Why are Mississippi State softball fans wearing broccoli shirts vs Texas at WCWS?

OKLAHOMA CITY — Mississippi State softball is playing in an elimination game at the Women’s College World Series.

The Bulldogs (43-20) are facing No. 2 seed Texas (47-12) at Devon Park on May 29 (6 p.m. CT, ESPN).

Mississippi State and its fans are doing everything they can to muster up some good luck, including using broccoli, which has become the team’s rally prop throughout the NCAA Tournament.

Some fans and parents of the players are even wearing T-shirts with images of broccoli on them that read “Broccoli Power.”

Here’s what to know about the shirts and why MSU is wearing them.

Why are Mississippi State fans wearing broccoli shirts?

Broccoli became MSU’s good luck charm after a fan known as Broccoli Guy started cheering them on at the Eugene Regional.

He used broccoli as pom-poms while dancing in the stands. For the regional final, MSU brought broccoli for players to hold in the dugout for good luck.

This trend continued during the super regionals, with MSU bringing broccoli on the bus, holding it in the dugout and posting pictures and videos of it on social media ahead of Game 3 against Oklahoma. Broccoli Guy also showed up to support the Bulldogs again.

Now, with the Bulldogs facing elimination at the WCWS, fans, parents and players are hoping the broccoli shirts, along with their physical stalks of broccoli, will help power them to a win over the Longhorns.

2026 Women’s College World Series schedule

All times CT

• May 28
  • Game 1: Texas Tech 8, Mississippi State 0
  • Game 2: Tennessee 6, Texas 3
  • Game 3: Alabama 6, UCLA 3
  • Game 4: Nebraska 5, Arkansas 3
• May 29
  • Game 5: Mississippi State vs Texas (6 p.m., ESPN)
  • Game 6: UCLA vs Arkansas (8:30 p.m., ESPN)
• May 30
  • Game 7: Texas Tech vs Tennessee (2 p.m., ABC)
  • Game 8: Alabama vs Nebraska (6 p.m., ESPN)
• May 31
  • Game 9: Game 5 winner vs Game 8 loser (2 p.m., ABC)
  • Game 10: Game 6 winner vs Game 7 loser (6 p.m., ESPN2)
• June 1
  • Game 11: Game 7 winner vs Game 9 winner (11 a.m., ESPN)
  • Game 12 (if necessary): Game 7 winner vs Game 9 winner (1:30 p.m., ESPN)
  • Game 13: Game 8 winner vs Game 10 winner (6 p.m., ESPN2)
  • Game 14 (if necessary): Game 8 winner vs Game 10 winner (8:30 p.m., ESPN2)
• June 3
  • Finals Game 1 (7 p.m., ESPN)
• June 4
  • Finals Game 2 (7 p.m., ESPN)
• June 5
  • If necessary, finals Game 3 (7 p.m., ESPN)

Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at treid@usatodayco.com and follow her on X @tiareid65.