Mississippi State Baseball has been in disarray over the last two seasons since winning the National Championship in 2021, missing the postseason in consecutive years. However, as the new season came around for the Mississippi State Bulldogs, a new season of excitement surrounded the program after a successful off-season of support staff hires and the addition of key players that gave the Bulldogs a better chance at running a successful program under the current coaching staff.

Mississippi State opened the 2024 Southeastern Conference schedule with a massive series win over the defending national champion, LSU, at Dudy Noble to retake the top-25 rankings. From there, excitement raced through the hallowed halls of Dudy Noble about a road series at Texas A&M, where the Bulldogs would try to channel the Dudy Noble magic on the road with a series against the Aggies.

However, despite winning one game last weekend, Mississippi State needed more in the tanks to secure a massive road Southeastern Conference series.

As a new week came around, the Bulldogs went on the road to Samford, where Mississippi State snuck one in extra innings in dramatic fashion to set the stage for the upcoming series at Florida.

With a 14-10 record and a top-four ranking, the Florida Gators are another formidable foe for the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the third week of the SEC slate. Like Mississippi State, Florida has had a weird season; they opened the SEC slate with two series wins over LSU and Texas A&M but have struggled in the midweek nonconference slates. During those midweek losses, Florida lost to Jacksonville, Florida State, UCF, Stetson, and St. John’s. The weekend pitchers are much more demanding of controlling the tempo for the Gators on the mound, while the bats provide a barrage of run support needed to win the Southeastern Conference weekend series. Playing in Gainesville does not equate to home-field advantage, as the Gators are 9-6 at Condron Family Ballpark.

For Mississippi State, this weekend provides the perfect opportunity to further determine the identity of the 2024 team before the thick of the Southeastern Conference slate with two months remaining. A series win over Florida would give the Bulldogs a needed shot in the arm and go a long way toward giving them the confidence needed to win in the SEC.

Mississippi State and Florida will begin on Friday, with a first pitch slated for 5:30 on the SEC Network Plus.