New on Sports Illustrated: Source: Mississippi State Fires Coach Joe Moorhead After Two Seasons

Mississippi State went 6–7 this year, which was coach Joe Moorhead's second season with the Bulldogs.

Mississippi State has fired head coach Joe Moorhead,

Sports Illustrated's Ross Dellenger confirmed.

According to Dellenger, athletic director John Cohen was "set to deliver the news to the coach in a meeting this morning."

Moorhead lasted only 26 games in Starkville. Mississippi State hired him in November 2017 after coach Dan Mullen left to go to Florida. The team went 8–5 and become bowl eligible to play Iowa in the Outback Bowl during his debut season. However, Mississippi State went 6–7 in 2019. The Bulldogs struggled early in the season and lost four straight conference games before snapping their skid with a 54–24 win over Arkansas on Nov. 2. 

Dellenger reported on Thursday night that school officials had been in deep discussion about Moorhead's future since the Bulldogs' 38–28 loss to Louisville in the Music City Bowl in Nashville. Mississippi State planned to keep Moorhead after a 21-20 win over Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl on Thanksgiving night. However, that plan changed within the past month due to off-the-field issues and the bowl loss, per Dellenger.

Before joining Mississippi State, Moorhead spent two seasons as offensive coordinator at Penn State and helped the Nittany Lions go 22–5. Prior to that, Moorhead was 38–13 in four seasons as head coach at Fordham.