▁those ▁years ▁that ▁did ▁not ▁include ▁the ▁Independ ence ▁Bowl , ▁leaving ▁the ▁bow l ▁game ▁scr amb ling ▁for ▁partners . ▁The ▁bow l ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁secure ▁a ▁partial ▁tie - in ▁with ▁the ▁Pac - 1 2 ▁Conference , ▁with ▁a ▁team ▁from ▁that ▁conference ▁playing ▁in ▁ 3 ▁of ▁the ▁ 6 ▁bow l ▁games ▁over ▁that ▁time ▁period , ▁while ▁other ▁tie - ins ▁will ▁include ▁BY U , ▁Army , ▁and ▁an ▁ass ort ment ▁of ▁Group ▁of ▁ 5 ▁con ferences . ▁ ▁Notable ▁games ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁memor able ▁games ▁in ▁Independ ence ▁Bowl ▁history ▁was ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁edition , ▁the ▁" s now ▁bow l " ▁game ▁between ▁Texas ▁A & M ▁and ▁Mississippi ▁State . ▁The ▁game ▁was ▁originally ▁public ized ▁as ▁a ▁re union ▁game , ▁since ▁Mississippi ▁State ▁coach ▁Jack ie ▁Sh err ill ▁had ▁served ▁as ▁A & M ' s ▁coach ▁for ▁seven ▁seasons ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁and ▁led ▁them ▁to ▁three ▁conference ▁titles . ▁However , ▁the ▁weather ▁quickly ▁domin ated ▁the ▁story line ▁as ▁a ▁rare ▁and ▁significant ▁snow st orm ▁hit ▁Sh re ve port . ▁In ▁the ▁midst ▁of ▁the ▁snow , ▁Mississippi ▁State ▁r al lied ▁to ▁an ▁over time ▁win ▁over ▁A & M . ▁ ▁The ▁bow l ▁has ▁inter mitt ently ▁hosted ▁ranked ▁teams ; ▁the ▁first ▁( and ▁to ▁date , ▁only ) ▁match up ▁between ▁ranked ▁oppon ents ▁(