Report: Chris Jans leaving Mississippi State after 2025-26 season considered 'conceivable'

The first three seasons of the Chris Jans era at Mississippi State resulted in three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. It marked the first time that the program made at least three straight trips to the Big Dance for the first time since 2002-05.

It doesn’t look like that streak will extend to four seasons, however, as Mississippi State sits at 13-15 (5-10) with just three regular season games remaining. At this point, it would take a miracle run in the SEC Tournament to notch an auto-bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The disappointing season for the program came to a head Wednesday night, as No. 17 Alabama blew out Mississippi State 100-75 in Tuscaloosa. The Tide led 63-33 at halftime and led by as many as 39 points in the contest. In a report published by ESPN’s Jeff Borzello on Wednesday, he hinted that Jans could possibly jump to another high-major program this offseason.

“After going to the NCAA tournament in each of his first three seasons in Starkville, Jans and the Bulldogs are limping toward a sub-.500 finish this season,” Borzello wrote. “Mississippi State is considered one of the worst jobs in the SEC, so it’s conceivable he could look to jump to another high-major program with the right fit.”

Jeff Borzello floats Chris Jans as potential fit at Kansas State

In the same report, Borzello floated Jans as a potential fit at Kansas State. The program fired former head coach Jerome Tang following its 10-15 (1-11) start to the season and its third consecutive missed NCAA Tournament.

“Meanwhile, athletic director Gene Taylor will look for Tang’s replacement. It’s still early in the search, but names such as Utah State‘s Jerrod Calhoun, Belmont‘s Casey Alexander, Northern Iowa‘s Ben Jacobson and Creighton associate head coach — and Bluejays coach-in-waiting — Alan Huss are already sprouting up. Could Taylor also look to get a sitting high-major head coach, someone like Mississippi State‘s Chris Jans?”

Across nearly four seasons in Starkville, Jans has led the Bulldogs to a 76-55 (29-40) record. Although they have made an appearance in the last three NCAA Tournaments, they have yet to win a game. Mississippi State lost to Pittsburgh in the First Four in 2023 and dropped Round of 64 matchups to Michigan State (2024) and Baylor (2025) in the past two seasons.

Jans received a contract extension with Mississippi State following its Tournament appearance last season. The head coach has received a one-year extension and a $100,000 raise for all three Tournament appearances, meaning his current contract runs through the 2029-30 season.