Why Are Mississippi State Fans Allowed to Use the Cowbells?

Georgia will face many unique challenges when they take on Mississippi State. The Air Raid, SEC road environment, and... cowbells.

Author:
Christian Goeckel
Nov 10, 2022 4:01 PM EST

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Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia’s football team will take the field at Davis Wade Stadium as the No. 1 team in America. Plenty of Bulldog fans will be tuning in from across the country as Georgia (9-0, 6-0) takes on Mississippi State (6-3, 3-3). When they do, they’ll hear a sound fans from the SEC West have become begrudgingly accustomed to.

The clanging of cowbells.

A clause in the SEC rule book allows Mississippi State fans to bring them into the game, and use them at certain points during the game.

First off, artificial crowd noise is allowed in football stadiums by the NCAA. From the NCAA Playing Rules Summary:

Artificial crowd noise, by conference policy or mutual consent of the institutions, is allowed. The noise level must be consistent throughout the game for both teams. However, all current rules remain in effect dealing with bands, music and other sounds. When the snap is imminent, the band/music must stop playing. As with all administrative rules, the referee may stop the game and direct game management to adjust.

With that said, the SEC has banned them.

[SEC Bylaw 30.22.1.5e] Artificial noisemakers shall not be brought into or used in any sports venue during games between member institutions. Each institution must have statements printed on tickets and notices to the effect that such noisemakers will not be permitted inside its competition areas.

So why can they use them in Starkville? History is the simplest answer. From the 1930’s through 1974, Mississippi State fans used cowbells at games. That was until 1974, when the conference banned all artificial noisemakers.

Then, in 2010, the schools amended the rule. From Mississippi State Athletics:

That spring, the 12 schools of the SEC agreed to a compromise on artificial noisemakers, acknowledging the role cowbells play in the history of Mississippi State University by amending the conference by-law. In the fall of 2010, on a one-year trial with specified restrictions, cowbells were permitted in Davis Wade Stadium for the first time in 36 years. And due to MSU fans' notable adherence to the rules outlined by the league, cowbells have been allowed at MSU home football games since with similar restrictions in place.

As of now, the current amendment allows “the use of institutionally controlled, computerized sound systems (including music), institutionally controlled artificial noisemakers, and traditional institutional noisemakers at any time, except from the time the offensive center is over the football until the play is whistled dead.”