Mississippi State fans left Davis Wade Stadium ecstatic for the 41-27 victory over the University of Mississippi. However, one State student was taken from the Nov. 28 Egg Bowl in an ambulance with a little less skin on his head than when he had arrived.
MSU Police Department Detective Sgt. Brad Massey said a verbal argument between the people involved resulted in one man hitting another man in the head with a cowbell. The incident happened in the north end zone student section, near the northwest gate. The victim was taken to the hospital where he was treated. The Commercial Dispatch reported the victim was treated for a mild concussion and received several staples in his head.
The attacker was not caught, and Massey said the police department is seeking help from the MSU community for information about the assault.
“We want to get the public to help us identify these people,” Massey said.
An e-mail sent to the university community described the suspect as a college-aged white male with dark brown or black hair. He is 5 feet, 8 inches tall, and weighing between 150 and 160 pounds.
At the time of the incident, the suspect was wearing jeans and a gray Under Armour MSU hooded sweatshirt.
Vice president for student affairs Bill Kibler said he does not believe this particular incident will affect the status of cowbells.
“I can’t tell you that there won’t be some change in methods in how we search for cowbells, but that will come from the league [SEC],” Kibler said. “In the future, there may be more action by the league rather than a reaction from the university.”
The SEC banned artificial noisemakers in 1975. There was a policy adopted in 2001 voted in by presidents of the member universities. In a MSU memo, historical documentation of university policy changes, interim President Charles Lee said cowbells have been a symbol of MSU spirit and pride for more than 75 years, understanding the deep attachment that many alumni and friends have for this unique tradition.
“We know that many Mississippi State supporters are disappointed, but we are confident that our fans will not engage in actions that would compromise the ability of our athletes to be competitive on the field,” Lee wrote. “As an institution, we will continue as we have in the past to abide by the rule and we urge all Mississippi State fans to do likewise.”