Mississippi
Why new coach Brian O’Connor embraces Mississippi State baseball’s lofty preseason rankings: ‘Bring it on’
STARKVILLE — If you attended a Mississippi State baseball fall scrimmage at Dudy Noble Field, you likely did so with a couple hundred fans.
That’s the standard for Mississippi State fans who love their baseball. Even the October exhibition in Pensacola, Florida, against Florida State was played in front of a sellout crowd at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
For new Bulldogs coach Brian O’Connor, hired in June after 22 seasons at Virginia, it wasn’t a surprise, but it was a different experience.
“It’s part of what makes Mississippi State baseball so special is the passion with everybody involved,” O’Connor said Jan. 21 in an exclusive interview with the Clarion Ledger. “I fully anticipated that it would be that way. I think it’s great that people care so much and are so into it.”
Those fans were eager to get a first-hand look at MSU in what’s perhaps the most highly anticipated season in program history.
O’Connor spoke in a nearly 30-minute interview to about Mississippi State’s 2026 season. The interview was conducted three weeks before opening day when Mississippi State hosts Hofstra on Feb. 13.
O’Connor addressed what a successful first season would be, how the Bulldogs view their high rankings in the preseason polls and what questions still remain with the team.
What Brian O’Connor said about Mississippi State preseason rankings
Previous coach Chris Lemonis was clear with his goal for 2025. Mississippi State needed to host a regional in order to get back to the College World Series. Lemonis was fired in April before a late-season surge got the Bulldogs in the NCAA tournament, but not as a hosting seed.
O’Connor said he does not project what a tangible level of success is for Mississippi State in 2026, whether that’s hosting a regional or making it to the CWS.
“I don’t ever set out in a season to say, ‘If we don’t make Omaha, then it’s an unsuccessful season,’” O’Connor said. “… I have never and will not here focus on the end. Winning and those kind of accomplishments and those kind of opportunities are a byproduct of how they work, our team culture and do they stay together during challenging times?”
Outside expectations are that Mississippi State will be one of the top teams in the nation given the talent on the roster. Preseason polls from D1Baseball, Baseball America and Perfect Game all have the Bulldogs in the top six.
The Bulldogs haven’t hosted a postseason game at Dudy Noble Field since 2021 when they won the national championship.
“We ain’t ever going to shy away from that,” O’Connor said of the preseason polls. “Bring it on. That’s how we feel.
“That said, it’s noise. I share with our entire program that there’s going to be distractions and noise all the time when you play in a program like this. Manage it.”
Brian O’Connor’s biggest unanswered questions for Mississippi State baseball
It’s a challenging exercise to project who will be Mississippi State’s starters because of the influx of talent on the roster.
MSU returns five of its top seven batters in terms of 2025 OPS: Ace Reese, Noah Sullivan, Gehrig Frei, Bryce Chance and Gatlin Sanders. Reese, the third baseman, was named a preseason All-American by D1Baseball and Perfect Game.
Joining those returners are some of Virginia’s best players like outfielder Aidan Teel and pitcher Tomas Valincius, plus 24 other newcomers, including freshmen such as Jacob Parker and Jack Bauer.
O’Connor said figuring out the best starting lineup is a question that still remains. He specifically pointed to catcher, shortstop and starting pitcher because of lack of SEC playing experience at those positions.
Only 147 innings pitched out of 496⅔ returned in 2026.
“You’re talking about roles, catcher, shortstop and starting pitching, that they just haven’t done it under the bright lights on the weekend yet,” O’Connor said. “You don’t know. You see talent, but we all know that there’s always been guys that have talent and then the lights come on.
“That said, I believe in this team and how it’s being built that they will be ready to fill those roles and do the job because I believe that this team is starving. A lot of people say hungry, but there’s a difference between hungry and starving. I’m exited to see them come together and grow and become a great ball club.”
Some of those lineup decisions could linger into the start of the season. MSU’s first two series are against Hofstra and Delaware before the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series in Arlington, Texas, against Arizona State, Virginia Tech and UCLA.
“As you move through the first two weekends, you have options, right?” O’Connor said. “Who can you bring off the bench in certain roles? Who are the guys that you’re going to count on coming out of the bullpen in certain situations? There’s still a lot to figure out, but it’s starting to take shape. I’m excited about that. I’m excited about, as the leader, making those decisions.”
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
“I’m proud of myself for the work I’ve put in. A lot of people say they want to do stuff but they don’t work on it, so I’m proud that I stuck to stuff like practicing at home. Even when I didn’t want to go to practice I went,” Johnson said. “This year since I was a captain I had to show my leadership skills and step up, especially with our shortage of players. Not every year is the best but you’ve got to make the best of what you’ve got and I’m proud that I’ve been able to adapt to the changes.”
Johnson joined a growing pipeline of Warren County players who are headed to East Mississippi. She’s the fourth player from the county to sign there in the past two years. Johnson said another Vicksburg native is to credit for that.
Ryan Theriot, a former St. Aloysius star, is an assistant coach at East Mississippi. He’s mined his hometown for talent, including recruiting Johnson.
“The assistant coach, Ryan (Theriot), is from Vicksburg so he saw me. He emailed me asking if I was interested in playing soccer, so I said yes, if I get the opportunity I would be happy to,” Johnson said. “It’s very surreal, because honestly I did not think I would be playing soccer at this level. It’s hard to get looked at for soccer, especially in Vicksburg. Sometimes Vicksburg gets overlooked.”
During her high school career Johnson has played nearly every position on the field at one time or another, including keeper. She wasn’t sure where she’d play at East Mississippi, and doesn’t really care as long as she’s in the lineup.
“One time I had to play striker, and the next midfield. One time I had to go to defense. It was stressful. But then I’m kind of happy because when I get to college we’ll have other people to play all these positions. It was good for me to be versatile,” Johnson said. “If I have to change positions to play I definitely will, because I do want to start by the end of my freshman year.”
More than anything, she just wants to play and continue to leave her mark.
“I’m really excited to play at this next level so I can tell my kids I played soccer in college,” Johnson said. “I just want to thank my teammates from soccer, softball and volleyball, my coaches, and my mom and grandmom. I love all of y’all very much.”
Odds of winning the Powerball and Mega Millions are NOT in your favor
Odds of hitting the jackpot in Mega Millions or Powerball are around 1-in-292 million. Here are things that you’re more likely to land than big bucks.
The Mississippi Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at March 7, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from March 7 drawing
08-11-15-23-24
Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from March 7 drawing
Midday: 9-6-4, FB: 4
Evening: 4-5-1, FB: 0
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from March 7 drawing
Midday: 4-3-0-7, FB: 4
Evening: 2-2-0-8, FB: 0
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from March 7 drawing
Midday: 06
Evening: 09
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Story continues below gallery.
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
Winnings of $599 or less can be claimed at any authorized Mississippi Lottery retailer.
Prizes between $600 and $99,999, may be claimed at the Mississippi Lottery Headquarters or by mail. Mississippi Lottery Winner Claim form, proper identification (ID) and the original ticket must be provided for all claims of $600 or more. If mailing, send required documentation to:
Mississippi Lottery Corporation
P.O. Box 321462
Flowood, MS
39232
If your prize is $100,000 or more, the claim must be made in person at the Mississippi Lottery headquarters. Please bring identification, such as a government-issued photo ID and a Social Security card to verify your identity. Winners of large prizes may also have the option of setting up electronic funds transfer (EFT) for direct deposits into a bank account.
Mississippi Lottery Headquarters
1080 River Oaks Drive, Bldg. B-100
Flowood, MS
39232
Mississippi Lottery prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing date. For detailed instructions and necessary forms, please visit the Mississippi Lottery claim page.
When are the Mississippi Lottery drawings held?
- Cash 3: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Cash 4: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Match 5: Daily at 9:30 p.m. CT.
- Cash Pop: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Mississippi editor. You can send feedback using this form.
A surging Georgia basketball team closes its regular season with a road game against an opponent freefalling down the stretch.
It’s a matchup of Bulldogs in Starkville on Saturday, March 7, when Georgia and Mississippi State tip in Humphrey Coliseum.
Georgia (21-9, 9-8 SEC) is coming off a 98-88 upset of Alabama Tuesday night in Athens, its fourth win in the last five games. Forward Kanon Catchings poured in a career-high 32 points.
“Everybody wants to be playing their best basketball come March,” guard Blue Cain said.
Mississippi State (13-17, 5-12) has the SEC’s longest active losing streak of four games. It was pounded 108-74 at No. 5 Florida Tuesday, its third loss in a row of 24 or more points.
Georgia is playing to improve its SEC and NCAA Tournament seeding.
The Bulldogs can finish anywhere from the No. 6 to the No. 10 seed in next week’s SEC Tournament in Nashville.
The top eight seeds get byes to Thursday’s second round with the top four playing its first game Friday in the quarterfinal round.
“I told our guys that and a few other things as well.” Coach Mike White said. “We’re playing for a lot of different reasons right now. You can talk about that or other bullet points you can give your guys about number of wins, seeding and all that type of stuff, but the one we finished with (Thursday) in our pre-practice talk, just reaching your ceiling. Let’s just continue to improve.”
Georgia is 4-2 since freshman forward Kareem Stagg entered the starting lineup. He’s scored in double figures in three of those game including 10 against Alabama and is 8 of 20 on 3s in that stretch.
Catchings is second in the SEC in 3-point shooting in SEC games at 43.6%.
Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard is third in the SEC at 21.4 points per game and 86 3s, but the team ranks 340th nationally in points allowed (81.2) and 326th in turnover margin (-2.3).
“He’s going to make shots, he’s a really good player, but we’re just going to have to try to make it as difficult for him as possible,” Cain said.
Georgia basketball vs. Mississippi State live updates
Jeremiah Wilkinson has 9 points off the bench and has hit 2 of 4 from 3. Georgia and Mississippi State are tied at 33 with 3:49 to go. Georgia is 7 of 12 on 3s.
Mississippi State leads 25-21 with 7:12 to go in the first half.
Georgia has six turnovers and is 7 of 17 shooting. It is 1 of 7 on 2-point attempts.
Georgia is being outscored in the paint 12-2.
Georgia led 11-6 before Mississippi State went on a 10-1 run. The home team hit 5 of 6 shots in one stretch. Georgia trails 16-15 with 11:28 to go.
Ja’Borri McGhee and Josh Hubbard have 5 points each.
Georgia is just 2 of 7 shooting at the first media timeout. The game is tied at 6 because Blue Cain and Jeremiah Wilkinson have hit 3s. Jordan Ross missed a layup and had 2 turnovers early before being replaced by Smurf Millender.
Who is starting for Georgia basketball vs. Mississippi State?
Georgia’s starting lineup has one change. Point guard Jordan Ross is starting for Smurf Millender. The other four starters are guard Blue Cain, forwards Kanon Catchings and Kareem Stagg and center Somto Cyril.
Georgia basketball injury updates
Georgia did not have any players listed on the SEC Availability Report. Guard Jordan Ross returned from one game out with an ankle injury and and had 4 points and 4 assists in 19 minutes against Alabama.
What time does Georgia basketball vs Mississippi State start?
Tipoff at Humphrey Coliseum is at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 7.
What channel is Georgia basketball vs Mississippi State on today?
The game is available to stream on SEC Network (FUBO free with trial)
Georgia basketball 2025-2026 schedule
Oct. 15 Georgia 61, Georgia State 61, 7 p.m. (exhibition)
Oct. 26 Georgia 81, Troy 65 (exhibition)
Nov. 3 Georgia 104, Bellarmine 59
Nov. 5 Georgia 94, Maryland Eastern-Shore 29
Nov. 9 Georgia 120, Morehead State 81
Nov. 14 Georgia 92, Georgia Tech 87
Nov. 17 Georgia 87, Florida A&M 57
Nov. 21 Georgia 78, Xavier 77 in Charleston
Nov. 23 Clemson 97, Georgia 94 (OT) in Charleston
Nov. 29 Georgia 123, Tennessee Tech 81
Dec. 2 Georgia 107, Florida State 73 in ACC/SEC Challenge
Dec. 2 Georgia 84, Cincinnati 65 in Atlanta
Dec. 18 Georgia 102, Western Carolina 82
Dec. 22 Georgia 103. West Georgia 74
Dec. 29 Georgia 89, Long Island 74
Jan. 3. Georgia 104, Auburn 100
Jan. 6 Florida 92, Georgia 77
Jan. 10 Georgia 75, South Carolina 70
Jan. 14 vs. Ole Miss 97, Georgia 95 OT
Jan. 17 Georgia 90, Arkansas 76
Jan. 20 Georgia 74, Missouri 72
Jan. 24 Texas 87, Georgia 67
Jan. 27 Tennessee 86, Georgia 85 (OT)
Jan. 31 Texas A&M 92, Georgia 77
Feb. 7 Georgia 83, LSU 71
Feb. 11 Florida 86, Georgia 66
Feb. 14 Oklahoma 94, Georgia 78
Feb. 17 Georgia 86, Kentucky 78
Feb. 21 Georgia 91, Texas 80
Feb. 25 Vanderbilt 88, Georgia 80
Feb. 28 Georgia 87, South Carolina 68
March 3 Georgia 98, Alabama 88
March 7 at Mississippi State, 3:30 p.m. SEC Network
March 11-15 SEC Tournament in Nashville
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