Toothpick Bowl rivalry carries M.C. Miller’s legacy

The Toothpick Bowl, the annual football rivalry between Noxubee County and Louisville, takes its name from M.C. Miller, a coach who built a legacy at both schools and was rarely seen on a sideline without a toothpick in his mouth.

Miller coached on both sides of the rivalry during his career, helping shape the identities of two programs that now measure themselves against each other every fall. Noxubee County, based in Macon, won a state title in 2008, while Louisville developed a reputation as one of the Golden Triangle’s most consistent small-school powers.

The towns are close enough that players, coaches and families cross paths throughout the year, making the annual meeting a community event as well as a football game. The nickname endured after Miller left the sidelines, and the Toothpick Bowl remains a signature rivalry in that part of Mississippi high school football.

Source: Mississippi High School Sports Page.