Good teams win, but great teams cover. And sometimes it’s better to be lucky to get there in dramatic fashion like Mississippi State did on an already emotional day.
Going into the ReliaQuest Bowl, the Mississippi State Bulldogs were 3.5 point favorites over the Illinois Fighting Illini. Sure enough, the Bulldogs earned three points with just three seconds left in the game at Raymond James Stadium on Monday. This is where things got a little crazy.
Former Don Bosco Prep HS star quarterback Tommy Devito backed up near his own 30-yard line for Illinois in an effort to draw this game from the fire.
The game started strong with a few successful throws until the ball came back to Devito in midfield. His throw across the field was short and quickly recovered by Mississippi State Bulldog defenseman Marcus Banks, who returned the ball 55 yards for a touchdown to give the Bulldogs a 19-10 victory for superb coverage.
The game was very emotional for the Bulldogs. They paid tribute to their late head coach Mike Leach, who died of a massive heart attack in December at the age of 61.
“Obviously Mike Leach has been running this program for three years, and he was running us today,” said Zach Arnett, who was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach three days after Leach’s death. “Emotional game, obviously.”
The team revealed Pirate logo helmets for the game, similar to that of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL, in a nod to Leach, nicknamed “The Pirate”. They also waved a “Mike” flag before the game and “Mike” was painted on the field.
“Football isn’t always a pretty game,” Mississippi Stat quarterback Will Rogers said. “I know Coach Leach would probably be a little upset with some decisions, but we fought hard and stuck together as a team. He was with us all the way. He’s been with me all along. I really, really miss him.
— with PA