STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State head baseball coach John Cohen announced Wednesday the Bulldogs’ 2015 schedule, highlighted by four of the last six NCAA champions playing multiple games against MSU at Dudy Noble Field. State’s 125th season on the diamond will feature 56 total games, including 37 home games, 17 true road games and two in-state contests at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss.
“It is a very challenging schedule as always and one we’re certainly excited about,” head coach John Cohen said. “With our 15 home games inside the nation’s toughest conference, along with a demanding 24-game homestand to open the season, we feel we have provided the very best season ticket opportunity for the greatest fans in college baseball.”
The Maroon and White’s home slate features two meetings with 2012 national champion Arizona (Feb. 27-28), three contests against 2010-11 national champion South Carolina (April 2-4) and a trio of games versus 2009 national champion LSU (April 30-May 2).
In addition, defending Southeastern Conference champion Florida will visit The Dude April 17-19 for Super Bulldog Weekend. Along with UF, LSU and Carolina visiting Starkville, the Bulldogs also play home conference series against Alabama (March 13-15) and Auburn (March 27-29). In all, 80 percent of State’s home conference slate features teams which made the NCAA Tournament in 2014.
On the road in league play, Cohen’s club will play against four programs which made the 2014 NCAA Tournament: Kentucky (March 20-22), Texas A&M (April 10-12), Arkansas (April 24-26) and Ole Miss (May 7-9). The Diamond Dawgs wrap up the regular season with a road conference series at Tennessee May 14-16.
The Bulldogs should have plenty of experience under their belt entering conference play, opening up the season with a school-record, 24-game homestand. Opening Day takes place on Friday, Feb. 13, against Cincinnati, beginning a stretch where baseball fans can watch 24 MSU games in 33 days from Feb. 13-March 17 at Dudy Noble Field. After Cincinnati, MSU’s non-conference homestand includes: Miami University, Mississippi Valley State, Marshall, Alabama A&M, Alcorn State, Arizona, Samford, Arkansas Pine-Bluff, San Diego and Western Kentucky.
Following the first road trip of the season at Kentucky in mid-March, the Maroon and White battle Southern Miss on Tuesday, March 24, at Trustmark Park in Pearl. Cohen’s team returns to the Jackson area on April 28 for the annual Governor’s Cup game against in-state rival Ole Miss.
Other non-conference tests include games at South Alabama (March 31), at Memphis inside AutoZone Park (April 7) and a final non-conference home game against former MSU assistant Lane Burroughs and his Northwestern State ballclub (April 14).
2015 Mississippi State Schedule
