Mississippi football heaven | Columnists

I’ve been delighted that I live in Mississippi since the day I moved here two decades ago. However, I don’t think I’ve ever had a better day in the past 20 years than I had last Saturday.

I know that this is frowned upon by most diehard fans, but I started rooting for all three of the major Mississippi schools immediately after relocating to The Magnolia State. My daughters were only 4-and 2-years-old at the time, so Ole Miss wasn’t even a twinkle in their eye back then, so I simply rooted for any school that could bring glory to the state.

However, my allegiance to Ole Miss increased tenfold when my oldest daughter, Emily, decided to enroll there six years ago. And, it increased another tenfold when my auxiliary daughter, Alison, decided to follow in her older sister’s footsteps and also become a Rebellette two years later.

With my only two biological children, that we know about, both attending Ole Miss, I know that it would have made good common sense to stop rooting for their archrival, the Mississippi State Bulldogs, however, I just couldn’t do it.

Here’s why. A little over a decade ago, I started coaching the boys basketball team at Laurel Christian High School and kids such as Matt Morgan, Calen Lambert, Andrew Morgan, Johnson Marcellino, Luke Morgan, Thomas Morgan and Connor Bell eventually all graduated and went to Mississippi State. If you have ever been a part of a district championship-winning season, then you know that because of all of the hard work, sweat, and effort that goes into it, you pretty much become family by the end of the season.

We ended up winning four district championships and most of these kids were a part of at least three of them, so to say I have an allegiance to them is quite the understatement. I’m still “Coach” to all of them, still get together with a lot of them, and a few of them are like sons to me. Therefore, I proudly root for Mississippi State, as well as the Rebels.

Last Saturday started out great.

Mississippi State has looked dominant this year and I fully expected them to dismantle Texas A&M and they did. It was fun to watch a game in which the so-called “experts” had the Bulldogs as the underdog when those of us who have been paying close attention knew that State just might be the best team in the country. Dak Prescott is the real deal and should end up winning the Heisman Trophy before it is all said and done. And State’s run defense is second to none. That is a tough combination. If they win today against Auburn, they only have one more obstacle awaiting for them in Tuscaloosa before the most important Egg Bowl in the history of the state.

Immediately after State finished off A&M, Mark and I made our way to the home of Community Bank President Bo Bounds to watch the Ole Miss-Alabama extravaganza. Bo is a diehard Rebel, not just a fan, but an actual real life Rebel, who broke one of his unwritten rules by allowing “outsiders” to watch an Ole Miss game with him. Mark and I were quite honored, but I’m not sure we will ever get invited back after we made it clear that we were both quite happy that Miss. State had won earlier in the day.

As we gathered around the big screen eating wings and enjoying various beverages from Mexico and France, the three of us started out feeling cautiously optimistic. That optimism didn’t really dwindle until after the missed face-mask call and fumble at the end of the first half that gave Alabama a 14-3 lead at half-time.

It became clear in the third quarter that the Ole Miss defense was the real deal and that they could not only play with the mighty Tide but could manhandle them. After quarterback Bo Wallace found a wide open Vince Sanders in the end zone to tie the game up with 5:29 left to play the celebration in Bo Bounds’ kitchen was exuberant in spite of the futile efforts of three middle-age white guys trying to high five each other.

However, after Alabama’s fumble on the ensuing kickoff, the possibility that this could end up being the greatest day in Mississippi sports history began to really sink in. We watched with sheer elation as Wallace methodically marched his team down toward the end zone and then hit Jaylon Walton for the 10-yard TD that put the Rebs up 6 with 2:54 left in the game.

Unfortunately, the joy was severely dampened when a blocked extra point still left us with horrible visions of a last-second heartbreaker possibly destroying the day. However, when Senquez Gol- son came down with an interception and the replay clearly showed that he had a foot in bounds, Bo, Mark and I didn’t wait for the call to be “officially” overturned. We knew that Ole Miss had clinched it and pure euphoria overtook us, as it did everyone throughout Rebel nation.

I immediately texted everyone I know a filthy version of “Hotty Toddy,” and made sure that I congratulated my Rebel oldest daughter, who was watching the game in New York, and my Rebel youngest, who was at the game and for all I know could have been tearing down the goalposts.

It was a great day for all of Mississippi. I’m hoping we have another great one today … and an Egg Bowl between two undefeated teams … and a National Championship game between two teams from The Magnolia State.

But no matter what happens, it won’t ruin the day when Ole Miss and State beat two of the top-ranked teams in the country and ended up tied at No. 3 in the polls. The greatest day in Mississippi sports history … for now.

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