Today we pay tribute to Frank Dowsing - Mississippi State's first African-American football player.

A native of Tupelo, Dowsing came to State in the late 1960s. He ran track (100 yard dash in 9.5 seconds) and was a defensive back on the gridiron, also filling the role of kick-returner. One of his biggest plays was an interception in the endzone of the 1970 Egg Bowl which sealed a 19-14 victory over heavily favored Ole Miss in Oxford.

In 1971, he returned a punt 88 yards which stands as the 3rd longest punt return in Bulldog history. In 1972, he became an All-American. His 15.2 yard career punt return average is still a MSU record.

In 1973, he was selected by the student body as "Mr. MSU". Considering the racial tension at the time, this was a big deal - he was the first African-American Mr. MSU.

Here's a picture of him scoring a touchdown vs. Tennessee.