1996 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1996
| team = Mississippi State Bulldogs
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Southeastern Conference
| division = Western Division
| short_conf = SEC
| record = 5–6
| conf_record = 3–5
| head_coach = Jackie Sherrill
| hc_year = 6th
| off_coach = Lynn Amedee
| oc_year = 1st
| off_scheme =
| def_coach = Joe Lee Dunn
| dc_year = 1st
| def_scheme =
| captain =
| stadium = Scott Field
}}
{{1996 Southeastern Conference football standings}}
The 1996 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University as a member of the Western Division of the Southern Conference (SEC) during the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by sixth-year head coach Jackie Sherrill, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 5–6 with a mark of 3–5 in conference play, placing fourth in the SEC's Western Division. Mississippi State played home games at Scott Field in Starkville, Mississippi.
On November 16, Mississippi State beat Alabama for the program's first win over the Crimson Tide since the 1980 season.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1996
| poll = AP
| timezone = Central
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 7
| time = 7:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Memphis
| site_stadium = Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Memphis, TN
| score = 31–10
| attend = 38,388
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/hattiesburg-american-big-plays-lift-bull/140648554/|work=Hattiesburg American|title=Big plays lift Bulldogs past Memphis|date=September 8, 1996|accessdate=February 10, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 21
| time = 6:00 p.m.
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Louisiana Tech
| site_stadium = Scott Field
| site_cityst = Starkville, MS
| score = 23–38
| attend = 33,194
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81507572/la-tech-surprises-bulldogs/|work=Hattiesburg American|title=La. Tech surprises Bulldogs|date=September 22, 1996|accessdate=July 15, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 28
| time = 11:30 a.m.
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = South Carolina
| site_stadium = Williams–Brice Stadium
| site_cityst = Columbia, SC
| tv = JPS
| score = 14–10
| attend = 75,014
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-blitzing-bulldogs/140648686/|work=The Charlotte Observer|title=Blitzing Bulldogs drop Wright, South Carolina|date=September 29, 1996|accessdate=February 10, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 5
| time = 6:00 p.m.
| w/l = l
| opponent = Georgia
| site_stadium = Scott Field
| site_cityst = Starkville, MS
| tv = ESPN2
| score = 19–38
| attend = 32,247
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montgomery-advertiser-georgia-bliste/140648808/|work=The Montgomery Advertiser|title=Georgia blisters Mississippi State|date=October 6, 1996|accessdate=February 10, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 12
| time = 11:30 a.m.
| w/l = l
| opponent = Auburn
| opprank = 18
| site_stadium = Scott Field
| site_cityst = Starkville, MS
| tv = JPS
| score = 15–49
| attend = 40,728
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-dothan-eagle-bulldogs-forced-to-lear/140647591/|work=The Dothan Eagle|title=Bulldogs forced to learn from adversity|date=October 13, 1996|accessdate=February 10, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 26
| time = 11:30 a.m.
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = LSU
| opprank = 13
| site_stadium = Tiger Stadium
| site_cityst = Baton Rouge, LA
| gamename = rivalry
| tv = JPS
| score = 20–28
| attend = 79,594
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-greenville-news-opportunities-lsu-s/140646546/|work=The Greenville News|title=Opportunities, LSU slip by Miss. State|date=October 27, 1996|accessdate=February 10, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 2
| time = 1:30 p.m.
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| homecoming = y
| opponent = Northeast Louisiana
| site_stadium = Scott Field
| site_cityst = Starkville, MS
| score = 59–0
| attend = 31,038
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tennessean-rout-ends-frustration-for/140648931/|work=The Tennessean|title=Rout ends frustration for Mississippi State|date=November 3, 1996|accessdate=February 10, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 9
| time = 12:30 p.m.
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Kentucky
| site_stadium = Commonwealth Stadium
| site_cityst = Lexington, KY
| score = 21–24
| attend = 26,500
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-paducah-sun-tilghman-alumni-lead-uk/140649111/|work=The Paducah Sun|title=Tilghman alumni lead UK to 3rd win|date=November 10, 1996|accessdate=February 10, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 16
| time = 8:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| opponent = Alabama
| opprank = 8
| site_stadium = Scott Field
| site_cityst = Starkville, MS
| gamename = rivalry
| tv = ESPN
| score = 17–16
| attend = 40,050
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71629765/state-stuns-bama/|work=The Clarion-Ledger|title=State stuns Bama!|date=November 17, 1996|accessdate=February 20, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 23
| time = 1:30 p.m.
| w/l = l
| opponent = Arkansas
| site_stadium = Scott Field
| site_cityst = Starkville, MS
| score = 13–16
| overtime = OT
| attend = 30,103
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-arkansas-nips-mississippi-stat/140649453/|work=The Shreveport Times|title=Arkansas nips Mississippi State|date=November 24, 1996|accessdate=February 10, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 30
| time = 11:30 a.m.
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = Ole Miss
| site_stadium = Vaught–Hemingway Stadium
| site_cityst = Oxford, MS
| gamename = Egg Bowl
| tv = ESPN2
| score = 17–0
| attend = 23,678
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-anniston-star-dunn-contains-ole-miss/140645204/|work=The Anniston Star|title=Dunn contains Ole Miss, but not his own emotions|date=December 1, 1996|accessdate=February 10, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
Roster
{{American football roster/Header
| year = 1996
| team = Mississippi State Bulldogs
| teamcolors = f
| offensive_players=
{{American football roster/Player|num=59|class=Sr|first=Brad|last=Ainsworth|pos=OG}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=53|class=So|first=Eric|last=Allen|pos=C}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=19|class=Fr|first=Lorenzo|last=Armstead|pos=WR}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=60|class=Jr|first=Burt|last=Ashley|pos=OG}}
| defensive_players=
{{American football roster/Player|num=94|class=Sr|first=Terry|last=Day|pos=DE|link=y|dab=Terry Day (American football)}}
| special_teams_players=
}}
{{American football roster/Footer|roster_url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961225173810/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/sfc/sec/sfch09ra.htm
| head_coach = *Jackie Sherrill
| asst_coach =
| accessdate= 1996-12-25
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Mississippi State Bulldogs football navbox}}
Category:Mississippi State Bulldogs football seasons
Mississippi State Bulldogs football
{{collegefootball-1996-season-stub}}