Here is the Magnolia State Roundup, a weekly capsule of who’s playing where for the upcoming weekend of college football action in Mississippi. Southern Miss mercifully has a bye this week.

Ole Miss vs. Kentucky, Oxford

ABC, 11 a.m.

After getting blowouts in four straight games to open the year, the 2024 season feels like it’s officially starting for Ole Miss football with Kentucky coming to town to kickoff SEC play for the Rebels. The Wildcats are far from a perfect team, losing 31-6 to South Carolina at home earlier this month.

Kentucky also took Georgia down to the wire in a 13-12 loss after the embarrassing setback to the Gamecocks. What coach Mark Stoops and his team have is a strong defensive line, which will be the first real test faced by an explosive Ole Miss offense.

Ole Miss broke an attendance record last week in a 52-13 win over Georgia Southern. Expect that record to be short lived as huge crowds are expected for future visits from Oklahoma and Georgia this season in Oxford.

Mississippi State at Texas, Austin, Tx.

SEC Network, 3:15 p.m.

It would appear that Texas might be without All-American quarterback Quinn Ewers when the Longhorns make their SEC debut on Saturday by hosting Mississippi State. There is no comfort in that for the Bulldog defense though, as redshirt sophomore quarterback Arch Manning has upheld the family name while replacing Ewers for the last couple weeks.

MSU is coming off of a 45-28 loss at home to Florida. The Dogs are 2-2 all time against the Longhorns, with State winning in 1991 and 1992. Before that 1992 game, MSU head coach Jackie Sherrill had a bull castrated on the practice field during the leadup to the game against Texas. Sherill said it was a lesson in animal husbandry, a chance to show his team the difference between a bull-calf and a steer.

One could imagine PETA trying to fire-bomb a Sherrill’s house if that stunt were to happen today. MSU coach Jeff Lebby isn’t going to harm any animals to motivate his team this week, and that’s a good thing, because it probably wouldn’t help much. The Horns are going to be too dangerous for the rebuilding Bulldogs, anyway you cut it.

Jackson State at Texas Southern, Houston, Tx.

ESPN+, 6 p.m.

Jackson State opened SWAC play with a rousing 33-15 win at home over their rivals from Southern University, only to head west down I-20 last week and return to Jackson with a 41-20 loss to the Grambling State Tigers.

JSU is now 2-2 and faces a 1-2 Texas Southern squad that is 1-0 in the SWAC after beating Prairie View A&M earlier this season. Jackson State outgained Grambling 438-271 in total yards last week but turned the ball over five times in defeat.

Keeping JSU starting quarterback Cam’Ron McCoy healthy hasn’t been easy. An Eastern Michigan transfer, McCoy has had to leave three separate games after getting banged up this season.

Jackson State beat Texas Southern 21-19 last season, as the Tigers have won nine straight in the series against the Tigers.

Alcorn State at Mississippi Valley State, Itta Bena

6 p.m.

The Alcorn State Braves are 1-3 with losses to Vanderbilt, UAB, and McNeese State ahead of opening SWAC play on Saturday with a trip north to face the Mississippi Valley State University Delta Devils.

The one victory this season for Alcorn was a 38-7 trouncing of Edward Waters University. The Delta Devils are 0-4, with their most recent loss coming 66-0 at Nicholls State University.

Alcorn State beat MVSU 24-3 last season in Lorman.

Delta State at Erskine College, Due West, S.C.

FloFootball Network, 5 p.m.

Delta State won a close one 27-24 last week at home over Fort Valley State in Cleveland to move to 3-1 on the season. Erskine College is 1-3 and most recently lost 73-0 to the Valdosta State Blazers.

Like Chowan University, Erskine is an affiliated member of the Gulf South Conference this season before a planned move to Conference Carolinas in 2025. Erskine only brought football back in 2021 after a 70-year break of offering the sport. Expect Delta State to cap the long trip to South Carolina with an easy win over the Erskine Flying Fleet.

Mississippi College at Chowan, Murfreesboro, N.C.

FloFootball Network, 12 p.m.

Speaking of Chowan, that’s who Mississippi College is facing on Saturday, as the Choctaws and first year head coach Mike Kershaw.

MC lost 29-7 last week at home to North Greenville. Chowan is 0-2 this season after finishing 0-10 last season, which included a 38-21 loss to Mississippi College.

Belhaven vs. North Carolina Wesleyan, Jackson

11 a.m.

The Belhaven Blazers are also a team that’s still searching for their first win in 2024. The Blazers led 10-0 early last week at Brevard in North Carolina, before losing 42-26 to drop to 0-3. The North Carolina Weslyena Battling Bishops are also 0-3 this season. BU beat the Bishops 35-14 last year in North Carolina.

Millsaps at Sewanee, Sewanee, Tn.

12 p.m.

The Millsaps Majors dropped to 2-1 after a 28-14 loss last week to Bridgewater College. Sewanee: University of the South (what a mouthful, right), beat Millsaps 27-21 last year, but the Majors are much improved this season under first year head coach Brandon Lechtenberg.