Go dawgs.

     Yesterday, during the Mississippi State vs. Auburn football game. I found my myself wondering why State chose "Bully" the English bulldog as the mascot. Of course, many people know that Mississippi State University was not always known as the bulldogs. Before changing its mascot to the brown and white English bulldog during the early years of Mississippi A&M College the mascot was the "Aggies." In 1932, Mississippi A&M College changed its name to Mississippi State College and adopted the mascot the "Maroons," which thankfully did not stick around for too terribly long. Finally, in 1961 the English bulldog mascot was adopted for all Mississippi State University athletics. The nickname of bulldogs actually dates back to 1905 for Miss. State. November 30, 1905 the State football team beat Ole Miss 11-0 in a major victory for the team that year. The university reflector wrote an article that read:

"After the game, filled with that emotion that accompanies every great victory, there was nothing left for the cadets to do but to complete the great victory by showing sympathy for the dead athletic spirit of the University, by having a military funeral parade. A coffin was secured, decorated with University colors and a bulldog pup placed on top. It was then placed on the shoulders of a dozen cadets, and the procession started down Capitol Street, preceded by the brass band playing a very pathetic funeral march."

     Soon after this, Mississippi State was commonly referred to as "bulldog" even though it was not the actual mascot of the school. In 1935, the bulldog did become the official mascot for games. Coach Ralph Sasse went to Memphis to get a bulldog puppy for his team, Ptolemy. Later, Ptolemy's litter mate was selected to be "Bully" and he was killed by a campus bus in 1939. Following Bully I's death he was placed in a glass coffin on campus. The band performed a funeral precession, and he was buried under the bench of the fifty yard line. The following "Bully's" are buried by dorms, fraternity houses, and the football stadium. Bully's used to live on campus in frat houses and in the vet school. Sadly, a few Bully's were kidnapped by other rivalry teams. Ole Miss shockingly being amongst the most popular thieves. The current bulldog, "Champ" aka Bully 20, is the son of "TaTonka Gold" aka Bully 19. Champ took over his reigns as the mascot in 2009 when "TaTonka Gold" was getting a little old. Tonka died on June 11, 2011. As students we truly honor and love our bulldog mascot. He is the pinnacle of tradition  for our university. Go DAWGS.