Arkansas and Ole Miss Become Latest SEC Teams to Honor Former Mississippi State HC Mike Leach
Two SEC football teams participating in bowl games on Wednesday joined the long list of programs honoring deceased Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach.
Arkansas and Ole Miss both released images on social media that depict helmet stickers honoring the storied head coach. The Razorbacks are currently sporting their helmets in the Liberty Bowl, while the Rebels will be suiting up later tonight.
Both programs have similar stickers on the back of their helmets. The design features the name "Mike," but the "I" in the name is represented by a cowbell with a pirate design in the middle. Florida and Missouri used the same tribute stickers in their respective bowl games.
Ironically, Leach led his Bulldogs to victory over both teams playing tonight this season. Mississippi State took down Arkansas by a score of 40-17 in early October, then it notched a 24-22 win over Ole Miss on Thanksgiving. Leach and his team finished the regular season with an 8-4 record.
Midway through the second quarter of the Liberty Bowl, Arkansas leads Kansas by a score of 24-7. Quarterback KJ Jefferson has accounted for all three of the team's touchdowns.
Ole Miss will play in the Texas Bowl beginning at 8 p.m. CT. The Rebels will be facing Texas Tech -- the program where Leach took on his first job as a head coach. The Pirate led the Red Raiders to an 84-43 record throughout his tenure, which lasted from 2000 to 2009.
More tributes are expected from other conference teams in the coming week.
Mississippi State will face Illinois in the ReliaQuest Bowl under new head coach Zach Arnett on Jan. 2.
