Hail State

Davis Wade Stadium

UPDATE: As of 1:00, MSU is number one in the AP Poll!

The College Football Nation is exploding with support for Mississippi State, and I must say, it’s such a great experience to be a part of.

In less than an hour, the Associated Press will release their rankings for the week, and Bulldog fans everywhere are dreaming of seeing their team’s name in the number one spot.

If that happens, everything is about to explode. 

I haven’t been a Mississippi State fan my whole life.  I wasn’t raised on maroon and white, I didn’t ring a cowbell as soon as I was born, I didn’t even know how the fight song went until I showed up to band camp last year.

But in one short year, I have become a maroon and white wearing, cowbell ringing, Bulldog loving Mississippi State fan.  It really has been a perfect fit for me.  Out of all of the Mississippi schools, MSU has always been the one I associate with the best; it’s everything I love about Mississippi. 

I love the town of Starkville and the small town feel it gives me.  Because let’s be honest, it’s relatively small for a Division I college town, but I’m okay with that.  I love how I don’t have to drive far to see the fields and cows and cotton and gorgeous scenery that is Mississippi.  I love how Mississippi State is full of real people, from the Mississippi-bred rednecks to the out-of-state Texans.

Mississippi State will always be great to me regardless of what any sports team accomplishes.  However, it’s pretty great when they do spectacular things.

In the stands at the Auburn game

I've never gone to a school with a down-right spectacular football team.  Upon coming to MSU, I had accepted that we’d be at least pretty good, because in the SEC you’ve pretty much got to be or you’re the laughing stock of the nation.  I’ll tell it to you straight: when I’ve watched big bowl games on tv, I’ve always seen the band and wondered what it’d be like to be there, but I never actually expected to have a chance to actually see what it’s like.  My thought process: “I’m not going to Alabama, so it’s not per say expected.”

But if there’s one thing that this football season has taught me, it’s never let the past success of an opposing team bias the support for your own team.  

Coming into the MSU vs. LSU game, I didn’t expect us to pull out the win that we did.  Because I thought, “LSU has been super good as long as I’ve kept up with college football, and they beat us every year.”  It’s not that I didn’t have faith in the Bulldogs, it’s just that I was trying to be realistic.

But forget being realistic.  Forget assumptions.  As soon as the Bulldogs came out swinging in the first quarter, I stopped doubting them.  I stopped assuming LSU would be the same LSU as always.

On the sidelines before halftime, playing in the rain (note the wet chicken-like appearance of our plumes)

And so now my attitude before every game is, “if we come out swinging, if we play all four quarters, then they can’t stop us.”

There has been a lot of “ifs” this year, and so far we’ve conquered all of them.  But there’s still a lot of “ifs” left before we make it to whatever bowl we end up at, before the season comes to a close.  Can I just say I wouldn’t mind at all if I got to go to the Rose Bowl?  March in the Rose Parade?  Uh, yes. 

It’s been a crazy season this year, but I can see that Dan Mullen and the Bulldogs are taking it all one “if” at a time.  Conquer one and celebrate, but right after brace yourself, because another one is coming. 

I’m so honored to be a part of this history-making year.  I absolutely love the awesome opportunities that I get as a part of the Famous Maroon Band.  Watch the game from the sidelines?  Been there, done that. 

Pre-Pre-game selfie with the GoPro

If you know me, then you know what a sentimental person I am, and you know how much once-in-a-lifetime opportunities mean to me.  That’s what this year has been so far; it’s been full of things I may never get to experience again.  I may never get to see College Game Day live again in my life.  Am I super bitter that I forgot to set a 5:00 AM alarm and missed the chance to get a great seat and possibly a hard hat?  So very much.  But all in all, what a day yesterday was.  From College Game Day just being there, to the Game Day Snapchat, to Corso picking the Bulldogs to win, to a sold-out stadium, to a spectacular first quarter, to the monsoon right before halftime, to the nail-biting mistakes, to the miraculous plays, and finally, to the final score, I’ll never forget it.

Game Day Snapchat

I believe that if this Bulldog team keeps showing up to games, then they’ll go far, and I very well could be sitting in the stands at one of the top bowl games come late December/early January. 

I hope that all of the remaining games are just as great of an experience as the others.  I hope that the student section continues to stay for the entire game, I hope that security is always in fear of the crows storming the field. 

Because, man, what memories.

College Game Day bus

I love Mississippi State, and I couldn’t have picked a college with a better atmosphere, both on a daily basis and come game day.

So Hail dear ‘ole State.  Starkville is saying it, Mississippi is saying it, and pretty soon the entire nation will be saying it. 

Can you hear that?  I think I hear the bandwagon coming.  Hop on, everyone, it’s about to be a great ride.

Mo

College Game Day