STARKVILLE — Franklin County product Jasper O’Quinn neverdoubted the Mississippi State Bulldogs could overcome the Ole MissRebels in Friday’s Egg Bowl. The junior cornerback celebrated withfans and teammates in the late November sunshine after State’sincredible 17-14 comeback.

I had faith in God,” said O’Quinn. “We kept our heads up andkept fighting.”

O’Quinn exchanged pleasantries with former Franklin Countyteammate Marcus Tillman who played an outstanding game for Ole Missat defensive end. They were both headed for Decatur where FranklinCounty was playing Newton County in the Class 3A stateplayoffs.

Tillman said the Ole Miss game plan was to stop standout runningback Anthony Dixon and State’s rushing attack. “We played welluntil the end. They they stopped us (offense) on fourth down andgot the momentum.

“Then they started passing it and made a couple of big plays,”said Tillman.”

O’Quinn said Tillman has been a longtime friend. “We have beentogether my whole life. He really helped me out in high school whenI was a junior and he was a senior. I wish he would have come uphere with us.”

O’Quinn, originally signed with Delta State, started as afreshman and then transferred to Copiah-Lincoln Community Collegewhere he helped the Wolfpack to a 9-3 record and the Golden IslesBowl championship last season. He moved to the Starkville campuslast spring.

Junior defensive tackle Jessie Bowman of Brookhaven spent twoseasons at Co-Lin before reporting to State. When the Bulldogs weredown 14-0, Bowman remained optimistic.

“I still had confidence that we were going to pull it out,” saidBowman. “At halftime, we went in with a positive attitude.

“We knew if we made two big plays on offense, we would be rightback in it. I had faith in our offense.”

After freshman quarterback Wesley Carroll hooked up with Dixonon State’s first TD, Derek Pegues returned a punt 75 yards for atouchdown,. gaining a 14-14 knot. Placekicker Adam Carlson booted amiraculous 48-yard field goal with 12 seconds left to play.

It was a remarkable turnaround. Six and a half minutes earlier,the Ole Miss band, seated in the nose-bleed section, a.k.a. upperdeck, had been playing “Dixie” after Carroll was intercepted byAshlee Palmer at the Rebels’ 10-yard line.

“Ole Miss was a very good team,” said Bowman. “They justcouldn’t find a way to win. They couldn’t find what it took to getover the hump.”

Asked about Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron’s unexpected firingSaturday, Bowman laughed and said, “It was no surprise to me.”

By contrast, MSU coach Sylvester Croom is receiving plenty ofrespect and congratulations after a rocky start this season. TheBulldogs will make their first bowl appearance since 2000.

“Coach Croom is a great coach and great man,” said Bowman. “He’sthe kind of example that mothers would want their sons to play for.He focuses on football and life. He wants you to get aneducation.”

The Bulldogs will take a few days off before resumingpractice.

“I’m excited to be in a bowl game,” said Bowman. “All the hardwork you’ve had in the offseason. That was one of our team goals tomake it to a bowl game.”

Brookhaven Academy graduate Price Sessums said Orgeron coachedwith intensity in practice and in the games. “I don’t think it isany secret that Conch O is a very intense coach. Off the field, heis very personable and a great recruiter.

“That’s the way he coached at Southern Cal and he certainlywasn’t going to change when he came to Ole Miss.”

On the practice field, Sessums said he had no direct contactwith Orgeron. “I dealt with the position coaches and assistantcoaches.

Sessums said the dismissal of Orgeron affects the entireprogram. “Coaching is his job. It’s never a good thing for theprogram when a coach is fired. It affects the whole coaching staffand their lives.”

Asked about his experience, Sessums said, “As a walkon, it’s ahard path. Scholarship players are out there for a reason. That’swho the coaches recruited and signed. They expect them toplay.”

Sessums was a high school superstar at Brookhaven Academy andwas selected The DAILY LEADER’s Most Valuable Player and Mr.Football on the 2006 All-Lincoln County Football Team. He accountedfor over 8,000 yards rushing and passing in his 3-year varsitycareer at BA.

He walked on at Ole Miss and worked out with team members duringthe summer conditioning and weightlifting workouts. When schoolstarted in August, he continued with the team as a receiver andkick returner. He decided to hang it up the week of the seasonopener against Memphis.

“College football is a job,” said Sessums. “You have to be morecommitted. I felt like I could play at the level.”

Obviously, Sessums loves Ole Miss. He had an opportunity toattend Friday’s game at Starkville but decided to skip the Egg Bowland watch it on television.

“I was happy I didn’t go,” said Sessums. “It made me sick to mystomach. It was a bad day for Ole Miss and a great day forState.”

Perhaps better days are ahead for the Rebels.

Write to sports editor Tom Goetz, c/o The DAILY LEADER, P.O.BOX 551, Brookhaven, MS 39602 or e-mailsports@dailyleader.com