccer
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State will host Florida for its SEC home opener on Friday with kickoff set for 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.
State enters Friday's matchup riding the momentum of a SEC opening victory against rival Ole Miss, starting the year 1-0-0 in league play for the fifth season in a row. Now MSU will look to win its fifth consecutive SEC home opener on Friday night. Florida was the team's league opener at home in 2021, the last time MSU did not win its first SEC home match of the year.
Friday night marks the first time the two teams have met in back-to-back years since they did so every year from 2003-16.
Laila Murillo leads the Bulldogs with five goals, including two multi-goal games this season. She now leads State with 27 shots, after firing 14 in the last three matches alone. Meanwhile, Hailey Johnson and Katie Anne Shepard are leading the team with 11 points each.
Those three are responsible for the first goal in five of State's eight games and five of MSU's six goals within the first 20 minutes of a match. They've staked State to early leads, which means that the team has only trailed for 14 percent of all minutes played this year.
Students in attendance can claim free pit viper sunglasses while supplies last. Free Chick-fil-A cookies will also be available to the first 150 fans through the gates. Fans are encouraged to wear black for the team's annual Black Out match.
Bang Bang: State has scored a pair of goals less than six minutes apart four times already this year. That's more pairs of goals in less than six minutes than the Bulldogs had all season in 2024 and 2025.
Leading Ladies: Laila Murillo, Kati Anne Shepherd and Hailey Johnson are State's three players with double-digit points already this year. The trio has accounted for five of State's six goals in September and 13 of 21 goals this season.
Slim Shooting: State's 5.6 shots allowed per game is tied for second in the SEC behind only Auburn (5.8). In fact, last time out was the first time any team had put more than five shots on target, forcing Jenny Harrison to make a season-high six saves.
Head Coach: Nick Zimmerman | Record at UF: 4-3-1 (1st Year) | Career Record: 16-10-2 (2nd Year)
State enters Friday's matchup riding the momentum of a SEC opening victory against rival Ole Miss, starting the year 1-0-0 in league play for the fifth season in a row. Now MSU will look to win its fifth consecutive SEC home opener on Friday night. Florida was the team's league opener at home in 2021, the last time MSU did not win its first SEC home match of the year.
Friday night marks the first time the two teams have met in back-to-back years since they did so every year from 2003-16.
Laila Murillo leads the Bulldogs with five goals, including two multi-goal games this season. She now leads State with 27 shots, after firing 14 in the last three matches alone. Meanwhile, Hailey Johnson and Katie Anne Shepard are leading the team with 11 points each.
Those three are responsible for the first goal in five of State's eight games and five of MSU's six goals within the first 20 minutes of a match. They've staked State to early leads, which means that the team has only trailed for 14 percent of all minutes played this year.
Students in attendance can claim free pit viper sunglasses while supplies last. Free Chick-fil-A cookies will also be available to the first 150 fans through the gates. Fans are encouraged to wear black for the team's annual Black Out match.
Kicking Off
Friends Turned Foes: MSU is set to play against 10 former players and eight former program members on opposing coaching staffs this fall. Friday night will see the return of former head coach Nick Zimmerman along with three former staff members, seven former players and three signees.Bang Bang: State has scored a pair of goals less than six minutes apart four times already this year. That's more pairs of goals in less than six minutes than the Bulldogs had all season in 2024 and 2025.
Leading Ladies: Laila Murillo, Kati Anne Shepherd and Hailey Johnson are State's three players with double-digit points already this year. The trio has accounted for five of State's six goals in September and 13 of 21 goals this season.
Slim Shooting: State's 5.6 shots allowed per game is tied for second in the SEC behind only Auburn (5.8). In fact, last time out was the first time any team had put more than five shots on target, forcing Jenny Harrison to make a season-high six saves.
About Florida (4-3-1, 0-1-0 SEC)
Rankings: IWSOC – RV | TopDrawerSoccer – NRHead Coach: Nick Zimmerman | Record at UF: 4-3-1 (1st Year) | Career Record: 16-10-2 (2nd Year)
Series History
Overall: 3-17-2 | Current Streak: Lost 1 | Home: 2-6-2 | Away: 1-11-0 | Neutral: 0-0-0 | Last Meeting: Oct. 10, 2025, UF, 2-1Notables
The Gators are led offensively by former Bulldogs Kyra Taylor (4 G, 3 A) and Zoe Main (3 G, 3 A). Florida is second in the SEC and 20th nationally, averaging 18.38 shots per game. Nick Zimmerman is one of three former MSU head coaches still active as a head coach across the country. Only James Armstrong has previously played against the Bulldogs as an opponent as his Auburn side played to a draw in Starkville last fall. The Gators were the only SEC team to play two top-five opponents in non-conference play with a win over then-No. 3 Florida State and a loss to then-No. 5 Wake Forest.Next Up
The Bulldogs will hit the road next week for a two-match road trip in the northern portion of the conference. State plays at No. 8/4 Tennessee on Thursday night with the match airing nationally on ESPNU at 7 p.m. The team will then drive across the state line to Kentucky for a noon kickoff on Sunday on SEC Network+.Follow the Bulldogs
For more information on the Bulldog soccer program, follow on X, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSOC."
Players Mentioned
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