For Dak Prescott, Mississippi State isn’t just where he played, it’s where his heart is! Even now, as the face of the Dallas Cowboys, Prescott has, time and again, shown his love for his alma mater. Once again, he has emphasized his deep admiration for MSU by reminiscing about the electrifying atmosphere of Mississippi State’s Davis Wade Stadium, where he played from 2012 to 2015. He recalled the unique cowbell culture. Indeed, to this day, he remains a bulldog at heart.

Back on August 7, 2021, the SEC Network put out a simple poll on Instagram, “Who has the most electric football stadium in the SEC?” The post garnered a multitude of comments. But, when it comes to game-day atmosphere, Mississippi State fans know that they bring something different, something very LOUD. Dak Prescott took that trip down memory lane, reposting a tweet from JB (@jrb363) back when X was still known as Twitter, captioned, “Mississippi State when 61k+ cowbells are rocking, nothing else like it in the nation!”

Prescott had lived it and felt the same, and now, even as an NFL QB, he cannot forget this tradition. As the Mississippi State brings cowbells, it becomes an avalanche of sound, and an emblem of Bulldog pride. While the exact origin of the cowbell tradition is up for debate, a particular legend suggests that it erupted from a football game against Ole Miss in the 1930s.

As per the story, as the Jersey cow walked onto the field, it was a good omen, allowing the MSU to win. By the 1950s, cowbells became a game-day staple. In 1963, MSU’s Student Association and faculty members modified the cowbells with handles to ring with ease.

It came as a disappointment for fans when the SEC banned artificial noisemakers, including cowbells, in 1974. But, in 2010, when the ban was lifted, fans revelled in it. And Dak Prescott continues to cherish the same. As he played from 2012 to 2015, he became the most decorated QB in MSU history, with unbelievable stats.

Recording 9,376 passing yards, 70 passing touchdowns, and 14 rushing touchdowns in his senior season alone, his MSU legacy is unparalleled. And, with each record, his memory of the cowbell tradition resonates within him inadvertently.

MSU is ‘home’ for Dak Prescott

For Prescott, every visit to Starkville isn’t just a trip; it’s a return to his roots. In a video posted by @HailStateFB on April 10, 2025, Prescott made an emotional confession, clearly stating, Mississippi State isn’t just a college, it’s home.

The video had the caption, “There’s truly no place like home.” When asked what Starkville, Mississippi, means to him, his response was immediate. “Home.” Not just the campus or football stadium, it’s the collective aura that makes him nostalgic. He adds, “Once again, just the people, the town, the love, the hospitality.” And he continues with a bold claim, “It’s like I never left.”

Considering it as his second family, he remarks, “If you want to find another family, if you want to find somebody that’s going to take you in as their own…” He continues, “If you want to find a town, a program, a football team that will love you for who you are, your failures, your success, it’ll never change.” He believes what he says, and stands by it regardless. “I don’t think there’s a better place than Mississippi State.” It has become an inseparable part of his identity: “It’s always been there, a dear place to me, a special place. Like I said, it’s home.”

Even MSU has made sure that it does not want to part ways with Prescott. In 2024, MSU announced that their live bulldog mascot would be named “Dak”—after Prescott. He remarked, “They’ve named the mascot after me, so I had to come back and see that. It’s humbling, and it’s something I hold very special.” Owing to this, the Super Bulldog Weekend became a Dak Prescott appreciation event, as Dak (the player) watched Dak (the bulldog) run onto the field at Davis Wade. Truly, it was a special moment that he will never forget.