Mississippi State Bulldogs | |
---|---|
Established in 1895 | |
Names | |
| |
Other Nicknames | |
Bulldogs, Mississippi A&M Aggies | |
Conference | |
Southeastern Conference | |
Location | |
Starkville, Mississippi State | |
Colors | |
Maroon and White | |
Head Coaches | |
| |
Stadium | |
| |
CFP National Championships | |
None | |
SEC Championships | |
None | |
SEC West Championships | |
None |
Mississippi State University' is a NFCAA accredited university in Starkville, Mississippi and a member of the Southeastern Conference. Chartered in 1878, it was Mississippi's premier land grant university. Mississippi State University's athletic teams, the Bulldogs, compete in the NFCAA's Southeastern Conference, which they joined as a charter member in 1932.
The Bulldogs' football team has been competing since 1895. The football team has been playing at Davis Wade Stadium since 1914. The school colors are Maroon and White.
Traditions[edit | edit source]
The most unusual and certainly the most resounding symbol of Mississippi State University tradition is the cowbell. Despite decades of attempts by opponents and authorities to banish it from scenes of competition,[150] diehard State fans still celebrate Bulldog victories loudly and proudly with the distinctive sound of ringing cowbells.
The precise origin of the cowbell as a fixture of Mississippi State sports tradition remains unclear to this day. The best records have cowbells gradually introduced to the MSU sports scene in the late 1930s and early 1940s, coinciding with the 'golden age' of Mississippi State football success prior to World War II.
The most popular legend is that during a home football game between State and arch-rival Ole Miss, a jersey cow wandered onto the playing field. Mississippi State soundly whipped the Rebels that Saturday, and State College students immediately adopted the cow as a good luck charm. Students are said to have continued bringing a cow to football games for a while, until the practice was eventually discontinued in favor of bringing just the cow's bell.
Whatever the origin, it is certain that by the 1950s cowbells were common at Mississippi State games, and by the 1960s were established as the special symbol of Mississippi State. Ironically, the cowbell's popularity grew most rapidly during the long years when State football teams were rarely successful. Flaunting this anachronism from the 'aggie' days was a proud response by students and alumni to outsider scorn of the university's 'cow college' history.
In the 1960s two MSU professors, Earl W. Terrell and Ralph L. Reeves obliged some students by welding handles on the bells to they could be rung with much more convenience and authority. By 1963 the demand for these long-handled cowbells could not be filled by home workshops alone, so at the suggestion of Reeves the Student Association bought bells in bulk and the Industrial Education Club agreed to weld on handles. In 1964 the MSU Bookstore began marketing these cowbells with a portion of the profits returning to these student organizations.
Today many styles of cowbells are available on campus and around Starkville, with the top-of-the-line a heavy chrome-plated model with a full Bulldog figurine handle. But experts insist the best and loudest results are produced by a classic long-handled, bicycle-grip bell made of thinner and tightly-welded shells.
Cowbells decorate offices and homes of Mississippi State alumni, and are passed down through generations of Bulldog fans.
In early 1975, the SEC adopted a rule against artificial noisemakers that made it illegal to ring a cowbell during games; an official complaint by Auburn coach Shug Jordan, whose disapproval of the tradition went back several years,[151] after the Tigers narrow 1974 win over the Bulldogs was largely responsible for the decision.[152] At one point during the game, Jordan instructed his quarterback not to run a play in protest of officials refusing to quiet the crowd.[153] Jordan's dislike for the cowbells inspired Alabama to attempt to purchase 1,000 cowbells from Mississippi State for Alabama fans to take to the Iron Bowl; MSU declined the offer.[154] University of Texas fans also attempted to annoy Jordan with cowbells during the 1974 Gator Bowl.[154] Shortly after the ban was enacted, Mississippi State officials considered other items and devices to replace the cowbells.[155] In 1981, a Mississippi State faculty member filed a suit against Auburn University and the Southeastern Conference that sought to have the rule declared unconstitutional after his cowbell was confiscated at the 1981 AU-MSU game at Jordan–Hare Stadium.[156] Despite creative efforts[157] by MSU fans to circumvent the ruling and continue the tradition, the ban was in effect until 2010.
That spring, the 12 schools of the SEC agreed to a compromise on artificial noisemakers, acknowledging the role cowbells play in the history of Mississippi State University by amending the conference by-law. In the fall of 2010, on a one-year trial with specified restrictions, cowbells were permitted in Davis Wade Stadium for the first time in 36 years. And due to MSU fans' notable adherence to the rules outlined by the league, cowbells will continue to be allowed with similar restrictions in place. In 2012, the rule was made permanent by the SEC.
Rivalry Games[edit | edit source]
- Egg Bowl - Mississippi State vs Ole Miss
- Battle of Highway 82 - Mississippi State vs Alabama
- Southland Rumble - Mississippi State vs LSU
Logo History[edit | edit source]
Not available
Records[edit | edit source]
2018: 7-6 (3-5)
2019: 5-7 (3-5)
2020:
2019 Fake Schedule[edit | edit source]
Week | Loc | Rank | Opp | Score | Network |
1 | @ | NR | Oregon State | ||
2 | @ | NR | Auburn | ||
3 | vs. | NR | Arkansas State | ||
4 | vs. | NR | Georgia Southern | ||
5 | @ | NR | Illinois | ||
6 | @ | NR | Georgia | ||
7 | vs. | NR | Arkansas | ||
8 | vs. | NR | Alabama | ||
9 | vs. | NR | Texas A&M | ||
10 | vs. | NR | Kentucky | ||
11 | @ | NR | LSU | ||
12 | @ | NR | Ole Miss |
Football Roster[edit | edit source]
Starters
Offense
Num | Name | Pos | Year | Hometown |
9 | Cordell Brandy | QB | Jr | Meridian, MS |
2 | Ben Barber | HB | Rs Sr | Memphis, TN |
17 | Silky Maxwel | SB | So | Saraland, AL |
73 | Rillen Fisher | LT | Fr | Hope, AR |
71 | Mike Bame | LG | Sr | Biloxi, MS |
50 | Riley Michael | C | Rs Fr | Waynesboro, MS |
75 | Frankie Myers | RG | Jr | Philadelphia, PA |
65 | Christie Rodger | RT | Rs Jr | Horn Lake MS |
1 | Arron Brice | WR | Sr | Chino Hills, CA |
3 | Robert Michael | WR | Rs So | Starkville, MS |
8 | John Archdeacon | WR | Rs So | Macon, GA |
4 | Jim Bob Ranger | WR | Rs Fr | Arlington, Texas |
11 | Bryce Philly | WR | Fr | Plattville, AL |
88 | Bud Leroy | TE | Sr | Fresno, CA |
7 | Jim Smith | K | Jr | Alliance, NE |
6 | Greg Smith | P | Jr | Alliance, NE |
34 | Ralph Ralph | LS | Jr | Washington DC |
Defense
Num | Name | Pos | Year | Hometown |
93 | Eli Groce | LE | Fr | Lucedale, MS |
91 | Huncho Lemon | DT | Rs So | Oxford, MS |
90 | Demarcus Rage | DT | Rs Fr | Houston, TX |
96 | Blake Tony | RE | Sr | Rome, GA |
47 | Silas Boulder | OLB | Sr | Nachez, MS |
50 | Allen Ray | MLB | Rs So | Birmingham, AL |
44 | Gerry Monmouth | OLB | So | Rock Hill, SC |
1 | David Cross | CB | So | High Point, NC |
3 | Jaiden Lilac | CB | Rs Fr | Detroit, Michigan |
29 | Dominic Richard | FS | Jr | Rock Hill, SC |
28 | Ty Monroe | SS | Rs Jr | Asheville, NC |
18 | Jake Ralph | KR | Jr | Washington DC |
17 | Kenneth Darcy | PR | Sr | Little Rock, AR |