Mississippi State football: Modern-era Mount Rushmore

The best Mississippi State football players of the last 40 years, including Dak Prescott, make up the Bulldogs modern-era Mount Rushmore.

All things considered, Mississippi State football has a meager amount of success when compared to other programs in the Southeastern Conference. But, that relative lack of success doesn’t mean that there haven’t been bright spots for the program, and there’s certainly plenty of stars who have come out of Starkville, Mississippi.

The Bulldogs have seen more than their fair share of struggles over the years, but there have been plenty of bright spots for Mississippi State football fans as well. The Bulldog faithful has been able to see quite a few special players in Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field.

Since 1980, there have been many players who have made their names known for their performances on the field. From dominant defensive linemen to stellar quarterbacks, the Bulldogs have had quite a few stars play in Starkville.

Honorable mentions:

Nick Fitzgerald: While Nick Fitzgerald never developed to be a great passer, he is still arguably one of the best quarterbacks to ever play for Mississippi State. Fitz has his name all over MSU’s record book. Most notably, he has the most rushing touchdowns in school history with 46, the second-most total yards of offense in school history with 9,814 and the second-most passing touchdowns in school history with 55.

Anthony Dixon: Anthony Dixon’s career wasn’t highlighted with a lot of wins, but he did get to help Dan Mullen build a foundation for what would eventually become a very good program. Dixon played on teams that struggled, but his ability to run the ball kept the Bulldogs moving forward. He has the most rushing yards in school history (3,994), the second-most rushing touchdowns in school history (42) and did all of that while playing for teams that lost more than they won.

Chad Bumphis: While he didn’t get to play in a pass-heavy offense, Chad Bumphis still put up impressive receiving numbers and is regarded as one of the best wide receivers in Mississippi State’s history. He has the second-most receiving yards in school history (2,270) and has the most touchdown catches in State’s history (24). If Bumphis had the benefit of playing for a team that focused more on passing, his numbers would have been even better.

Eric Moulds: And the same goes for Eric Moulds. Like Bumphis, Moulds’ name is all over Mississippi State’s receiving records. He played for the Bulldogs in the early-to-mid 1990s and ended his career with 2,022 receiving yards, 118 receptions, and 17 receiving touchdowns.