The last time NC State played Mississippi State in a bowl game, I was in middle school. Shoulder pads were enormous, and there was punctuation on football uniforms. ("Miss. State" was done unironically.) These are just a couple of the lessons I've learned from this old video, apart from my own grade school history.
That Peach Bowl is my earliest memory of attending an NC State football game, and also my finest recollection of any particular pants. Those were some pants we had going on there. It's a shame that the sat-in-paint trend never caught on. There's still time.
Not enough time, though; they couldn't match our pants then, and I can hardly see the Bulldogs matching our pants now. Sure they can ring those cowbells as often as they feel necessary, as many times as it takes to compensate in re: the pants issue.
The pant-related envy has defined Mississippi State football since that game. Let's be honest about that; pants have been the appropriately belt-adjusted waist holding back the MSU program ever since that season. Can you put a tie on pants? Only metaphorically, but why would you do that? Jackie Sherrill couldn't figure the answer to that question, and he bailed.