Mississippi State ranks 26th in total defense so far, although this will be their first SEC test. The Bulldogs held Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt to just 82 yards passing a few weeks ago, but also gave up over 250 yards on the ground.

The Tennessee Volunteers are set to play their second conference game and their first road conference game of the season this weekend against Mississippi State. It's the last game before Tennessee gets its first bye week and while the Bulldogs might not be one of the best teams on Tennessee's schedule, this might be a bit of a trap game.

Tennessee football defensive lineman Jaxson Moi should be available to play against Mississippi State this weekend.

Find single game tickets to the Tennessee Volunteers vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs college football Week 5 matchup on Saturday, September 27, 2025.

Tennessee visits Bulldogs in sold-out SEC clash in Starkville. Here are three reasons Vols don’t need to worry about an upset.

ESPN’S FPI gives the Volunteers a 73.7% chance to win the matchup. In the week-by-week modeling, FPI sees the Volunteers favored by 7.5 to 8.5 points over the Bulldogs. While Tennessee is favored – reliably so – the prediction is not a blowout, according to ESPN.