No. 24 Mississippi State Upsets No. 19 Missouri, 31-24
- 🔑 Mississippi State defeated No. 19 Missouri 31-24 at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville on Saturday, September 26, 2026, handing the Tigers their first loss of the season and marking a signature win for the No. 24 Bulldogs over a ranked SEC opponent.
- Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor passed for 360 yards and three touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with under four minutes remaining, while running back Fluff Bothwell added 122 rushing yards as the Bulldogs’ offense controlled the fourth quarter.
- Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons threw for 295 yards and three touchdowns of his own, and receiver Cayden Lee caught two of them for 156 yards, but the Tigers’ defense could not hold off Mississippi State’s late surge.
- The result drops Missouri to 3-1 on the season, snapping the Tigers’ unbeaten start, while Mississippi State’s win over a ranked opponent came in Southeastern Conference play, with both teams continuing their 2026 schedules against SEC opponents in the weeks ahead.
- This recap uses only the final score, box-score statistics such as passing yards and touchdowns, and team records as they were reported after the game; no betting odds, point spreads, or win-probability figures appear anywhere in this piece.
Mississippi State beat No. 19 Missouri 31-24 on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, handing the Tigers their first loss of the season. The No. 24 Bulldogs raced out to an early lead, watched Missouri claw back in front in the second half, then closed the game on top in the fourth quarter. Here’s how the upset came together and what it means for both teams heading into the next week of Southeastern Conference play.
What was the final score of Mississippi State vs. Missouri?
Mississippi State won, 31-24. The Bulldogs opened a 14-0 lead after the first quarter, Missouri answered with 10 points in the second quarter and 14 more in the third to move back in front, and Mississippi State closed the game with 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to secure the win. As of Sunday morning, September 27, 2026, the result is final.
| Quarter | MSU | MIZ |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 14 | 0 |
| 2nd | 0 | 10 |
| 3rd | 3 | 14 |
| 4th | 14 | 0 |
| Final | 31 | 24 |
How did Mississippi State pull off the upset?
A fourth-quarter, go-ahead touchdown pass with under four minutes left made the difference. After Missouri’s second-half rally had briefly put the Tigers back in front, Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor found receiver Sanfrisco Magee for a touchdown with 3:57 remaining that put the Bulldogs on top for good. Mississippi State’s defense then kept Missouri off the scoreboard the rest of the way.
What did Kamario Taylor and Mississippi State’s offense do?
Taylor threw for 360 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Bulldogs. Running back Fluff Bothwell added 122 yards on the ground, and receiver Anthony Evans III caught for 114 yards, giving Mississippi State balance between the run and the pass. The offense’s fourth-quarter scoring, capped by Taylor’s go-ahead throw to Magee, proved decisive after Missouri had erased an early 14-point deficit.
How did Missouri respond, and why wasn’t it enough?
Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons matched Taylor’s production, throwing for 295 yards and three touchdowns of his own, but the Tigers couldn’t answer Mississippi State’s final scoring push. Receiver Cayden Lee did most of the damage through the air, catching two touchdown passes for 156 yards, and running back Jamal Roberts added 95 yards on the ground. Missouri’s second-half rally briefly gave the Tigers the lead, but the offense went quiet in the fourth quarter while Mississippi State scored twice more.
What does the loss mean for Missouri’s season?
The loss drops Missouri to 3-1 and ends the Tigers’ unbeaten start to the 2026 season. It was Missouri’s first defeat of the year and came on the road against a Mississippi State team that also entered the weekend ranked in the Top 25 nationally. The Tigers now turn to the rest of their SEC schedule looking to bounce back.
What does the win mean for Mississippi State?
The win is a marquee result for Mississippi State, which knocked off a higher-ranked SEC opponent at home. Beating a team ranked ahead of them in front of the home crowd at Davis Wade Stadium gives the Bulldogs a signature victory to build on as conference play continues through the fall.
The bottom line
Mississippi State’s 31-24 win over Missouri on Saturday, September 26, 2026, was one of the more notable results of the SEC’s early season, turning an early 14-point deficit into a statement upset and handing Missouri its first loss of 2026. Both teams stay in Southeastern Conference play in the coming weeks as the picture atop the standings continues to take shape.