# SEC Football: Mississippi State Bulldogs Defeats Missouri Tigers 31-24

**Published:** 2026-09-26 — **By:** Stacy Stanfield
**Category:** games — **Type:** game-recap
**Source:** https://secscouts.com/news/mississippi-state-beats-missouri-31-24-sec-football-2026

**Teams:** [Miss State](https://secscouts.com/mississippi-state/), [Missouri](https://secscouts.com/missouri/)


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STARKVILLE, Miss. (09/24/2026) — The Mississippi State Bulldogs beat the Missouri Tigers 31-24 on Thursday night at Davis Wade Stadium in front of 60,417 fans. Mississippi State outgained Missouri 499 yards to 414, and a passing attack that completed 27 of 38 throws carried the Bulldogs to a conference win in a prime-time weeknight game.

Kamario Taylor drove the Mississippi State offense. He finished with 360 yards and three touchdowns, which matched the Bulldogs' passing total. Missouri kept the game within one score to the end, but Mississippi State made more of its possessions.

## How It Happened

The two SEC offenses moved the ball well all night. They combined for 913 total yards and 50 first downs. Mississippi State had 27 first downs to Missouri's 23 and put together a balanced attack, with 360 passing yards and 139 rushing yards.

Missouri had the ball longer, holding a 31:36 to 28:24 edge in time of possession. The Tigers also converted seven third downs to Mississippi State's six. Missouri totaled 119 rushing yards and 295 passing yards, and it produced long drives throughout the night. The Tigers could not match the Bulldogs' big-play efficiency, though.

Austin Simmons led the Missouri offense with 295 yards and three touchdowns. He completed 23 of 40 passes and kept the Tigers close. Blake Craig added six points.

Kyle Ferrie led Mississippi State in scoring with seven points. The Bulldogs had one turnover, and Missouri's offense couldn't build enough of an advantage around it to swing the result.

## Turning Point

The game came down to efficiency. Mississippi State needed fewer snaps and less time with the ball to produce more yards and more points. The Bulldogs completed 71 percent of their passes (27 of 38), while Missouri completed 57.5 percent (23 of 40). That gap in completion rate kept Mississippi State ahead of the chains and let the Bulldogs finish drives.

Missouri won the possession battle by more than three minutes and converted more third downs. Even so, Mississippi State turned its chances into touchdowns and outgained Missouri by 85 yards. Taylor's three touchdown passes made the difference in a seven-point game.

## Star of the Game

**Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State**

Taylor put together the best performance on the field, with 360 yards and three touchdowns. His production made up the whole of Mississippi State's passing output, and the Bulldogs' 27-of-38 completion line shows how consistently the offense moved through the air. Missouri generated pressure, but Taylor kept the Bulldogs' offense on schedule and gave the Mississippi State Bulldogs the scoring they needed.

Missouri's standout was on defense. **Daeden Hopkins** recorded four sacks, the highest individual defensive total from either team. He repeatedly disrupted the Mississippi State backfield and was a major reason the Tigers stayed within striking distance. For Mississippi State, Marcus Williams added a sack.

Simmons also deserves credit. His 295 yards and three touchdowns matched Taylor's scoring output, and he kept the Missouri Tigers in the game until the final whistle.

## What It Means

For the Mississippi State Bulldogs, the win gives them a statement result in conference play. Their offense showed it can produce against an SEC defense: nearly 500 yards, balance between run and pass, and an efficient passing game. Taylor's three-touchdown night puts him at the center of the Bulldogs' plans as the season goes on. Mississippi State still has areas to clean up, including the turnover and four sacks allowed to Hopkins, but winning without a clean performance is an encouraging sign for Starkville.

For the Missouri Tigers, it is a hard-fought road loss that will sting. Missouri won the time-of-possession battle, converted more third downs, and got three touchdowns from Simmons plus a four-sack game from Hopkins. The Tigers did many things well but could not close the gap in efficiency or yardage. Improving completion percentage and limiting chunk plays in the passing game will be priorities as Missouri tries to regroup in SEC play.

The one-score margin reflects how competitive the game was. On Thursday night in Starkville, Mississippi State made enough plays to beat Missouri.

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*Original article: [SEC Football: Mississippi State Bulldogs Defeats Missouri Tigers 31-24](https://secscouts.com/news/mississippi-state-beats-missouri-31-24-sec-football-2026) — SEC Scouts*