Mississippi State football outlines nonconference game payment obligations for 2026

Mississippi State will distribute $1.65 million in game payments for its three nonconference matchups during the 2026 season. The university is scheduled to pay Louisiana-Monroe $1.45 million for the September 5 season opener at Davis Wade Stadium. Additionally, Mississippi State owes $550,000 for a November 21 home game against Tennessee Tech. The program will also host Minnesota in a home-and-home series arrangement; while the university receives a $350,000 payment from Minnesota for this season's meeting, it will return an equal amount to the Golden Gophers during the 2027 season. These nonconference scheduling requirements follow the SEC transition to a nine-game conference schedule, which limits teams to three nonconference opponents annually. The 2026 slate marks the first time Mississippi State faces either Louisiana-Monroe or Minnesota in the history of the respective programs.

• 2:36 PMYahoo Sports — Here's how much Mississippi State football owes for 2026 nonconference games