The Mississippi State football team is coming off a much-needed bye week after star quarterback Kamario Taylor and running back Fluff Bothwell sustained injuries in the Bulldogs’ 56-23 loss to Alabama on Oct. 3.
Now, No. 16 Mississippi State (4-1, 2-1 SEC) is looking to bounce back in a big way as they head to face the No. 22 LSU (4-2, 1-2 SEC) in Baton Rouge. However, question marks remain around the Mississippi State squad after Wednesday’s injury report listed both Taylor and Bothwell as questionable. Similarly, the Tigers are looking to bounce back after a disappointing loss of their own, as Lane Kiffin’s team dropped an overtime game at Kentucky, 35-34.
Here’s what else to know about the matchup, including how to listen to it on the radio and watch it on TV.
Kickoff time for Mississippi State-LSU
Mississippi State and LSU will kick off inside Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 11 a.m. CT.
How to listen to Mississippi State-LSU
Like all Bulldog football games, Mississippi State and LSU will air on participating SuperTalk Mississippi stations.
To find a station in your area, click here. You can also listen on the SuperTalk app, available on both Apple’s App Store and Google Play.
How to watch Mississippi State-LSU
Mississippi State and LSU will air live on ESPN.
Mississippi State-LSU quick shots
— This will be the 118th all-time matchup between the Tigers and the Bulldogs. LSU has a lopsided 78-36-3 record against Mississippi State and hasn’t been beaten by the Bulldogs since Sept. 26, 2020.. The last time the two teams met was in 2023, and it went in favor of the Tigers, who won 41-14.
— With the two Bulldogs stars questionable to play on Saturday, the current line has LSU as a 14.5-point favorite. The Tigers are 2-4 against the spread in 2026, while Mississippi State is 4-1.
— Jeff Lebby is in his third season with Mississippi State, holding an 11-19 record, while former Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin is 4-2 so far in his young stint as the LSU frontman.
— Under Taylor, the offense ranks 11th nationally in both total yards per game and pass yards per game, with 487 and 309.2, respectively. Led by quarterback Sam Leavitt, the Tigers offense is fourth nationally in total yards per game and eighth in pass yards per game, with 524.8 and 311, respectively.
— In the event that Taylor doesn’t start at quarterback for the Bulldogs, Lebby said in Monday’s press conference that the battle is between former Jackson Prep quarterback Parker “Billy” Puckett and veteran transfer AJ Swann.
— If Bothwell doesn’t get the start at running back, freshman Kolin Wilson and former Tupelo High School running back J.J. Hill will both see larger roles in the ground game against LSU.
— Weapons for the Bulldogs include wide receiver Anthony Evans (574 yards on 40 catches, 5 TDs) and wide receiver Sanfrisco Magee (259 yards on 16 catches, 5 TDs).
— Weapons for the Tigers include Leavitt (1,496 pass yards with a 67.6 completion percentage, 10 TDs, 8 INTs, and 259 rush yards on 60 carries, 7 TDs) and running back Dilin Jones (482 yards on 110 carries, 5 TDs).