COLUMN: Interlocking logo is Mississippi State football's brand and it's time to cement it

For the last few years, I’ve heard the groans—and they’ve come from both sides of the Mississippi State fanbase.
In the midst of the Bulldog football program searching for its own identity, the power struggle over the team’s helmet sticker has entered the conversation as well. On one hand, there’s a group of fans staunchly for or against certain logos.

We have what has become known as the Banner M—a logo that has been prominent across the entire athletic department and the University in various forms over the last 20 years.

In recent years, the State script has become a popular branding option. Current Athletic Director Zac Selmon took over in Starkville and has featured the logo more prominently across athletics, establishing it as a primary fixture instead of just an alternate logo for baseball and basketball like in years past.

After that battle raged over the last couple of years, another logo has resurfaced and become the new rage among Bulldog fans everywhere. State’s Interlocking “MSU” logo was released from the vault in 2023 and made widely available on apparel when the Bulldogs honored the 1998 SEC West Champions during a game against Kentucky.

When that logo hit the shelves, Interlocking merchandise started selling like hotcakes. The Bulldogs running out of the tunnel and onto the field that Saturday night against the Wildcats only fueled the fire for fans wanting it back on the helmet permanently.

Then—like it had before—it just went away.

Mississippi State has buried logo for many years, but it’s back

The Interlocking logo has become an identity, not only for State football but for a large portion of the fanbase. That logo appeared on State helmets for a relatively short time, debuting in 1996 and phasing out in 2003. There were variations of it, like the Banner M, for a couple of decades, including the affectionately known MSJ logo from the 1980s and early 1990s. But when Larry Templeton’s administration decided to nix it in favor of a new brand, it was buried.

For years, the administration’s answer when the logo was questioned was that it was owned by Nike. That narrative, repeated as recently as this year by several fans I’ve spoken with, has now been found to be false.

In recent weeks, the cries from fans have grown louder—they want the Interlocking logo back. Selmon has seen the tweets. He’s heard the conversations. And on Thursday, he and the Bulldog football program took a step in the right direction.

When Tennessee comes to Starkville on September 27, State will honor the 2000 football team’s Independence Bowl win over Texas A&M with all-white uniforms. The Interlocking logo will be displayed on a white helmet for the first time in 22 years—and the response has been overwhelmingly positive.

Selmon can strike while iron is hot

So now we reach a crossroads for the Mississippi State administration. Whether it’s from the University or Athletics, something has held this logo back for over 20 years—and the fans are ready to reclaim it. Holding on any longer will become increasingly difficult.

During a time in college athletics when fans are asked to shoulder much of the financial burden, it’s time to give something back. The football product in Starkville has been poor the last few years, but fans have continued to spend their hard-earned money trying to bring it back to relevance. And for their trouble, they’ve seen little return on investment.

This is a golden opportunity to show fans that the administration is listening—and that it cares. Selmon has already made strides: elevating the State script, installing new LED lights, initiating an indoor football practice facility, and now bringing back the Interlocking for another game.

The first-time AD is building a strong legacy in Starkville—and he can check another major box if he puts this logo on the helmet permanently. After all, the symbolism still resonates decades after it first disappeared.

It’s the logo that was worn when J.J. Johnson and Dicenzo Miller ran wild against the SEC. When Matt Wyatt led the Bulldogs to one of the greatest comebacks in school history on the Plains of Auburn. When Ashley Cooper made his mark on opposing quarterbacks, and Fred Smoot locked down every inch of Earth not covered by water.

It adorned the polo of Joe Lee Dunn as he roamed the sidelines as defensive coordinator, and it was on Jackie Sherrill’s hat and sweater vest when he urged State fans to be proud of who they are and where they come from.

If we’re going to talk branding, the Interlocking is Mississippi State football. It represents everything the program was built on over the years—the tough times and the triumphs, the overlooked players who proudly represented their state and school, the underdog teams that competed for SEC championships. Sure, there were dreadful moments at the end, but like the Phoenix, it rises from the ashes.

So make it permanent. Bring it back for good, and let’s see what happens.