STARKVILLE, Miss. _ A sea of fans made the walk across the Mississippi State campus with their personal cowbells in hand or tucked in a waist band or hip pocket.
Some cowbells were painted white and some maroon _ the school colors. Others were old, battered and even a bit rusty. Soon, all of them became one, united to give Florida coach Dan Mullen the homecoming Bulldogs fans felt he deserved.
But with a grind-it-out 10-6 win Saturday night in Starkville, Mullen and the Gators ruined the script, stifled the cowbells and ultimately sucked the life out an announced crowd of 61,406 at sold-out, amped-up Davis Wade Stadium.
The game began with fans booing Mullen, the Bulldogs' coach the past nine seasons and ended with some boos directed at the home team and its sputtering, predictable offense.
The Gators (4-1, 2-1 SEC) overcame a penalty-riddled first half, the early ejection of a starting cornerback and an interception of a Feleipe Franks pass on the opening series of the second half to upset the nation's No. 23 team.
UF finished with 357 yards, including 219 passing for Franks on 22-for-30 passing. First-year coach Joe Moorhead's Mississippi State attack, on the other hand, managed just 202 yards, including 53 during the second half.
Quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, an All-SEC candidate and Mullen protege, showcased his dual-threat ability to help his team stack a 6-3 halftime lead on two long drives that led to field goals. The Bulldogs' fifth-year senior, though, could not ignite the Bulldogs down the stretch.
Following three consecutive three-and-out possessions, Fitzgerald and the Bulldogs (3-2, 0-1) came to life in the game's final minutes. Fitzgerald followed a defensive holding call and facemask penalties on the Gators with a 17-yard completion to Deddrick Thomas at the UF 45-yard line.
But three straight incomplete passes and a sack on a blitz by safety Donovan Stiner ended the game.
Meanwhile, Franks finished with the steadiest performance of his UF career.
The play of the game for the Gators, though, came when Franks was not under center. Lined up at quarterback in the Wildcat formation, do-everything sophomore Kadarius Toney found tight end Moral Stephens behind the defense for a 20-yard touchdown pass to give UF a 10-6 lead.
A 21-yard chip-shot field goal by freshman Evan McPherson with 5:22 remaining provided the game's final points. The former Bulldogs commit's flip to UF was one reason Mississippi State took issue with Mullen, despite the fact he inherited a program in ruins and molded it into a competitive one.
Mullen was the biggest winner Saturday night.
Southern hospitality, a staple of the Magnolia State, was abandoned Saturday night for his much-anticipated return to face his former team.
The acrimony in the air was as thick as the barbeque smoke wafting outside Davis Wade Stadium. One family of tailgaters wore T-shirts reading, "Dan Who?" A group of women sporting the same shirts had accompanying pins _ "Dan Is Not the Man."
Inside the stadium, Mississippi State students in the first row had the hashtag #NewCoachWhoDis painted on their chests.
Then there was the headache-inducing noise. The combination of cowbells and rock music cranked over the loudspeakers began 90 minutes prior to kickoff and did not subside.
The din as kickoff approached was deafening, with choreographed routines featuring tens of thousands of cowbells rung in unison. The cacophony only would intensify as the Bulldogs entered the field. Moments later, cowbells were replaced by boos as Mullen led the Gators on the field.
The intense atmosphere immediately rattled Mullen's players. The Gators were flagged for a first start on their first snap, another one four snaps later and had three during the game's first 12 minutes.
The UF defense also suffered a big loss when Trey Dean was ejected for targeting Mississippi State punt returner Keith Mixon.
Mixon bobbled the catch, leading Dean to dive for what he believed to be a loose ball. Mullen argued the call with officials, who upheld the call to leave the Gators with even less depth at cornerback.
Sophomore Brian Edwards replaced Dean, who was starting in place of injured starter Marco Wilson (ACL tear).
The Gators entered game averaging 57.2 penalty yards and accumulated 45 yards on six flags fewer than 20 minutes into the game. Three of the false starts were by right guard Fred Johnson, including one on third-and-seven from the 23 that effectively forced UF to settle for a 39-yard field goal by McPherson.
The game pitted two head coaches, Mullen and Moorhead, known for their offensive acumen. But bend-but-don't-break defenses led the way during the game's first half, a physical 30 minutes ending with three field goals.
Mullen's attack found its footing in the second half, though, delivering the 46-year-old one of his biggest wins, and perhaps his most gratifying one.
