How to watch Mississippi State football vs Eastern Kentucky: start time, channel, and odds

Mississippi State football begins a new era Saturday evening. The Bulldogs will open up the 2024 season against the Eastern Kentucky Colonel's of the FCS' United Athletic Conference. It will be the first game for new Bulldogs' head coach Jeff Lebby in Starkville.

Bulldog fans will be hoping for a promising performance against the Colonels after a disappointing 5-7 season in 2023. Eastern Kentucky will be looking for improvements as well after going 5-6 last season.

Saturday's matchup will mark the first-ever meeting between Mississippi State and Eastern Kentucky on the gridiron. Here's how you can watch...

Mississippi State football vs Eastern Kentucky start time

Mississippi State is set to kickoff the 2024 season Saturday, August 31 against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels at 5:00 PM CT at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi. Though not fully under the lights given the time of year, the evening kickoff is still a much more preferable timeslot for State than playing in the heat of the day. That said, with there being a chance of showers and storms in the area, fans should be mindful of the potential for a weather delay.

How to watch Mississippi State football vs Eastern Kentucky

The Bulldogs' season-opener will be broadcast exclusively through streaming. The game will be shown on ESPN+ and SEC Network+. Fans who get the normal SEC Network channel through their TV provider can stream the game for free through the ESPN app. ESPN+ subscribers will also be able to watch the game through the ESPN app. Kevin Fitzgerald and Charlie Strong will be on the call for the game.

Mississippi State football vs Eastern Kentucky point spread

Vegas oddsmakers have the Bulldogs as big favorites over the Colonels on Saturday. Per DraftKings, Mississippi State is a 25 point favorite over Eastern Kentucky as of early Saturday morning. The over/under for the game is set at 60.5.

Bulldogs have great chance to get off to a strong start to Lebby-era

Assuming Mississippi State can play a clean game on Saturday, this matchup gives them a good chance to build some early momentum under Jeff Lebby. The Colonels were a struggling FCS team last season and don't appear to be improved going into the year. The Bulldogs should be able to handle business in this one fairly easily and start this new era off on the right foot.