Here’s What We’re Watching in 2026

New year, new seasons!

Baseball Returns in February

College baseball returns around Valentine’s Day, and several Mississippi programs are positioned for strong starts.

Mississippi State

Mississippi State opens the season Feb. 13–15 with a home series against Hofstra. The Bulldogs enter the year preseason No. 4 nationally, following a major offseason change.

State hired longtime Virginia head coach Brian O’Connor to replace Chris Lemonis, who led the program to a national title in 2021. Expectations are high, and the roster seems ready to meet them.

The Bulldogs added a significant group of transfers, including Tomas Valincius, Aidan Teel, and James Nunnallee, who followed O’Connor from Virginia, along with Vytas Valincius, Tyler Pitzer, Jackson Logan, Maddox Webb, and Drew Wyers. Mississippi State also secured left-hander Jack Bauer, a highly regarded prospect expected to be one of the top arms on the staff.

Southern Miss

Southern Miss enters the 2026 season after one of the strongest 2025 performances in the state. The Golden Eagles finished 47–16 in 2025, won the Sun Belt regular-season title, and reached the NCAA Tournament, where they narrowly lost 5–4 to Miami.

Southern Miss spent much of the season ranked between No. 19 and No. 22 in national polls and often ranked ahead of both Ole Miss and Mississippi State. The program remains one of the most consistent postseason teams in the region.

March Madness 👀

With the new year comes SEC play and the buildup to March Madness.

Men’s Basketball

Ole Miss opens SEC play Jan. 3 at Oklahoma, entering conference action with an 8–5 record.

Mississippi State also opens SEC play Jan. 3, traveling to Texas, and carries an 8–5 record as well.

Both teams face immediate road tests to begin conference schedules.

Women’s Basketball

Women’s basketball has been crushing it.

Ole Miss enters SEC play 13–2 overall and undefeated at home, opened conference action New Year’s Day vs. Georgia.

Mississippi State begins SEC play 13–1 overall, also undefeated at home, hosted Auburn on New Year’s Day.

Both teams are positioned well early in the conference schedule.

Mississippi State Softball Builds Momentum

After going unranked in 2024, Mississippi State softball gained national attention in 2025, highlighted by a 4–3 walk-off upset of No. 1 Texas in March.

That performance led to increased rankings and visibility throughout the season. The Bulldogs open their 2026 campaign on Feb. 5 against Baylor, looking to build on last year’s momentum.

Author administrator Corinne Ellington