Mississippi
Why do Mississippi State fans ring cowbells at football games? Bulldogs tradition explained
The cowbell is synonymous with Mississippi State athletics.
Walk into Davis Wade Stadium for a football game on a fall Saturday, and you’ll see almost every fan with a cowbell in hand. They ring them all game long, creating a unique (and loud) atmosphere in college football.
Why do Mississippi State fans ring cowbells? Here’s what to know ahead of the Week 11 game against No. 5 Georgia.
Why do Mississippi State fans ring cowbells?
According to Mississippi State, cowbells began appearing gradually at sporting events in the 1930s and 1940s.
The legend says that a jersey cow once wandered on to the field during a football game in the Egg Bowl between Mississippi State and Ole Miss. MSU won the game, and fans saw the cow as good luck. Students began to bring cows to the games, but that tradition was discontinued and replaced with cowbells.
Why are Mississippi State fans allowed to ring cowbells?
The SEC banned artificial noisemakers in 1974, including cowbells. A compromise was struck in 2010 where Mississippi State could bring the cowbells back for a one-year trial as long as they adhered to certain rules, like not ringing while the ball was in play.
Mississippi State fans have been able to ring cowbells ever since.
When are Mississippi State fans allowed to use cowbells?
MSU fans are allowed to ring the cowbells until the center puts a hand on the football in formation.
The university has made an effort to make sure fans follow the rules with the cowbells. There are signs and messages on the videoboard that either say “ring responsibly” or “rest your bell” to let fans know when they must stop ringing the cowbell.
What Georgia’s Kirby Smart said about Mississippi State’s cowbells
Georgia last played in Starkville in 2022 and won 45-19. Before that, Georgia hadn’t played at Mississippi State since 2010. MSU won that game 24-12, its only win against Georgia in the past 15 games dating to 1974.
“Noise is noise,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “It’s hard to play in the SEC on the road. I have not been to an SEC venue that it was not hard to play into on the road. It’s just hard. That’s not going to change with them. They’ve got a really vertical stadium. I think the noise gets trapped in their stadium.
“It’s one of the loudest places I’ve coached, and I’ve coached there a lot. They’ve got a lot of pride in how they play and how their team plays and the support of their team.”
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
Inside the new Lego retailer, Bricks & Minifigs
Customers can buy or sell Legos and get individual bricks at the new store in Montrose.
Shoppers visiting Renaissance at Colony Park later this month will notice a big change.
Apple is moving to a new and larger store within the Ridgeland shopping center, while LEGO plans to take over Apple’s current location once the move is complete, according to Apple and other industry sources.
Apple has announced that its new store will open July 24 near the development’s Show Fountain. The company is not leaving Ridgeland. Instead, it is moving to a new location a short distance away inside Renaissance at Colony Park.
The company has operated a store at Renaissance for more than a decade. Once Apple moves into its new store, LEGO plans to open in the company’s former space. The addition will bring another well-known international brand to central Mississippi and give LEGO fans a dedicated store in the Jackson metro area.
It is another win for Ridgeland with last week’s announcement that a Dave & Buster’s that will be located at the PradoVista development near Topgolf. A site plan and architectural review for Dave & Buster’s was approved at the Ridgeland Board of Aldermen meeting on Tuesday, July 7.
Renaissance at Colony Park continues to thrive
Over the years, the center has attracted a mix of national retailers, restaurants and specialty stores. Previous developments at Renaissance have included luxury retailers, popular restaurant chains and entertainment options that draw shoppers from across Mississippi and neighboring states.
Apple’s new location will continue offering product sales, technical support and repair services. Customers will also be able to attend the company’s “Today at Apple” classes and workshops, which provide free lessons on photography, video, music and other topics.
Apple has not released details about the size of the new store. The Ridgeland project is one of several store moves announced this summer.
Renaissance keeps storefront
For Renaissance, the deal works in several ways.
Apple stays at the shopping center and receives a newer storefront. At the same time, the center fills Apple’s former location with another high-profile retailer instead of leaving the space vacant.
LEGO stores are often considered destination retailers because customers will drive long distances to visit them. Families, collectors and hobbyists frequently seek out official LEGO stores for exclusive products and special events.
For shoppers, the most immediate change will be Apple’s July 24 opening. Customers who need repairs, technical help or product purchases will be directed to the new store after the move.
LEGO has not yet announced an opening date.
Ross Reily is a writer for the Clarion Ledger, part of the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached at rreily@gannett.com or 601-573-2952. You can follow him on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter @GreenOkra1.
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Mississippi leaders across the board are reflecting on the legacy of service Sen. Lindsey Graham had in Washington, D.C.
3 On Your Side spoke on the phone with Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith who shared that Graham treated her like a little sister when she arrived to the Senate.
Their friendship grew outside of work, but one thing she’ll really cherish is the teamwork they developed to get things done with President Donald Trump.
“There were times he would come to me and say, OK sister, you’re going to have to break this news to Trump. If it was a difficult situation, he would say you got to soften him up, you call him and then I’ll call him after you but you’re the one that’s going to have to take care of this. Or you’ve got to go to Mar-a-Lago and handle this, but we were a pretty good team together because we were both close to the President,” said Sen. Hyde-Smith.
Sen. Hyde-Smith added, since coming to Washington, D.C., she looked up to Sen. Graham like an older brother in the chamber.
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STARKVILLE — Mississippi State baseball signee Landon Brown will play for the Bulldogs instead of signing a pro contract, he told the Clarion Ledger on July 12 during the 2026 MLB Draft.
Brown, a right-handed pitcher from Rosharon, Texas, was ranked as the No. 77 prospect by MLB.com. He pitched and played corner infield for Iowa Colony while winning Brazoria County Player of the Year.
He won’t be eligible again for the MLB draft until 2029.
Brown is 6-foot-4, 210 pounds. He has a fastball that reaches 98 mph as part of a four-pitch mix. He also throws a slider, cutter and splitter.
Brown committed to Mississippi State in 2024 under previous coach Chris Lemonis.
He is the third high school draft prospect to reveal he will play for MSU instead of signing a pro contract. Shortstop Noah Danza withdrew from the MLB draft before it began, and pitcher Denton Lord announced after the fifth round that he was heading to Mississippi State.
Three Mississippi State signees were drafted in the first 10 rounds: shortstop Rocco Maniscalco, catcher Will Brick and outfielder Martin Shelar.
Landon Brown stats
- 66⅔ innings
- 0.63 ERA
- 110 strikeouts
- 13 walks
- .424 batting average
- 13 home runs
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
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