What makes college football so great is the unique traditions that schools across the country adopt. In the case of Mississippi State, its fans have used cowbells since at least the 1950s, with the tradition stemming back even earlier. With artificial noisemakers banned in SEC competition, there are some rules in place, though.
In 1974, there was a ban on artificial noisemakers in the conference at football and basketball games. However, in 2010, the SEC decided to let Bulldog fans use cowbells, just not during play. Instead, it’s reserved for situations such as during pregame, timeouts, halftime and after the Bulldogs score.
In order to ensure the tradition stays unbanned, Mississippi State uses a slogan to remind fans when it is allowed to be used: “When the center is over the football, rest your bell and just yell.”
Our Tradition. pic.twitter.com/y8LD8D8XnO
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) September 24, 2025
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With Tennessee using tempo on offense, the cowbells shouldn’t be much of an issue in terms of disrupting communication. The Vols get their signal from the sideline and are over the ball within seconds. With cowbells not allowed once Sam Pendleton, Tennessee’s center, gets over the ball, it’ll have to be typical crowd noise attempting to throw off the offensive line.
Mississippi State plays at Davis Wade Stadium, which holds a capacity of just 60,311. This is the second-smallest stadium in the SEC, ahead of just Vanderbilt’s stadium.
Tennessee holds a 30-16-1 record against MSU all-time in football. On the road, the Vols are 13-9. However, the most recent trip to Starkville was a 41-31 loss in 2012.
