Oct. 14, 2008

JACKSON, Miss. - Mississippi State Director of Athletics Greg Byrne and Jackson State Director of Athletics Robert Braddy announced today that the Bulldogs and the Tigers will meet on the gridiron for the first time ever next season.

The two schools will open their 2009 campaigns with a Saturday, Sept. 5 contest at Davis Wade Stadium on the Mississippi State campus.

"MSU and JSU fans are in for a treat," said Braddy. "Mississippi State has always reached out to Jackson State going back to 1975 when they were the first school in the SEC to play us in baseball."

"This is a historic event in the state of Mississippi," Byrne said. "It a great way to kick off the season."

The historic match-up between the Bulldogs and the Tigers is a one year deal and will be the first time one of Mississippi's two Southeastern Conference schools plays a historically black university. The game will also be the first meeting between SEC and SWAC institutions.

Jackson State will receive 2,500 tickets to sell, which will be made available first to JSU football season ticket holders.