Cowbell Corner

Mississippi State and Texas Prepare for Historic Battle on the Gridiron

Mississippi State and Texas play for the first time since 1999 in a historic clash.

Jacob Bain

This file photo shows Jackie Sherrill while he was a football coach at Mississippi State University. Jackie Sherrill
This file photo shows Jackie Sherrill while he was a football coach at Mississippi State University. Jackie Sherrill / File/Clarion Ledger via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Mississippi State football will play the Texas Longhorns in a historic game this weekend. It will not be the first time these two schools have met on the gridiron after a trio of matchups in the 1990s.

However, this will be the Texas Longhorns' first SEC game since joining the conference on July 1st. It is fitting that Texas will likely start Arch Manning, the grandson of Ole Miss legend Archie Manning and nephew of Eli Manning.

The name Manning carries weight in the Magnolia state; talking to Ole Miss fans, it is revered, but Mississippi State fans do not care too much about the family. While the Manning angle is prevalent, another name in this series is former Mississippi State head coach Jackie Sherrill.

Before taking over in Starkville, Sherrill was the coach at Texas A&M, which likely caused his disdain for the Longhorns. Mississippi State clashed with Texas in 1991, the first meeting in 70 years, and the Bulldogs won 13-6 in Davis Wade Stadium.

Mississippi State would head to Austin the following year, but before the Bulldogs headed to the Lone Star State, Sherrill had an idea. Sherrill invited owners of a bull to the Mississippi State practice field, and players watched the bull be castrated as a form of motivation.

The story is legendary for Mississippi State, especially as the Bulldogs once again took the Longhorns in 1992 with a final score of 28-10. The two schools would meet in the Cotton Bowl in 1999, fresh off a Western division title for Mississippi State, and Texas would get its revenge by beating the Bulldogs 38-11 behind 208 rushing yards from Ricky Williams.

Finally, Mississippi State and Texas will clash again, this time as conference foes, making Saturday at Austin a historic day.


Read More Mississippi State Bulldogs on SI:

Jeff Lebby Speaks on Florida Loss, Injuries, Quarterback Situation, and Texas Preview

Texas vs. Mississippi State: The Ultimate Recipe for an Upset Victory

Mississippi State Football Faces Texas: Offensive Stats You Need to Know

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Jacob Bain
JACOB BAIN

Jacob Bain first joined Cowbell Corner as an intern, and was promoted to lead day-to-day coverage in Starkville of Mississippi State sports in 2023. His primary beats include football, baseball and basketball. He's originally from Fulton, Miss.

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