Mississippi State’s 2025 SEC Basketball Schedule Is a Gauntlet Built for Grit originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Think the SEC is just a football conference? Try telling that to Chris Jans.
Coming off three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, Mississippi State’s men’s basketball program is charging into the 2025-26 season with one of the toughest SEC slates in recent memory, and fans wouldn’t have it any other way.
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The Southeastern Conference unveiled its matchups earlier this week, and if you’re a Bulldog fan circling dates on your calendar, go ahead and highlight every Saturday. State’s schedule is stacked, not just with marquee matchups, but with defining opportunities.
Home Turf, Big-Time Matchups
Humphrey Coliseum will be rocking as State welcomes Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt. New SEC member Oklahoma brings fresh intrigue to Starkville, while a visit from Tennessee, a perennial NCAA Tournament threat, could shape the Bulldogs’ postseason seeding. And with Auburn’s Bruce Pearl known for lighting up sidelines, that game will have emotional fireworks.
But the games everyone in Maroon and White circles are watching? The home-and-home series against Ole Miss, Alabama, and Missouri.
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Jans and the Bulldogs swept the Rebels last season and will aim for a repeat in this bitter in-state rivalry. A rematch with Alabama, one of the SEC’s premier programs, also looms large, especially with the Tide likely ranked when they visit The Hump.
Road Tests That Reveal Character
The Bulldogs’ away schedule offers little room to breathe. State must travel to Kentucky, Texas, Florida, Texas A&M, LSU, South Carolina, and Missouri. That includes a trip to Rupp Arena, always one of college basketball’s most daunting stages, and a visit to Austin to face a Texas team looking to make a statement in its second SEC season.
Mississippi State head coach Chris Jans yells to his players during a NCAA college basketball first round game.Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Nonconference Builds the Foundation
Before any SEC action begins, Mississippi State has a demanding nonconference gauntlet. The Bulldogs face Iowa State on Nov. 10 in Sioux Falls, Memphis at home on Dec. 20, and Georgia Tech on Dec. 3 in the ACC/SEC Challenge. Add a Black Friday showdown against SMU the day after the Egg Bowl, and State fans have holiday hoops to look forward to.
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With transfers like Jayden Epps (Georgetown), Quincy Ballard (Wichita State), and Amier Ali (Arizona State) joining the fold, and star Josh Hubbard returning for his junior year, Mississippi State isn’t just reloading, it’s redefining expectations.
What’s at Stake?
This isn’t just another season. A fourth straight NCAA Tournament berth would be historic. And with the SEC tournament set for March 11 in Nashville, fans are already envisioning a deep run that could push this team to new heights.
Now the only question left is: Are the Bulldogs ready for the fight?
If the Humphrey Coliseum crowd has anything to say about it, they won’t be fighting alone.
Related: Mississippi State Lands 3-Star OT from Tennessee
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.