Game notes: Vanderbilt at Mississippi State
Saturday, November 7, kickoff time not yet set, Davis Wade Stadium.The game page.
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The matchup
- Vanderbilt (3–4, 0–4 in conference) at Mississippi State (4–2, 2–2 in conference), Saturday, November 7, kickoff time not yet set, Davis Wade Stadium.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file. Ranks as of the game, as listed with the schedule (AP poll, else the coaches’).
The series
- It will be their 25th meeting; Mississippi State leads the series 15–7–2.resultsEvery meeting on file; official counts take out wins the NCAA vacated and count forfeits as the rivalry’s article does.
- Last meeting: Saturday, October 23, 2021: Mississippi State 45, Vanderbilt 6.resultsThe most recent meeting on file.
- They first met in 1904: Vanderbilt 61, Mississippi State 0.resultsThe earliest meeting on file.
- Mississippi State is 8–2 at home against Vanderbilt.resultsThe home team’s record against this opponent in its home games (neutral sites aside), every meeting on file.
- Last five meetings: 2021: Mississippi State 45–6 (at Vanderbilt); 2020: Mississippi State 24–17 (at Mississippi State); 2014: Mississippi State 51–0 (at Mississippi State); 2009: Mississippi State 15–3 (at Vanderbilt); 2008: Mississippi State 17–14 (at Mississippi State).resultsThe last five meetings on file.
Vanderbilt
- Vanderbilt is 3–4 (0–4 in conference games), 0–2 against ranked teams.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file.
- This season: W 28–9 vs. Austin Peay; W 35–26 vs. Delaware; W 35–31 vs. NC State; L 15–21 at Auburn; L 14–38 at No. 2 Georgia; L 17–52 vs. No. 9 Ole Miss; L 21–31 vs. Arkansas.resultsThis season’s finished games.
- Vanderbilt has lost four straight, since beating NC State 35–31 (Sept. 19, 2026).resultsThe team’s current run of results, every finished game on file across seasons.
- Vanderbilt is No. 69 of 138 FBS teams in our Elo ratings.our ratingsOur Elo rating, from every game on file, ranked among active FBS teams.
- Clark Lea is 29–40 in his sixth season at Vanderbilt.results, WikipediaHead-coaching seasons on file, ours rebuilt from game results and the season articles’ coaching splits.
- Clark Lea is 0–1 against Mississippi State.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
- Junior Sherrill (WR): 41 catches, 628 yards, 4 TD, No. 10 in FBS in receiving yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Jared Curtis (QB): 1,242 passing yards, 6 TD, the team leader in passing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- C.J. Heard (S): 53 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 INT, the team leader in tackles.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Brock Taylor needs 2 field goals to pass Tommy Openshaw (38, 2014–17) for fifth on Vanderbilt’s career field goals list. He has 37 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Junior Sherrill needs 104 yards to pass Chuck Scott (2,219, 1981–84) for seventh on Vanderbilt’s career receiving yards list. He has 2,116 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Junior Sherrill needs 2 touchdown catches to pass Allama Matthews (18, 1981–82) for seventh on Vanderbilt’s career touchdown catches list. He has 17 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Junior Sherrill needs 2 catches to pass Chuck Scott (145, 1981–84) for eighth on Vanderbilt’s career receptions list. He has 144 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- On this date in 2015, Vanderbilt lost to No. 11 Florida 9–7.resultsThe team’s most notable finished game on this calendar date in an earlier season: a ranked opponent first, then a bowl, then the newest.
Mississippi State
- Mississippi State is 4–2 (2–2 in conference games), 1–2 against ranked teams.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file.
- This season: W 62–13 vs. UL Monroe; W 38–13 at Minnesota; W 41–34 at South Carolina; W 31–24 vs. No. 19 Missouri; L 23–56 vs. No. 7 Alabama; L 0–31 at No. 22 LSU.resultsThis season’s finished games.
- Mississippi State has lost two straight, since beating Missouri 31–24 (Sept. 26, 2026).resultsThe team’s current run of results, every finished game on file across seasons.
- Mississippi State is No. 73 of 138 FBS teams in our Elo ratings.our ratingsOur Elo rating, from every game on file, ranked among active FBS teams.
- Jeff Lebby is 11–20 in his third season at Mississippi State.results, WikipediaHead-coaching seasons on file, ours rebuilt from game results and the season articles’ coaching splits.
- Jeff Lebby faces Vanderbilt as a head coach for the first time.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
- Kamario Taylor (QB): 1,450 passing yards, 17 TD, No. 9 in FBS in passing touchdowns.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Anthony Evans III (WR): 47 catches, 614 yards, 5 TD, the team leader in receiving yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Tyler Lockhart (LB): 38 tackles, 2 sacks, the team leader in tackles.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Kyle Ferrie holds Mississippi State’s career record in field goals with 50 and counting, past Artie Cosby’s 48 (1983–86).Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Kamario Taylor needs 4 touchdown passes to pass Tony Shell (25, 1988–90) for 10th on Mississippi State’s career touchdown passes list. He has 22 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- On this date in 1981, Mississippi State lost to No. 20 Southern Miss 7–6.resultsThe team’s most notable finished game on this calendar date in an earlier season: a ranked opponent first, then a bowl, then the newest.
The coaches
- It is the first meeting of Clark Lea and Jeff Lebby as head coaches.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
Sources
Every sentence here is ours, written from counts we make over the games on file. Where the facts come from:
- CollegeFootballData.com: Game results, rankings and player statistics; the sentence and every count in it are ours. Derived output (CollegeFootballData.com terms, section 4).
- CollegeFootballDigest: Our own ratings (Elo) and research notes. CC BY 4.0.
- Wikipedia: Facts from Wikipedia’s lists and articles (schools’ record books, trophies, College GameDay sites, coaching records), restated. CC BY-SA 4.0 (facts restated; credit Wikipedia).
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