CLEARWATER, Fla. — The rings of cowbells, “hail” chants and yells of “ILL” echoed the shores of Clearwater Beach on Friday, but had nothing to do with the results of Monday’s ReliaQuest Bowl. It was an afternoon when Illinois and Mississippi footballers weren’t the focus of the competition.
The fandom on display at the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort centered around a pep rally/tug-of-war contest between the Spirit Squad.
It started with the MSU men’s team taking the first round, but the Illini women’s team forced a decisive co-ed round going to the Bulldogs. Black T-shirts with “STATE” written in block letters), MSU’s Spirit team didn’t walk away with a loss.
Following each practice, the Illinois and MSU players enjoyed an afternoon pep rally away from football. As the tug-of-war heated up, dozens of his MSU players gathered around his BouYah Watersports hut, 100 yards away.
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Players such as MSU defensive lineman Randy Charlton have filled out disclaimers for sitting on picnic tables and riding jet skis and paddleboards rather than running routes and making heavy tackles. was
Linebacker Jett Johnson said, “You have to balance business travel and vacation. “Bowl games, you can stay here. …Enjoy the first few nights. We have We’ve been having fun.”
The expected number of fans for Beach Day was 5,000, and the crowd included a sizeable MSU contingent. The maroon representation is expected to continue, as MSU sold a quota of ReliaQuest Bowl tickets early in the process.
“It was a great experience,” said Johnson, a freshman at the 2018 Outback Bowl Expedition. “Shout out to the country of maroon and white. We love you all and thank you for all the journeys you have taken.”
Whether the fans are wearing MSU’s Hawaiian shirts or matching the Spirit Squad, they, like the team, will be honored for Leach’s death with a victory in a state frequented by Mississippi. It was clear that he wanted
Defensive coordinator-turned-head coach Zach Arnett played a role in addressing the crowd during the celebration. His instinct to refer to Egg’s bowl victory last month shows he knows well how to cheer up MSU fans. In a year when the Egg Bowl trophy isn’t in Starkville, he may be able to rely on the tug-of-war title as a way to attract fans.
Stefan Krajisnik is Clarion Ledger’s Beat, Mississippi writer. Please contact us at skrajisnik@gannett.com or follow us on Twitter. @skrajisnik3.
