By Tanner Marlar
Sometimes all a program needs is a jump start.
That’s exactly what Mississippi State Football got on Thursday in a historically good day for the program fresh off the heels of arguably the worst loss in its history.
MSU received an $8 million donation to its football program by a family that wishes to remain anonymous. That amount ranks as the second-highest single donation in program history.
For reference’s sake, the Mississippi State football budget, according to the University’s report, is just over $28 million for 2025. It shouldn’t take an accountant to know that having that significant of an influx can make waves across the program for Bulldog athletics.
For first year head coach Jeff Lebby and Athletic Director Zac Selmon, the donation serves as what may end up being the biggest win for the MSU football program on or off the field this year.
“This investment in our program shows that State fans are ‘all-in’ when it comes to helping provide the resources it takes to compete in the toughest conference in the country,” Jeff Lebby said in a press release. “Having their support and belief in what we’re building is crucial for us as we continue to move forward. There are truly no words that can describe how thankful I am for the commitment to the program I am blessed to lead.”
Anyone who has lived in Mississippi can attest to the fact that a little money can go a lot further here than almost anywhere else, and that rings true for athletic programs as well. With the NIL era of college football in full momentum and no signs of slowing down, resource gathering has become a paramount aspect of administrative position in the athletics world – just ask Selmon.
“This thoughtful and generous investment in our program is critical to what we are building here in Starkville in this new era of college athletics,” Selmon said in the same press release. “To be an elite-level program, it takes elite-level resources. A gift of this magnitude shows the unwavering drive to establish Mississippi State Football as a premier college football destination for many years to come. I could not be more grateful for the commitment to championing our programs and players.”
The donation coming mere days after the Bulldogs got thumped a home matchup to Toledo brings momentum back to the program in a much-needed hour, but that isn’t all that made Thursday a good day for Bulldog fans.
Former five-star recruit and Alabama safety Tony Mitchell, who is currently suiting up for Buddy Stephens and East Mississippi Community College, committed to MSU just mere hours before four-star linebacker Tyler Lockhart announced his decision to commit to the Bulldogs.
Much like it doesn’t take an accountant to know an $8 million donation is a good thing, it doesn’t take a football savant to know that the MSU second defense needs some help sooner rather than later, and despite the team’s record, Lebby and company are compiling a signing class that could do just that.
A host of four-stars populate the current class, and if the Bulldogs can hold on to them, the youth movement could take place next year. One of those four stars is offensive tackle Mario Nash of Kemper County high school. Nash said in a recent interview with 247 Sports that despite MSU’s play on the field, he’s still locked into MSU and the current staff.
If that’s the mentality of the rest of the group, then MSU fans may just have to grit their teeth through this season and see what happens. Either way, Bulldog football will have much deeper pockets to play with when that time comes.
