The kickoff time and broadcast details are set for Tennessee football’s matchup at Mississippi State in two weeks. Kickoff is at 4:15 p.m. ET and the SEC Network is broadcasting the game, the SEC announced Monday.
The matchup is Tennessee football’s third game in the afternoon slate this season. Tennessee faced ETSU and Georgia both in the afternoon slate while facing Syracuse and UAB in the noon slate. Tennessee does not yet have a night game scheduled.
It’s a near must-win game for Tennessee football’s College Football Playoff hopes. The Vols are currently 2-1 after dropping a heartbreaker against Georgia in their SEC opener a week ago. Tennessee faces UAB this week before playing SEC teams in eight of its final nine games of the season.
The Vols have struggled on the road under head coach Josh Heupel. Tennessee has suffered a road upset loss nearly every season under Josh Heupel, including at Arkansas a season ago. While Tennessee will likely be favorites in Starkville, Mississippi State presents a real upset threat.
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Expectations were very low for Mississippi State entering Jeff Lebby’s second season as head coach. But the Bulldogs are off to a nice start to the season, taking care of business against Southern Miss and Alcorn State while upsetting then-No. 12 Arizona State in Starkville.
If Mississippi State takes care of Northern Illinois this week in Starkville then the Bulldogs will be undefeated and possible ranked in the top 25 entering their SEC opener against Tennessee.
The Vols and Bulldogs have faced off 47 total times in program history with Tennessee holding a 30-16-1 advantage. The two teams have only played 10 times since the SEC split into divisions back in 1992. Tennessee holds an 8-2 advantage during that time.
Tennessee won the last two games in the series, knocking off Mississippi State 33-14 a year ago and 20-10 in 2019 in Knoxville. Mississippi State won the last meeting in Starkville, knocking off Derek Dooley and the Vols 41-31 back in 2012. Tennessee’s last win in Starkville was a 33-21 victory back in 2007.
Other top SEC games in week five include Alabama-Georgia at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC, LSU-Ole Miss at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC, Auburn-Texas A&M at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN and Notre-Dame Arkansas at noon ET on ABC.
