This was an embarrassing look for the Bulldog fanbase…
Mississippi State football battled hard in a 41-34 overtime loss to No. 15 Tennessee last Saturday in Starkville. Even in defeat, the Bulldogs showed clear progress under head coach Jeff Lebby.
The loss itself wasn’t the issue — but the atmosphere in the stands was. Davis Wade Stadium was overrun by Tennessee fans, leaving Bulldog supporters frustrated. Many pointed fingers at school faculty members, accusing them of selling off a large portion of their tickets to Volunteers fans.
The east side stands were nearly overrun with Tennessee fans, who are known for traveling in large numbers. Their bright orange gear stood out even more against Mississippi State’s whiteout theme, making the game feel like it was being played at a neutral site.
As for how this happened, many Bulldog fans are pointing to university faculty. Faculty members can purchase season tickets at a discounted rate, and it’s widely believed that some buy those tickets mainly to resell them — often resulting in those seats being filled by opposing fans.
That might account for part of the problem, but it doesn’t fully explain such a massive takeover. Regardless of the cause, Mississippi State has been widely mocked for the scene. Even Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin took a jab during an appearance on Pardon My Take, quipping that the game looked like it was being played at “Neyland Stadium.”
It was an awful look for Mississippi State, and they’re likely going to take heat for it for quite some time.
Mississippi State has to protect Davis Wade Stadium moving forward
Mississippi State’s experience last Saturday has to serve as a wake-up call. Yes, Tennessee fans are known for traveling in massive numbers, but this isn’t a new issue. For years, the east side of Davis Wade Stadium has often been filled by opposing fans, cutting into the Bulldogs’ home-field advantage and creating an embarrassing look on game day.
It’s unacceptable, and it has to change—but the blame doesn’t fall on one single group.
Faculty members have taken heat for buying discounted season tickets and flipping them on the resale market, making it easier for visiting fans to get in. While some of that does happen, putting the bulk of the blame on them isn’t fair. Their premium seating is limited to just one section, and prices were higher this season than in years past. Faculty resales are part of the problem, but far from the whole story.
Plenty of everyday MSU fans buy season tickets knowing they’ll only attend a few games, then list their extras on third-party sites. That opens the door for opposing fans to scoop them up. No one’s saying people shouldn’t use StubHub or similar sites, but there are alternatives. There are MSU fans on social media and in ticket groups every week looking to buy, often at full price. It makes a difference to put those tickets in the hands of someone who’ll be in Maroon and White rather than risk another stadium takeover.
On top of that, season ticket sales have been in decline for years and hit especially hard after the 2024 season. When seats go unsold, they’re wide open to anyone—including rival fanbases.
There’s no fixing ticket sales for this year, but Bulldog fans can still step up. Those with tickets should make it to games. If you can’t go, get your seats into the hands of fellow State fans. Meanwhile, the university needs to look at ways to incentivize keeping tickets—faculty or otherwise—within the Bulldog community.
What happened against Tennessee was embarrassing, plain and simple. Serious programs don’t let their home stadiums get overtaken. If Mississippi State fans want their team to be taken seriously, they have to do their part in protecting Davis Wade Stadium.
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