The Bulldogs are setting the pace on and off the field these days. They didn’t just watch some amazing things happen Saturday in their own Dawg Pound. “It was the most awe-inspiring effort by an SEC fan base in memory. – Pete Thamel, Sports Illustrated (10.10.14) The throng rings cowbells to the beat, creating a deafening roar as they try to hold on to the feeling.” “Want to know what a revolution sounds like? Between the third and fourth quarter, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” blares through the stadium speakers. Of all the intimidating venues in America, I cannot imagine a single more oppressive place than previously sleepy Davis Wade Stadium.” On football Saturdays in 2014, with a dream of a team to cheer for, it is an ear-splitting slice of hell for the visiting team. Then the fans add one more layer of sound by howling hysterically for four hours. The high-volume video board functions as a waterboard. They ceaselessly pound upon your eardrums. “Those polite Mississippians ditch the Southern hospitality in favor of sadism, transforming their stadium into a torture chamber. “To all those Bulldog fans shining those cell phone flashlights and signing along to Don’t Stop Believin’, they make Davis Wade Stadium the most fun place to watch a football game in the SEC.” “Honestly, it’s the trip I look forward to the most … They lay out the red carpet. They are simply the best and most genuine fans in college football. Andy Staples, Sports Illustrated (9.14.17) – Rick Cleveland, Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame writer (11.11.17) You could not hear the guy next to you even when he was yelling.” “Furthermore, Scott Field had become a virtual noise factory, louder than ever and that is really loud. … But what was displayed on Saturday night bested anything you’ll find anywhere else in this conference.” The crowd remained engaged from an hour before the game until Nick Fitzgerald’s Hail Mary sailed out of the end zone. During the game, the boards transformed into the best television sets one could want, airing replays, music videos and hype trailers. Two ginormous high-definition video boards were airing the Georgia-Auburn game prior to kickoff, drawing you into the stadium early when you might otherwise stay outside. Any music they do pump in is normally out of touch or not what players and fans are currently listening to. So many SEC schools are stuck in the past, unwilling to change the old guard, relying on the outdated marching band to belt the same tired fight songs and between-downs music. More than anything, the experience is modern. Yes, the cowbells exist and they are quite, quite loud. It’s the best gameday experience and atmosphere I’ve seen in more than 10 years of attending and covering SEC football. “The atmosphere inside Davis Wade Stadium is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. John Hayes, Producer of The Paul Finebaum Show, (9.19.17) “When there is a big game at Davis Wade, I’d put that atmosphere up against anything in college football. “The facilities just get better and better every time I come.” – Andy Staples, Sports Illustrated (9.14.17) The CLANGA in real life is a lot different than the CLANGA off the speaker.” “As road environments go, Mississippi State gets really loud – lot of CLANGA going on. “Alabama at Mississippi State last year was the loudest stadium I’ve ever been in.” – Pat Forde, Yahoo Sports on Dan Patrick Show (8.22.17) You go through a game there, you come out of there and you can’t hear for about a day and a half. They get those cowbells ringing about three hours before kickoff out in the parking lots. Staples made similar comments last summer, but now that Kentucky Football has renewed energy behind a revamped offense, it’s picking up steam at the national level.“Mississippi State has become the loudest stadium in America. Stoops, meanwhile, can finish third in the easier half of the SEC and live just as comfortably as his peers in those pressure-cooker jobs. Any of the schools on this list will run off the coach if he doesn’t average double-digit wins and doesn’t at least occasionally win the conference or make the College Football Playoff. If Mark Stoops averages eight wins a year, they’ll build him a statue in Lexington. Andy Staples argued that the combination of reasonable expectations, SEC revenue, and Stoops’ recruiting pipeline in Ohio make for a very cushy seat. The Athletic’s college football staff went a step further, opining that Mark Stoops has the best gig in America. The SEC Network’s Peter Burns argued on KSR yesterday that Kentucky is a top ten job in the sport, top five in the SEC. There’s been a lot of talk this week about the best coaching jobs in college football.
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