STARKVILLE — The 2016 Mississippi State football senior class experienced a multitude of success.
They were a part of the 2014 team that started 9-0 and rose to No. 1 for five-straight weeks. They played in the first Orange Bowl in school history since 1941 and have been to three bowl games.
On Saturday, MSU’s 19 lost to Arkansas 58-42 in their final game at Davis Wade Stadium.
“We definitely want it to be a positive, winning remembrance of our class,” senior linebacker Richie Brown said. “Our class has kind of done it all. A lot of our class played, participated, and did big things the year we went to No. 1 in the country. We’ve had highs and lows, but I definitely want to go out a winner.”
The class is one of eight senior classes to win 30 or more games in the 117 years of the program, the fourth under MSU coach Dan Mullen. They are 30-20, with the Battle for the Golden Egg against Ole Miss next Saturday in Oxford.
Brown, senior safety Kivon Coman, and senior defensive lineman A.J. Jefferson expected emotions to run high as they ran out of the tunnel to their parents and Mullen as they were recognized before kickoff.
Coman, who had a game-high 15 tackles, said he also wants the class to be remembered in the right way.
“Guys who didn’t give up, guys who just wanted the best for everybody from the younger guys to the older guys and just held everybody accountable,” Coman said.
Earlier in the week, Mullen said many of the seniors had put in a lot of hard work in the last four or five years. He began his post-game press conference talking about the seniors.
“I thank the seniors,” Mullen said. “It was a tough way to go out in their last home game here not going out on top. They’ve had a lot of good memories in this stadium. I wish we could have given them a win.”
Jefferson, who had two tackles, said he will remember the 2014 season for a long time, especially the 38-23 victory against Auburn at home that propelled MSU to the No. 1 ranking.
“I probably didn’t play a big role in that game, but I had a role in helping win that game,” Jefferson said. “It might not have been a lot, but I was there helping. That will stick with me for the rest of my life.”
Brown, who had seven tackles, earned a degree in industrial technology earlier this spring and is currently working on a master’s degree in business. He married former MSU softball player Erin Nesbit in the spring of 2015. Brown, who redshirted in 2012, chose MSU over Ole Miss and Tennessee, among others.
As his time at MSU comes to an end, Brown is happy with his decision to attend MSU.
“I love this school, and ever since the first time I came here, I just felt right, I felt peace about it and it felt like home with the environment, the people, the student body,” Brown said. “Just going around town I felt peaceful here, I felt at home. I love Mississippi State, I always will and in my heart, I’ll always be a Bulldog.”
Onside kick
Freshman walk-on kicker Brad Wall attempted an onside kick after MSU cut the deficit to 52-36 in the fourth quarter, but he touched the ball after it went 9 yards.
Wall kicked it straight up the middle and recovered it, but the officials reviewed the play and determined Wall touched the ball at the 44-yard line.
“I don’t know how it was overturned,” Mullen said. “The angle they showed on the Jumbotron, it looked like it stood. Call the league office. That’s them and that’s on them. I don’t know how that didn’t stand.”
Holloway out
Senior running back Brandon Holloway didn’t play because of a shoulder injury.
Mullen said he is progressing and that he hopes to have him for next week.
Holloway missed the games against BYU, Kentucky, and Samford with a left ankle injury. He returned for a 35-28 home victory against Texas A&M on Nov. 5.
Senior Ashton Shumpert started for Holloway and had 4 yards on two carries. Sophomore and West Point native Aeris Williams had 63 yards on 13 carries.
Junior kicker Logan Cooke missed his second-straight game with a right knee injury, while redshirt freshman offensive lineman Darryl Williams missed his fourth-straight game with a neck injured. He suffered the injury at Kentucky on Oct. 22 and hasn’t played since.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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