These players stepped up during Saturday's Egg Bowl:

Ole Miss receiver Mico McSwain: McSwain finished the day with modest numbers (two carries for 15 yards and three catches for 29 yards), but I was impressed with his toughness. He bailed out quarterback Brent Schaeffer several times. Early in the second quarter, Schaeffer fired high in traffic, McSwain hauled in the pass by making a good adjustment. He then turned upfield, juked a defender, and gained 11 yards. McSwain made another nice catch with defenders around him in the third quarter for a gain of seven. Both of those catches came on drives that ended in Ole Miss field goals. Those points would not have been on the board without McSwain's grabs.

Continue reading "The Best of MSU-Ole Miss" »

Posted by Adam Aizer at 10:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My final memory of our final regular season game will be the diehard Ole Miss fans standing and singing in their endzone seats. They were watching the Mississippi players carry the Golden Egg off Hollingsworth Field just a few yards away from where the final field goal missed.

Everyone wearing red and blue seemed to forget that the Rebels just finished a 4-8 season. There will be no Bowl Game this year. It doesn't matter. The Egg Bowl is all these people cared about today.

And isn't that what this journey has really been about? Sure, we've paid attention to the football players and coaches, but really, we've been impressed with the thousands of fans who attend every game, regardless of their favorite team's record.

What a way to end our regular season. A classic rivalry, one of the oldest in college football. Fourteen points in the final 3:29. A fourth and inches stop by Mississippi State trailing by three points. A desperation Bulldogs drive that began at the Ole Miss 48 yard line with 42 second remaining. A 51 yard field goal attempt with hopes of forcing overtime that fell wide to the left. A three-point win for the home team, the Rebels of Ole Miss, 20-17.

Continue reading "Ole Miss 20 - Mississippi State 17" »

Posted by Adam Aizer at 06:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Egg Bowl will pit the two worst offensive teams in the SEC against each other. Ole Miss (3-8 overall, 1-6 SEC) hosts Mississippi State (3-8, 1-6) for nothing more than pride. It's an opportunity for both of these teams to end the season on a high note and carry momentum into 2007. While we are not looking at great teams, we are looking at a great, historic rivalry, and we'll see some great players in this year's Egg Bowl.

Continue reading "The Egg Bowl Preview" »

Posted by Adam Aizer at 08:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Some of my earliest and fondest childhood memories take place inside the walls of the IAA Football stadiums of the North East. My father, an offensive lineman for PENN in the late 1960’s, instilled a profound passion for the game in my siblings and me. We traveled to games all around the Ivy League to proudly cheer for the Red and Blue— but it was the red-brick beauty of West Philadelphia, Franklin Field, that will forever occupy a space in my memory bank. And more than 25 years later, Quaker Football remains a family tradition—yes… I love the game, but College Football has come to mean so much more…

Continue reading "At home in Starkville" »

Posted by at 11:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It's hours before gametime in Starkville, and the three of us are sitting in the SID office. However, getting wireless Internet was a problem, and it had me leaving the office and heading to the brand new campus Barnes & Noble, which is hands down the nicest student bookstore I've ever seen. After I finished posting some blog articles for everyone here, I had hours of time to explore a campus scene in a town I'd been in for less than 1 day. However, thanks to CSTV.com's Campus Rep Program, I was fortunate to have a lot of help in finding out in what MSU, and MSU tailgating, are all about.

Continue reading "MSU: Southern Hospitality, CSTV Style" »

Posted by at 07:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The morning brought new hope to a Mississippi State faithful that was desperately searching for a win...a big win...an important win...a spark to ignite them out of recent frustration and into the spotlight of the SEC. However, tonight it was not to be, as Steve Spurrier claims his first win in Starkville, with a 15-0 Carolina win over the Bulldogs.

Continue reading "MSU: Wrapping Up in Starkville" »

Posted by at 05:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After South Carolina's 15-0 win tonight in Starkville, there are several players that have stood out as ones to watch this SEC season...

Continue reading "MSU: Players to Watch this Season" »

Posted by at 04:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The scene outside Davis-Wade Stadium is still filled with fans tailgating, but the energy and atmosphere is definitely subdued, as South Carolina completely dominated Mississippi State's offense in a 15-0 victory.

Continue reading "MSU: Henpecked: Carolina wins, State lays egg" »

Posted by at 04:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The MSU players tonight are wearing their road white uniforms, despite being the home team. The reason? According to my new friend Cedric, who's been on the MSU security force for 3 years, Carolina came with road black jerserys instead of road white, making the Bulldogs change to white in order to avoid clashes between dark maroon and black.

Continue reading "MSU: White Jerseys, Maroon Fans" »

Posted by at 12:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Bulldogs entered "The Junction" to a sea of maroon-wearing, cowbell-clanging fans just a few minutes ago. Though it is a very hot and humid day in Starkville, Sylvester Croom's standards were in full force, as the MSU players were dressed in suits and ties, a classy move by the Bulldog coach.

Continue reading "MSU: Dawgs In the House" »

Posted by at 11:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Focus...Determination...Intensity...and this is just breakfast.

MSU players and coaches gathered in the spacious dining room of the Columbus Country Club to feast on classic Southern cooking, and to gather as a team before the big season opener tonight vs. South Carolina.

Continue reading "MSU: Breakfast of (Possible) Champions" »

Posted by at 01:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

4 am... After a long day, when I finally got to my hotel, I passed out. And when I say passed out, I mean, paaaaassed out. At about 4, I woke up, fully clothed, on my bed at the Ramada in Tupelo. So I stumbled into my pajamas and got back into bed!

8 am... Woke up again... My phone is making a noise, so I'm assuming it's the alarm. NOPE! Just my mother calling, so I'm up now...

Continue reading "Day 2: The Voice of Mississippi State Welcomes Us To Mississippi" »

Posted by at 12:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

As we officially wrap up the second day of coverage, we are in Starkville, preparing for tomorrow night's start to the 2006 SEC...and Division 1-A...football season.

Continue reading "MSU: Day 2 - Showdown in Starkville ahead" »

Posted by at 10:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's your typical red-brick American house on the outside. A small yellow ribbon and US flag adorn the mailbox, the lawn looks worn from the hot, dry Mississippi summers, and a screen door stands as the welcoming entrance. However, step inside, and everything changes. What is ordinary on the outside becomes extraordinary on the inside. Plaques adorn the white den walls, joining pictures of celebrities, athletes, and sports cartoons from the last several decades. Each item on the wall has a story to tell. However, as many stories as those walls could tell, it's the owner of the house that can tell even more: Jack Cristil, the voice of Mississippi State University.

Continue reading "MSU: Cristil Clear" »

Posted by at 10:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)