[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 393]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


  CONGRATULATING THE GATOR BOWL CHAMPION MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY 
                             FOOTBALL TEAM

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. GREGG HARPER

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 18, 2011

  Mr. HARPER. Mr. Speaker, the Mississippi State University Bulldogs 
concluded their 2010 football season with a crushing 52-14 victory over 
the University of Michigan in the 66th annual Gator Bowl held on 
January 1, 2011. This commanding win marked Mississippi State's fourth 
consecutive bowl victory and capped the Bulldogs' 9-4 season as the No. 
15 ranked team in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll.
  Second-year Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen crafted an 
explosive offensive performance led by junior quarterback Chris Relf, 
who completed 18 of his 23 pass attempts for 281 yards and three 
touchdowns. Relf also punched the ball in from the one-yard line 
bringing his totals to 311 yards and four touchdowns. The junior from 
Montgomery, Ala. honored defensive end Nick Bell by wearing his No. 36 
jersey. Bell lost his short battle with cancer after starting two games 
this season, including his final game against Georgia where he tallied 
seven tackles.
  Mississippi State junior running back Vick Ballard carried the ball 
for three scores, making the Pascagoula, Miss. native the first MSU 
player to record 19 touchdowns in one season.
  Although Michigan led at the break, the Bulldog defense did not allow 
the Wolverines to score in the second half. The dominating defense held 
Michigan's Heisman hopeful quarterback to just 59-yards on the ground 
though he entered the post-season game averaging 136.9 rushing yards.
  When it was all said and done, the Bulldogs finished 4-4 in the 
Southeastern Conference with wins over No. 22 Florida and their in-
state rival Ole Miss. To boot, the four losses were to top-twelve 
teams.
  I congratulate all of the players, coaches and fans for a phenomenal 
season and look forward to many great years of football in Starkville, 
Miss. I am extremely proud to represent Mississippi State University in 
the U.S. House of Representatives.

                          ____________________