Mississippi State enters 2026 season with Jeff Lebby facing job scrutiny

Mississippi State opens its 2026 football season on September 5 against Louisiana-Monroe at Davis Wade Stadium. Head coach Jeff Lebby enters his third year with a 7-18 career record at the school, including a 1-15 mark in SEC play. Several national sports outlets have placed Lebby on preseason hot seat lists following a 5-8 finish in 2025. Athletic director Zac Selmon expressed support for the staff's offseason roster management and preparation ahead of the opener. The team faces a challenging schedule featuring nine conference games and a difficult stretch in October against Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, and Texas. To stabilize his position, observers suggest the team needs to secure victories in nonconference games against Louisiana-Monroe and Tennessee Tech while showing significant improvement in league play.

• 10:02 AMYahoo Sports — Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby hot seat questions from must-wins to buyout