This was the result. “Us” beat Mississippi State 13-6 in a brutal slugfest at Scott Field. But “me” had a lot to do. This is why the Mullen Bowl was dubbed by some media. Mullen, who had coached State for nine years, received an icy Gatorade bath by his players. The southwest corner of Davis-Wade Stadium was filled with Florida fans cheering Dan Mullen! Dan Mullen! Dan Mullen! It was surreal. Mullen described it as “Bizarro World”. Mullen stated that State has built a new locker room for home. “I was in the exact same locker room I have been in for the past nine years,” he said. Yes, he did. He was the hated visitor to Scott Field, not the beloved coach. Mullen stated, “I arrived on the field an entire hour before the game and there was already a student section.” Many were wearing T-shirts reading “Dan Who?”. The loudest sound I heard was from the home crowd when the Gators called their signals. Cowbells rang, deafeningly, in between. For false starts in the first part of the match, Florida linemen leapt the gun four more times. Florida persevered through it all. Mullen stated, “I’m so proud for our guys.” “This is one the most difficult environments in college football and i know how talented they are over there but we came here and found a means to win… we won it by grinding it out.” The Gators beat a team that is known for grinding. Florida ran 66 plays and gained 357 yards. Mullen said that it was “one of the best defenses in America.” State played 56 plays for only 223. Mullen’s strategy was flawless, if you ask me. Offensively, Mullen wanted the Gators win the perimeter because he knew that they couldn’t win between the tackles. We saw screen after screen of quick screens that kept gaining yardage in large chunks. All the Gator wide receivers could have easily received game balls, not just for their running, but also for their crisp blocking. What was the game’s sole touchdown? Mullen demanded some “trickeration” in the third quarter. He had the quarterback throw a long lateral to the running back and then throw a perfect 20-yard pass wide open to the receiver. Mullen stated, “We’ve known that play all along.” “We were waiting to run it,” Mullen said. Mission accomplished. State won the game early, but Florida adjusted and placed more players at the line of scrimmage. State had several chances to throw deep, but Fitzgerald or State dropped passes (including one touchdown that was sure and perfect), or Fitzgerald misfired or Fitzgerald was sacked six times before he had the chance to throw. The Bulldogs need to find receivers who can hold onto the ball in order to improve their performance. It would be a good idea to learn some blocking tips from Florida. State coach Joe Moorhead stated that “our defense played very, very well.” “They kept it in it If the defense is playing this way, I need to create an offensive plan that places us in a position to succeed. “I have to call good play, and when we call great plays we have the ability to execute them… We just need to find a way we can start scoring some points.” Unfortunately, the Florida side was the one that celebrated the win – and it was plenty. Megan Mullen, his wife, gave him hugs and kisses, as did his two children, who were both born in Starkville. He also received hugs from his teammates and coaches. He mingled with cheerleaders and waved to Gator fans. He is probably still smiling as you read this. There were also some touching scenes. Each player from Mississippi State came up to Mullen, many of them with tears in their eyes. Mullen had words for each one. Mullen got emotional when he was asked about it. He spoke with a hushed voice. Mullen stated, “It’s difficult to explain the coach-player relationships if you haven’t been involved in it.” “I recruited these guys and coached them. They believed in the things I was trying to build.” He paused, then continued: “I love these guys, I really do. They are my friends. . . They’ll continue to have a great season. There’s something to be said for competing, even against men you love. They wanted to win. I wanted to win. I love winning and I love to compete. “This is likely the last time that I coach at Davis-Wade Stadium. It was a win for me. “Mostly, I’m happy for our guys.”