While the city's sobriquet would have you believe you are entering a world of revelry, debauchery and life without consequence, Starkville, Mississippi provides only football — and cowbells. It ranks 98 on our Top 100 College Football Towns.
To celebrate 100 days until the start of the college football season, HERO Sports is counting down the Top 100 FBS College Football Towns in America. Each day, starting May 17 and ending Aug. 24, a new city will be revealed. We will analyze the city, the program, the good and bad of the city as well as the bottom line. If you got a problem, @me on Twitter.
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98. Starkville, Mississippi – Mississippi State University
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Mississippi State Football is a great thing in Starkville, in fact it's the only thing. (Photo: Mississippi State Athletics)[/credit]
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The Program
Mississippi State has the advantage of playing in the SEC, which means they are elite by association. The truth is, however, the Bulldogs are a lower tier team disguised as an upper-class program. Mississippi State is an original member of the SEC, founded in 1932. During its 85 years, the Bulldogs have won one conference championship–in 1941. The Bulldogs have just one division championship–in 1998. Mississippi State has an overall SEC record of 225-420-20. The only SEC schools the Bulldogs have winning records against are Kentucky (by one game), Texas A&M (by one game) and Vanderbilt. They have a hell of a cowbell though.
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The City
Starkville touts itself as Mississippi's college town. With a town population of around 25,000 and an enrollment around 17,000, it may literally be a college town. In which one means, there is the college — and that's the town.
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The Good
Every other year Alabama comes to town. Also, the omnipresent cowbell would bring Bruce Dickinson to tears.
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The Bad
Starkville being known as Stark Vegas is not intended to be a compliment. It was a name ironically given to the city by those visiting during the college football season because it was a wasteland of activity and excitement.
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Bottom Line
The only thing Starkville has going for them is football — which isn't very good traditionally — and to a more recent extent its women's basketball team. And cowbells.
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NEXT: No. 99 – Bowling Green, Kentucky
