Jon Gruden talks about Mississippi State's cowbells and Egg Bowl

He also made an appearance on the Mostly Sports with Mark Titus & Brandon Walker show and, well, Gruden may want to bring an ear plugs and a noise-cancelling headset next time he’s in Starkville.

“I’ve been to Starkville twice,” Gruden said and was then asked if he liked it. “No, I didn’t. I asked myself, why would anybody have a cowbell and ring it? I went to a Tampa Bay Ray major league playoff game and they were doing the cowbells. I left in the fourth inning…I went down there with the Tennessee Volunteers and we whooped your [butts] with all your cowbells.”

The cowbells are a divisive topic. Pretty much everyone outside of Starkville (and probably some in Starkville) hates the cowbells. They’re loud and Mississippi State fans would ring them non-stop if the rules allowed them to.

At this point, it’s a tradition embedded so far into Mississippi State’s image that it’s near-impossible to ban from games.

Matt Mitchell, the YouTube channel that creates SEC Roll Call, had a great joke in a 2024 season episode that pretty much sums up how important the cowbells are.

“So, State, what’s it gonna be? Cowbells or a functioning secondary?”

“Well…you know me.” (character hugs a cowbell.)

What Gruden said just reinforces that the cowbell works. Opposing teams and fans are supposed to hate it. The cowbells are the only reason Davis Wade Stadium ends up on the lists of toughest places to play.

Has it translated into a ton of success? No and Gruden was kind enough to point that out, too.

“The highlight for Mississippi State is an Egg Bowl win,” Gruden said. “That’s their highlight.”

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