Mississippi State Announces 2023 Matchup vs. Western Michigan

Mississippi State faces an interesting out-of-conference opponent next fall.

Mississippi State football's next big event is the spring game with the season still several months away, but it's never too early to start looking ahead. 

The Bulldogs announced an out-of-conference opponent for the 2023 schedule on Tuesday afternoon -- the Western Michigan Broncos will travel to Davis Wade Stadium on Oct. 7 of next year's season. The contest replaces MSU’s previously announced game on October 7, 2023, at Tulane. The Bulldogs will instead play the Green Wave on September 11, 2032, in New Orleans.

The meeting between WMU and MSU will be the first between these two teams.

"We are excited to be able to add this storied program to our schedule on such a short timeline, and are appreciative of the efforts of Mississippi State to partner with us on this tremendous match-up and opportunity for our program," WMU Director of Athletics Dan Bartholomae said. "We look forward to our trip to Starkville in 2023."

The Broncos are very much an under-the-radar team that has been on the up lately, securing their second bowl game victory in program history with a 52-24 blowout win over the Nevada Wolf Pack in the Quick Lane Bowl on Dec. 27, 2021.

WMU holds a 1-5 all-time record against current Southeastern Conference teams. The last time it played an SEC team was against Missouri in 2007, which was a Big 12 team at that time. WMU lost that contest, 52-24.