FEATURE: Creation of the Collar

STARKVILLE - In the last decade, Mississippi State football stepped into the limelight by becoming one of the toughest teams to play in the country, whether the Bulldogs were on the road, at a neutral site or donning the maroon and white in front of a raucous crowd at Davis Wade Stadium.

State saw one of the premier offensive players in the country come through Starkville in Dak Prescott, but it has been the MSU defense that has been the backbone of the program much of the last decade.

Look no further than the 19 Bulldogs currently suiting up on defense in the NFL. Beyond that, 13 former State student-athletes have been regular starters in 2020 and three defenders look to repeat as Pro Bowl selections from last year.

It starts with the big guys up front like Fletcher Cox, Chris Jones, Jeffrey Simmons and Montez Sweat, who have terrorized offensive lineman regularly since starring at Mississippi State.

At linebacker, 10-year veteran K.J. Wright is one of the biggest playmakers for the stacked Seattle Seahawks defense, while rookie Willie Gay Jr. has started four games for the Kansas City Chiefs.

In the secondary, Philadelphia's Darius Slay and Las Vegas' Jonathan Abram have started every game for their respective squads.

Make no mistake about it, Mississippi State is a defensive school.

If there's one thing that Bulldog defenders have become known for, it's their ability to find the football and make big plays, and the biggest play someone can make on defense is forcing a turnover. State has excelled at forcing turnovers.

In 32 of its last 37 games, MSU has collected at least one takeaway, dating back to its 2017 victory at Arkansas. During that time frame, the Bulldogs have forced a staggering 62 turnovers and compiled three-or-more takeaways in eight games.

Against Vanderbilt earlier this season, State forced a season-high five turnovers, marking the first time the Bulldogs had achieved that feat since Nov. 17, 2012, against Arkansas.

On the year, Mississippi State ranks No. 2 in the SEC with six fumble recoveries, which ranks tied for 31st in the FBS. State's defense ranks among the nation's top 50 in in total defense and turnovers gained during the 2020 season.

While the defensive prowess has remained stout for the Bulldogs over the years, the post-turnover celebrations have evolved.

From oversized chains decked out in jewels to wrestling belts or even trash cans, teams all around the country began using objects to celebrate big takeaways, and the trend quickly became a part of every sideline on gameday.

At Mississippi State, the tradition started a season ago. While there was a discussion about what it would look like, one thing was certain, it needed to be something that accurately represented the program.

The answer was simple: a dog collar.

Sure, it works because State is the Bulldogs, but it goes beyond that. It also represents the hard-nosed, blue-collar mentality that has become a staple of success for Mississippi State.

The first challenge was finding a collar that could be easily purchased for enough games every year but was also large enough to fit around a player's helmet and strong enough to withstand the rowdiest of celebrations. From checking with leather makers across the Magnolia State to searching the internet, State found the right company for the job just up the road from Starkville: OC Leatherworks in New Albany.

The heavy-duty collar was only half of the project, though. With every collar, you have a tag, so the creative staff was tasked with making it pop and stand out. At first, the thought of just using the M State logo was tossed around, but the group eventually decided to go with the "Welcome to Fabulous StarkVegas" moniker to represent the high-energy and excitement that comes with a takeaway.

In order to make the logo for the collar, the football team called on the help of another area on campus: the library's technology center. There, the emblem is 3D printed every week before the game.

Over the next three to four days, the emblem gets hand painted either maroon, white, gold or black based on the jersey or theme of the game. Once the paint dries, the emblem is added to the collar for the finishing touch. The final product is a thick leather collar with golden spikes highlighted by the brightly colored "Welcome to Fabulous StarkVegas" emblem that features the Mississippi State logo. It's unique, unmistakable identity makes it something that every student-athlete wants to secure during the game.

The turnover collar travels with the team to the hotel and is displayed during the team meetings the night before the game. On gameday, one Bulldog will carry the collar into the stadium during the Dawg Walk, before making it to the Mississippi State sidelines. Once on the sidelines, it's up to the defense for it to make an appearance.

The players embraced the turnover collar, and it's become a part of their identity. It represents Mississippi State University, the football program and the mindset of the defense. Whether the collar sticks as a tradition or fades out after a couple of years remains to be seen, but as long as it's around, there will always be at least one incentive for the defense: hunt the football.

Mississippi State University Athletics

FEATURE: Creation of the Collar

Players Mentioned

Willie Gay Jr.

Montez Sweat

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