TUCSON, Ariz. — Jonathan Whitaker stood at the railing between the first row of seats and the playing surface at Arizona Stadium, watching Mississippi State warm up.
It was his first time watching the Bulldogs play in person in 20 years.
Whitaker, a 2002 Mississippi State graduate, said he hadn’t attended an MSU game since he was in Starkville, part of Air Force ROTC Detachment 425 at the school.
On Saturday, he was back — with his family alongside him.
Next to her father, 8-year-old Olivia watched the Bulldogs stretch and job. Across the west side stands, her two sisters and two of the girls’ friends sat with Whitaker’s wife in their seats in Section 125.
The Tucson residents weren’t going to miss this chance.
“For us personally, it’s good to have our team in town,” Whitaker said. “It feels like we’re home.”
Bulldogs fans might not have dominated the crowd during Saturday’s game at Arizona, but they were still well represented in Tucson.
Kelley Raybon — along with seven friends and family members — came from the Denver area to watch her son Ben kick for the Bulldogs. They were in for a treat: Raybon took over starting kicker duties early in the game after Massimo Biscardi missed two straight extra points.
The Northern Colorado transfer made all three of his PATs as well as field goals of 39 and 22 yards. All eight of his kickoffs were touchbacks.
Even three hours before the game, Kelley Raybon expressed her delight in watching Ben play.
“I couldn’t be prouder of him,” she said. “He’s just really elevated everything about him and just loves it — loves, loves, loves it.”
Raybon’s first game as a Bulldog was marred by a lightning delay of more than two hours, which put a literal damper on the enjoyment of those who came to watch him.
Their time in Tucson also started off a bit stormy, Kelley said.
“We had kind of a rude welcoming, but after that, the majority of the people have been very nice,” she said. “You’ve got to stand up for your team; I just don’t think you should be that rude, but it’s OK — we’ve got it.”
Whitaker — speaking to The Dispatch, at least — had his own trash talk when it came to the Wildcats.
He turned out to be right as MSU improved to 2-0 with a 39-17 win in Tucson.
“I think we’re going to surprise this Pac-12 team,” Whitaker predicted long before the 90-minute countdown to kickoff began. “I don’t think they know what they’re in for. They’re beating their chest over playing San Diego State last week. They haven’t played this kind of size, and they haven’t played the Air Raid before.”
Mississippi State’s win could bode well for Whitaker’s hopes of getting his oldest daughter Lauren to follow in his footsteps.
Like Olivia, Lauren — age 15 — had never been to a Bulldogs game before. Whitaker, a lieutenant colonel and the U.S. Southern Command Director of Space Forces, is currently stationed in Tucson, but the military family has been all over the world.
Whitaker said wryly that seeing Mississippi State and Arizona play could influence Lauren’s collegiate decision — and not in favor of the Wildcats, he clarified.
“Sophomore in high school, trying to get her to think about where she might want to go to college, so it’s good — just putting the bug in her ear,” he said.
The Whitaker family was part of one of Arizona football’s bigger crowds. The Wildcats averaged 34,900 fans during last season’s home games; on Saturday, attendance 46,275.
Whitaker started packing cowbells for the game when he read on Twitter that the noisemakers would be allowed at Arizona Stadium.
Not long afterward, though, the Wildcats reversed course, banning MSU fans’ go-to object from getting through the gates.
“They were going into the car, and I saw the next tweet,” Whitaker said. “I went, ‘Never mind.’”
Being unable to bring cowbells, of course, didn’t stop the Whitakers, the Raybons or any of the other Mississippi State fans that made it to Tucson.
A contingent of former MSU baseball players — pitchers Will Bednar, Landon Sims and Eric Cerantola plus outfielder Brad Cumbest — even attended.
Kelley Raybon said she hadn’t seen a lot of Mississippi State fans, “but we have seen some, and they’re very happy to see us as well.
“We brought a big group, so it’s kind of nice to see some maroon.”
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 31 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 31 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
Join the Discussion