STARKVILLE, MISSISSIPPI - Mississippi State coach Jackie Sherrill received a thunderous ovation that included plenty of clanging cowbells when he was introduced before his final game Thursday night.<br>
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Sherrill is retiring after 13 season with the Bulldogs and 26 seasons as a head coach, including successful stints at Pittsburgh and Texas A&M.<br>
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The 60-year-old coach is fourth among active Division I-A coaches with 180 career victories.<br>
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After the Bulldogs' 31-0 loss to Mississippi in the Egg Bowl, Sherrill is 75-75-2 with Mississippi State, making him the winningest and losingest coach in school history.<br>
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``I still hurt for the players,'' he said. ``It's not about coaches. It's about players.''<br>
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The Bulldogs' seniors were honored before the last home game of the season. After the players were introduced with assorted family members and close friends, Sherrill was introduced.<br>
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He jogged onto the field from the end zone and met with his family, including his wife, daughters and young grandson, at midfield.<br>
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The crowd exploded in cheers as soon as the public address announcer started introducing Sherrill. The long introduction concluded with the PA announcer calling him ``Our Jackie Sherrill.''<br>
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The applause and cowbell ringing lasted about a minute.<br>
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Sherrill led Mississippi State to six bowl games during his time in Starkville, doubling the Bulldogs' total. The pinnacle of his success came in 1998 and 1999.<br>
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The Bulldogs won the SEC West in 1999 and set a school record with 10 wins in '99.<br>
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``We were able do to some things nobody else has done,'' Sherrill said.<br>
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The final three seasons, however, have been the worst of his career.<br>
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Sherrill has said he does not plan to coach again.<br>
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ASCENDING ELI: Eli Manning moved into third in career touchdown passes in the SEC by throwing three in the 31-0 victory over Mississippi State.<br>
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Manning matched Kentucky's Jared Lorenzen with TD pass No. 78 in the second quarter. It was an 11-yarder to reserve tight end Lawrence Lily, who made a remarkable juggling catch.<br>
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He passed the big lefty with a 23-yarder to Chris Collins in the third quarter.<br>
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Lorenzen plays Tennessee this weekend, but Manning still has a bowl game and possibly the SEC championship game left to play.<br>
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No. 2 on the career list is Peyton Manning, who threw 89 with Tennessee. Danny Wuerffel is the leader with 114.<br>
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ODDS ENDS: The Egg Bowl has been played on Thanksgiving and televised by ESPN for the last six years. The contract with ESPN has not yet been renewed for next season. .... Ole Miss recorded its second shutout of the season. It's the first time since 1993 the Rebels have done that. ... Ole Miss broke the school record for points in a season with 411. ... Chris Collins set a single-season receiving yards mark with 874, breaking Willie Green's record of 816. ... Mississippi State lost 10 games for the first time since 1988. ... Mississippi State wore retro white helmets with numbers on the side instead of the usual MSU logo.
