Exclusive: Auburn Head Coach Butch Thompson Talks Mississippi State Showdown — A Return to Familiar Ground
When Auburn head coach Butch Thompson speaks about Mississippi State, there’s more than just a competitive fire behind his words — there’s a deep-rooted connection. Before leading the Tigers, Thompson was a pivotal figure in Starkville, serving as Mississippi State’s pitching coach from 2009 to 2015. He helped develop elite arms that played for a national championship in 2013. In Starkville, he’s still affectionately known as just “Butch” — no formalities required.
Now, as Auburn prepares to host Mississippi State for a crucial SEC series, Thompson is ready to lead his Tigers into battle against a program that played a defining role in his coaching journey.
“This is always a meaningful series for me, personally,” Thompson shared in an exclusive conversation. “But it’s all about the players now. We’ve got a tough stretch ahead, and Mississippi State is a team you can’t take lightly.”
Born in Aberdeen, Mississippi, and a standout at Amory High School and Itawamba Community College, Thompson’s Mississippi roots run deep. After capping off his playing days as a pitcher at Birmingham-Southern, he transitioned into coaching and has since built a reputation as one of college baseball’s most respected minds.
When he took over at Auburn in 2015 — during an unusually late coaching search following Sunny Golloway’s firing — it marked the beginning of a new era. It took time, but by 2017 the Tigers were back in the postseason. In 2019, Thompson guided Auburn to the College World Series, only to have their run end in heartbreaking fashion — via a walk-off single by Mississippi State.
Since then, Auburn has remained a contender, returning to Omaha in 2022 and fielding another competitive squad in 2023. This season has been a rollercoaster — a sweep of LSU followed by being swept by Texas — but at 28-13 overall and .500 in SEC play (9-9), the Tigers are still firmly in the hunt.
As Mississippi State rolls into town, Thompson expects three tightly contested games between two proud programs.
“Every weekend in the SEC is a battle,” he said. “But this one means a little more — for our team, for me personally, and for the fans.”
Here’s what Coach Butch Thompson had to say about his team’s progress, the series ahead, and what it means to face his old squad in a high-stakes showdown.