How cowbells became part of football tradition
The cowbell as a school spirit item has a unique history tied closely to college and high school football.
From farm to football
Cowbells were originally utilitarian—farmers used them to keep track of livestock in fields. Their loud, distinctive clang made them perfect noisemakers.
In the late 1800s-early 1900s, as the sport of football was on the rise in the U.S., fans in rural areas often brought farm items into local sporting culture. Cowbells became popular because they were cheap, available, and could cut through the noise of a crowd. Eventually, cowbells made their way into the hands of college football spectators in the South (such as Ole Miss and Texas A&M fans), but the tradition never fully caught on…. except at one university.
The OG: Mississippi State University
In the Beginning
The use of cowbells at MSU games is thought to have begun in the late 1930s or early 1940s, a period coinciding with a "golden age" for Mississippi State football.
The Legend of the Wandering Cow
A popular legend recounts a victorious home football game where a Jersey cow wandered onto the field against Ole Miss. Students saw it as a lucky charm and began bringing bells to games.
Professor-Led Innovation
In the 1960s, MSU professors Earl W. Terrell and Ralph L. Reeves “revolutionized the cowbell experience” by welding handles onto them, making them easier to carry and ring. By 1964, the demand for these handled cowbells led to the MSU bookstore selling them, with a portion of the profits going to student organizations, according to the Alton Telegraph.
High school spirit item
As high school football grew across the U.S., especially in agricultural areas, cowbells were a natural fit. Local hardware stores often sold plain bells that booster clubs would paint in school colors. In the 1950s–70s, cheer squads and pep clubs adopted the use of cowbells alongside megaphones and pom-poms, cementing them as a standard spirit item.
In Texas, the introduction of cowbells into homecoming mums most likely happened in the late 1970s and 1980s, after studier “mum backs” and silk flowers became commonplace. These two innovations made it feasible to add bigger, heavier, and more embellishments and decorations.
The 36 year ban
We’ve Got Spirit!
As college football crowds grew, fans brought all kinds of noisemakers—whistles, air horns, cowbells, and wooden clappers. Complaints about these noisemakers grew, particularly against MSU. Opponents complained that the cowbells disrupted snap counts, referees, coaches, and were just plain annoying for visiting teams.
Silencing of the Bells
In 1974, the Southeastern Conference (SEC) formally banned all artificial noisemakers at conference football games. While this wasn’t written with only MSU in mind, the Bulldogs were by far the most affected since no other school had such a strong noisemaker tradition.
Compromise
MSU fans didn’t take kindly to the ban. For decades, students, alumni and fans lobbied the SEC to allow the use of cowbells at home games because of their historical significance to the university. In 2010, the conference offered a compromise. While they kept the general ban on artificial noisemakers at all other schools, the SEC reinstated the use of cowbells at MSU home games with specific restrictions, which continue today. Fans are not allowed to ring cowbells during plays but can during pre-game, timeouts, between quarters, at halftime, and after scores.
More cowbell
Commercialization
By the late 20th century, companies began producing decorative cowbells specifically for fans, complete with handles (thanks again, MSU) and school logos. Cowbells appear in some hockey and skiing cultures, notably Wisconsin and Minnesota high schools/colleges, showing the tradition isn’t limited to football.
Going Viral
In 2000, Saturday Night Live’s ridiculous and hilarious “More Cowbell” sketch gave cowbells a national spotlight, boosting interest even outside sports circles.
Enduring MSU Pride
While cowbells are now a common spirit item in many high schools and colleges across the country, Mississippi State is still the epicenter of cowbell tradition. There, cowbells are more than just a spirit item—to the MSU faithful, they represent a deep connection to their community.
Are cowbells still a thing in homecoming mums?
Today, just like everything else related to homecoming mums in Texas, the inclusion of bells in the design of a mum is completely up to the person who’s wearing it and the person who’s making it. Mostly. Click here to learn more.
