MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2000 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Tollison, Robertson, Burton, Gordon, Mettetal, Michel, Minor, Farris, Gollott

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI "OLE MISS" REBEL FOOTBALL TEAM FOR ITS OUTSTANDING 1999 SEASON AND ITS FOURTH STRAIGHT BOWL VICTORY.

WHEREAS, Les Binkley's 39-yard field goal on the final play of college football in 1999 gave the Ole Miss Rebel Football Team its second straight exciting Sanford Independence Bowl victory and its fourth straight bowl win; and

WHEREAS, in Coach David Cutcliffe's first full season as head coach, Ole Miss finished 8-4 and is the only Southeastern Conference Western Division team to advance to a bowl game the last three years; and

WHEREAS, the Rebels, who closed out the regular season with three-point losses to Georgia and Mississippi State after leading late in the game, beat Oklahoma 27-25 in the New Year's Eve bowl game, despite a record-setting performance by Oklahoma's quarterback Josh Heupel; and

WHEREAS, Ole Miss' premier football player is Deuce McAllister, who set a Mississippi record for all-purpose yards during the regular season, scored two touchdowns in the Independence Bowl, finished the game with 121 yards rushing, caught a 25-yard TD strike from quarterback Romero Miller, set an Independence Bowl record with an 80-yard TD run, had three catches for 55 yards and had 63 yards on kick returns, his last return setting up the Rebels' game-winning drive; and

WHEREAS, McAllister, a 6-1, 220-pound junior from Morton, Mississippi, has announced that he will be returning for his senior season with the Rebels, thereby passing on an early entry into the National Football League and jump-starting efforts by Ole Miss to present McAllister as a serious candidate for next year's Heisman Trophy, stating "When I signed my scholarship, I wanted to help get something started as far as bringing back a lot of the tradition that Ole Miss enjoyed in past years, and that's the direction we're headed"; and

WHEREAS, Ole Miss was ranked 22nd in the final AP and USA Today/ESPN football polls as a result of its outstanding season and bowl finale, making the final AP ranking for the 20th time, more than any other Mississippi team; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize this fine group of student athletes who have brought such honor to their university, their community and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Coach David Cutcliffe and the University of Mississippi Ole Miss Rebel Football Team for its outstanding 1999 Regular Season, its exciting victory in the Sanford Independence Bowl and its record setting fourth straight bowl victory, and wish them continued success in their athletic, scholastic and future life endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Coach Cutcliffe and the 1999 Ole Miss Rebel Football Team, and forwarded to the Athletic Director and Chancellor of the University of Mississippi and the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.