College Sports Established
1896
Location
Starkville, Mississippi
College Name
Mississippi State University
Collegiate History
1973 - Present / NCAA Division 1
1921 - 1973 / University Division of the NCAA
1907 - 1921 / Athletic Association of the United States
Conference History
1932 – Present / SEC Conference
1921 - 1932 / Southern Conference
1896 – 1921 / Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Nickname
Bulldogs - The Mississippi State Bulldogs have been a powerhouse in the NCAA for decades, and their nickname has become synonymous with college sports. But where did this iconic name come from? The answer might surprise you!
The origin of the Mississippi State Bulldogs' nickname dates back to 1895, when they were known as the Aggies. At that time, a group of students at what was then known as Mississippi A&M College decided to change their mascot from an agricultural symbol to something more intimidating: a bulldog. This new image represented strength and ferocity, perfectly embodying the spirit of competition in collegiate athletics.
It wasn’t until 1961 that “Bulldogs” became official when it was adopted by both fans and faculty alike as an official school mascot – though it had already been used informally for years prior. Since then, it has become one of college sports' most recognizable nicknames, representing athletic prowess and loyalty among its supporters across all campus divisions- student-athletes and non-athletes alike!
From its humble beginnings in 1895 until now, there's no denying that Bulldog pride runs deep through every corner at MSU - making them one team worth cheering for!
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 0
Women's Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 0
- 1941
- 1985
- 2003
- 2005
- 2014
- 2018
-
Mississippi State College Football team wins national title
In 1941 Mississippi State College Football team wins its first and only national title by finishing No. 1 in the Houlgate System poll -
Bulldogs – Rafael Palmeiro
Palmeiro was recruited by Ron Polk and enrolled at Mississippi State University, where he played college baseball for the Bulldogs in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). He was the first of two players to have ever won the SEC triple crown, both of whom are Mississippi State products. A teammate of Will Clark, the two were known as “Thunder and Lightning”. ... -
Lady Bulldogs – LaToya Thomas
Thomas was a standout four-year starter at Mississippi State University. Thomas was the eighth freshman in the 25-year history of Kodak All-America honors to earn the award and first Lady Bulldog to be named a Kodak All-American. She went on to become just the sixth player in women’s basketball history to be a four-time Kodak All-American. She left her mark ... -
Mississippi State wins its sixth SEC Tournament title
In 2005 Mississippi State wins its sixth SEC Tournament title in Baseball -
Bulldogs’ football team, led by coach Dan Mullen
In 2014: The Bulldogs’ football team, led by coach Dan Mullen, achieves a historic season, reaching the number one ranking in the College Football Playoff rankings for the first time in school history. -
Bulldogs’ women’s basketball team reaches the NCAA Tournament championship
In 2018: The Bulldogs’ women’s basketball team, under coach Vic Schaefer, reaches the NCAA Tournament championship game once again. This time, they claim victory, defeating the University of Louisville to win their first-ever national championship.
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Bulldogs
One of Mississippi State’s most memorable moments came in 1998 when they defeated Florida State for the national title at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium with an electrifying 21-14 win over top-ranked FSU. That same year, quarterback Wayne Madkin was named SEC Player Of The Year after leading his team to a perfect 11–0 regular season record en route to winning it all!
Since then, Mississippi State has continued its tradition as one of college football's best teams by appearing in bowl games every year from 1999 through 2019 - including five New Year's Six bowls during that span - while producing several NFL stars such as Dak Prescott and Fletcher Cox along the way. The Bulldogs were even ranked #1 nationally briefly during 2014 before falling off late into November due primarily because star QB Dak Prescott suffered an injury against Arkansas earlier that month, which hampered MSU’s chances at making it back into contention for another National Championship run despite having beaten Auburn 34–17 just weeks prior!
Aside from football, however, there is much more than meets the eye when looking at this program; MSU competes across 20 different varsity sports ranging from basketball & baseball/softball all way up through golf & tennis, plus many other Olympic Sports like track & field or even cross country too! This means no matter what your favorite sport maybe you can always find something exciting going on with this school, whether it be watching them compete on the TV or attending live events right here locally around the Starkville area, so why not come out today and show your support help make sure everyone knows who indeed runs things down South – Go Dawgs!!
Sports Fan Products
