Bulldogs, Aggies arrive for Indy Bowl

By Staff
Dec. 27, 2000
SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) The Mississippi State and Texas A&M football teams arrived Tuesday and began practice for the Independence Bowl.
Bowl officials announced three weeks ago that the two 7-4 teams would meet in the 25th anniversary game, Sunday at 7 p.m. Since then, there have been plenty of distractions: icy weather that knocked out power to thousands, the holidays, the presidential election mess.
Even now that the presents have been unwrapped, the votes counted and the power restored, the game itself will compete against some interesting story lines.
The biggest may be the ties between Aggies coach R.C. Slocum and the man he once worked for at A&M, Bulldogs coach Jackie Sherrill. Sherrill was the Aggies head coach from 1982-88 and he recommended that Slocum succeed him.
Certainly with Jackie's ties to A&M and our friendship it should be an interesting matchup,'' Slocum said when the pairing was announced Dec. 3.
But that coaching matchup isn't the only attention grabber. Last week Mississippi State announced that cornerback Fred Smoot one of the nation's best is academically ineligible to compete in the I-Bowl. And earlier in the week, it was announced that former Homer High star Michael Mahan a big contributor on the Aggies' offensive line would not compete because of a heart condition that requires surgery and has likely ended his playing career.
This year's game also will have a smaller crowd. Previously, stadium capacity was roughly 43,000. Six thousand fewer seats are available this year because of ongoing I-Bowl construction, which should be completed by July with capacity climbing to about 51,000.

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Mousey Brown

News

Russellville First Baptist Church receives historical marker

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Meeting a higher standard – Russellville High School JROTC

News

RCS BOE announces new superintendent  

News

Miss Dream Girl Pageant names winners

Franklin County

First Metro Bank hosts FAME Girls’ Ranch donation drive

News

PCHS holds annual Shelby Grissom Memorial Fashion Show

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: VFW Post 5184 – ‘No One Does More For Veterans’

Features

Supporting students’ futures

Features

Red Bay Garden Club discusses amaryllis planting

Franklin County

UA announces local students for fall 2023 President’s, Dean’s, graduation lists

News

School news

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Troy Oliver

Franklin County

Appropriations bill passes, allots more than $3 million for new Russellville library/multipurpose center 

Franklin County

Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association names Cattleman of the Year 

Franklin County

Franklin County votes: Unofficial March 5 primary election results 

Franklin County

Funding for new Russellville library, multipurpose community center expected this week

Features

Faces of Franklin County: BTCPA

News

GFWC Russellville Book Lovers Club sponsors downtown art crawl

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Cody Bragwell

Franklin County

42nd annual Miss RHS pageant names winners 

News

Miss RHS pageant takes place Friday

Franklin County

Political announcement: David Hester speaks about run for reelection as county commissioner

Franklin County

BTCPA auditions for final production of season take place March 3-4 

x