Bell Tolls for Mississippi State - American Football Monthly

Third & Short

Bell Tolls for Mississippi State

Southeastern Conference visiting teams tired of hearing the cowbells ringing at Mississippi State’s Scott Field can thank the SEC presidents if the bells are silent this fall.

Conference presidents voted 11-1 to penalize the home team if fans use artificial noisemakers during games. Under the rule, the home school would be given a warning the first time, then penalized five yards for the second infraction and 15 yards for each additional infraction.

The dissenting vote was cast by Mississippi State interim president Charles Lee, which makes sense because the rule was aimed directly at his school. The SEC already has a rule banning noisemakers in its stadiums, passed in the 1970s. It’s even printed on the ticket.

Because Mississippi State gate security does not search every fan thoroughly as they enter Scott Field, some cowbells have been known to slip through. A few too many for the taste of the opposition.

MSU coach Jackie Sherrill objects to the rule, claiming its aimed solely at his school, which no one denies. He suggests the university begin piping in the cowbell sound over the sound system, citing Tennessee’s playing of “Rocky Top” as an example.

“We will take care of the cowbell issue,” Sherrill said. “We will have cowbell sounds in the stadium that are louder than ever before.”

University officials were more diplomatic, saying the university will take steps to comply with the rule, rather than placing the team at a competitive disadvantage.

The SEC rule is similar to an NCAA rule that provides for a penalty for the home team if crowd noise makes it impossible for the visitors to hear their signals being called. It is rarely used, however, and it is unclear how fast SEC officials will reach for the yellow penalty flags in the event the cowbells return to Scott Field in earnest this fall.

SEC coordinator of officials Bobby Gaston hopes it won’t happen often, and said he will await a clarification from the presidents about how much cowbell noise is too much cowbell noise.

Mississippi State supporters point the finger at rival Mississippi for the rule, as Ole Miss chancellor Robert Khayat has voiced numerous complaints over the years about the noise.