Reliving Auburn & Mississippi State – Part Two
Without a doubt, Auburn has been a thorn in Mississippi State’s side over the years. It seems as though the Tigers have a special affinity for winning close games against the Bulldogs. Jake Wimberly discussed some of the more recent close calls yesterday. And while it’s a sad memory, let us not forget that the infamous 2008 3-2 game easily could have been a 5-3 MSU win, were it not for a missed field goal. The game would still be just as ugly, but an ugly win beats a loss any time.
There are more Auburn thorns from the more distant past. For example, the 1940 MSU team was undefeated, but a 7-7 tie to an inferior Auburn team cost MSU a perfect season, an SEC championship, a bid to the Rose Bowl, and possibly a national championship. Instead the Bulldogs settled for a 10-0-1 #9 finish and a 14-7 win over Georgetown in the 1941 Orange Bowl.
Speaking of ties, there have been two in this series and the other occurred in 1953, a 21-21 tie in Starkville. I mention this only because it gives me the opportunity to show all time great Jackie Parker, whose name is one of the five names displayed on Davis Wade Stadium’s Ring of Honor, score this touchdown against Auburn.
In 1974, Mississippi State took the 10th ranked Tigers to the wire, before losing 24-20 in a game played in Jackson. That game is significant because Auburn head coach Shug Jordan was so incensed by the ringing of cowbells by Mississippi State fans during that game that he led a campaign that resulted in the SEC banning cowbells from SEC football games.
But as mentioned in part one of this article, the Bulldogs have enjoyed some big moments against the Tigers. Perhaps the greatest comeback ever in the series happened in 1999. Justin Strawn recounted that game with Matt Wyatt earlier today.
There was also the 1980 game, played in Jackson. State won that game 24-21 by denying Auburn a touchdown in the closing seconds. Auburn had a first and goal from the one yard line, but the Bulldog defense held the Tigers out of the end zone four straight plays to secure the victory.
There are two wins from the 1960’s that I want to share with you. These games had significance for the Bulldogs in different ways, but the real reason I chose to share them here is that there is early video from these games that I believe you will find rather entertaining and enjoyable.
In 1961, the Bulldogs had not won an SEC game in 22 tries (not all were losses, there was a tie mixed in that streak) when they faced Auburn in Birmingham. Trailing 10-3 in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs mounted a 7 play 69 yard TD drive to move to within one point. The Bulldogs elected to go for a two point conversion and the win. Johnny Baker made a leaping grab of Charley Furlow’s pass to give the Maroons an 11-10 victory.
The 1963 Bulldogs were in the midst of their run to the Liberty Bowl and had just come off a 20-19 loss to #7 Alabama when they faced Auburn in Jackson. Tied 10-10 with six minutes to go, Auburn missed a go ahead field goal, giving State the ball at their own 20 yard line. The Bulldogs drove to the Auburn 29 yard line, but facing a fourth down and out of field goal range; MSU opted to go for it on fourth down and came up short.
Auburn took over with just under two minutes to play. But on a third down play, the Bulldogs’ Sonny Fisher intercepted Tiger QB Jimmy Sidle’s pass, returning it 26 yards to the Auburn 21. The Bulldogs ran one play, and then brought in Justin Canale, who kicked the game winning 35 yard FG. Watch the final six minutes of that game here…
While there have been many interesting and exciting finishes in this series, Saturday’s game is without a doubt the biggest game in the history of the series. In fact, it’s the biggest game in school history. Never before has Mississippi State come into a game ranked #3 against the #2 ranked team. The Bulldogs will need a strong performance to add this Auburn game to the list of exciting victories in this long and storied series.