HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss football's future home-and-home series with Mississippi State appears to be in jeopardy as the SEC's move to a nine-game conference schedule continues to reshape future nonconference slates.The Golden Eagles were originally scheduled to host Mississippi State in Hattiesburg in 2030 before making the return trip to Starkville in 2031. However, that's not what Mississippi State's future schedule shows.Southern Miss QB Braylon Braxton (1) playing against Mississippi State during the 2025 season opener in Hattiesburg, MS. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectMississippi State's official website no longer lists the 2030 game in Hattiesburg. Meanwhile, the previously scheduled 2031 matchup in Starkville has been moved up two years to Sept. 15, 2029 (H/T Patrick McGee). If those changes hold, Southern Miss would lose the home portion of what was initially supposed to be a home-and-home series between the two in-state rivals.This potential schedule adjustment does not come entirely out of nowhere, either.Southern Miss athletic director Jeremy McClain had previously alluded to the likelihood of future scheduling changes stemming from the SEC's transition from eight to nine conference games. Adding another league game leaves SEC programs with one fewer nonconference date to work with each season, forcing schools to alter previous scheduling deals if they want to guarantee themselves a certain number of home games.Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Jordan Mosley (4) runs the ball while defended by Southern Miss Golden Eagles cornerback Anthony Richard Jr. (23) during the 2025 season opener in Hattiesburg, MS. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectThis would be a disappointing development for the Southern Miss football program and Hattiesburg in general, as the crowds have always been outstanding when the Golden Eagles and Bulldogs have met at The Rock. Not to mention, all the local businesses benefit greatly from those matchups as well.The attendance record for newly renamed Renasant Stadium was set on Sept. 5, 2015, when Southern Miss and Mississippi State played in front of a rowdy crowd of 36,641 people. Overall, the Bulldogs lead the all-time series against the Golden Eagles in football, 19-12-1, and have won the last seven meetings.For what it's worth, nothing has been officially announced on Southern Miss' end, and those initial 2030 and 2031 matchups against Mississippi State are still showing on the Golden Eagles' official website as of Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026. So maybe there's a sliver of hope that the two schools can work something out. However, it's probably not a coincidence that the Bulldogs have already changed the schedule on their end.Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Blake Shapen (2) runs the ball against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles during the 2025 season opener in Hattiesburg, MS. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectGiven the SEC's new conference schedule setup, it's going to make it increasingly hard for Mississippi State to play in Hattiesburg again anytime soon. Regardless, the two programs still appear on track to meet in Starkville in the near future to continue the football rivalry. It's just not as nice a setup for the Golden Eagles as it would have been initially.Stay tuned to Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI for more Golden Eagles football coverage as preparations for the season opener against Alcorn State begin this week.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow