Nine Biggest Mississippi State Football Moments Heading into Saturday
Mississippi State fans everywhere are eagerly anticipating this weekend’s game against No. 2 Auburn and should the Bulldogs pull off the win, State could very well bolt to the top of the college football world as the number one team in the country.
But -before we jump two feet first into Saturday’s ball game, which could be the biggest game to date in MSU football history, let’s look at nine other big moments in MSU football.
The Stand:
You cannot mention Mississippi State football moments and NOT think about the 1980 Alabama game. In what seemed to be an ordinary day in November of 1980, in Jackson, MS turned out to be one of the biggest moments in Bulldog history.
The Crimson Tide, on a then 28-game winning streak and number one ranking in the country, came calling into Veterans Memorial Stadium and instantly found themselves in a dawg fight of sorts.
Trailing 6-3 in the waning seconds of the ballgame, Tide quarterback Don Jacobs rushed his team to the line of scrimmage on the Bulldogs four –yard line for one final attempt to take the lead. Jacobs took the snap, came down the line on the right side but, was met with a furious hit causing the ball to come loose and the Bulldogs recovered the football, sending college football into a tailspin and snapping the Tides 28-game winning streak.
Older Bulldogs still proudly proclaim, “I was there when we beat the Bear, 6-3.”
Lightening in a Bottle:
Since the East – West inception of the SEC back in 1992, Mississippi State has played in only one SEC Championship Game. However, that one game was a Jim Dandy football game as the Bulldogs went toe-to-toe with the number one ranked Tennessee Volunteers.
Trailing 10-7 at the nine minute mark of the fourth quarter, Tennessee punted the ball back to Mississippi State for what seemed to be the 100th time. Bulldogs wide receiver Kevin Preniss fielded the punt on his on 17-yard line, took off to his left, shook two tacklers and it was off to the races for an 83-yard return and score.
I’ve been blessed to be a part of many great Bulldog moments and I can say that, at that very moment, on a cold night in Atlanta – that was the loudest I had ever heard Bulldog fans in my life, inside a warm Georgia Dome.
The Bulldogs ultimately lost the game in the final minutes but, for a short time, everyone in the country thought the Bulldogs had just knocked off the eventual national champion.
Remembering Nick Bell:
This doesn’t fall necessarily in the “in game” memory but, honoring former Mississippi State football player Nick Bell is something we should never forget. Bell was a starting defensive end at Mississippi State when he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor after complaining of headaches. The cancer spread and he passed away in November of 2010.
Mississippi State honored Nick Bell, during the team’s Senior Day ceremonies against the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Also in honor of Bell, Mississippi State painted Bell’s name and number in the north end zone for the game.
Bulldogs head coach Dan Mullen said at that time, “It’s something that I don’t think any of our players will ever forget or anybody in our program will ever forget,” Mullen said of Bell’s passing. “It’s, I think, really the most difficult thing I think I’ve had to go through as the head coach. … (Senior Day) will be a great opportunity to thank Nick’s mom, who’s always with us, continues to support everything we’ve done, and say another goodbye to him on Saturday.”
The Kick, Pick, Kick:
There have been many a great Egg Bowl but, the 1999 Egg Bowl is hard to beat.
The Bulldogs were trailing rival Mississippi, (20-13) in the fourth quarter but, managed to tie the game. As if those heroics weren’t already breath taking, with only 20- seconds left on the clock, instead of kneeling and taking the game into overtime, Mississippi quarterback Romaro Miller attempted a throw deep into the Bulldogs secondary that bounced off the hands and foot of Mississippi State cornerback, Robert Bean.
Eugene Clinton intercepted the ball and returned it deep into Rebel territory. With 8- seconds left on the clock, Bulldogs kicker Scott Westerfield split the uprights with the game winning field goal, sending Bulldog fans into a boisterous celebration.
3rd and 57:
Sep 20, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Steve Spurrier during the first half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Vanderbilt Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
It always seems the Florida Gators have a tough time in Starkville. Such was the case in 2000, trailing 31-23 with just over 11-minutes left in the game, Florida quarterback Rex Grossman stood in the shotgun on first down at the 50-yard line.
With Bulldog fans on their feet, the snap flew over Grossmans head, with him eventually falling on the ball back at his own 20-yardline. Again on second down, the Gators had yet, another high snap forcing Grossman to take a hard shot at the three-yard line as he was just trying to make a play.
Bulldog fans rose to their feet as never seen before, a Steve Spurrier team faced a 3rd down and 57 to go for a first. Grossman ran out the back of the end zone for a safety and the Bulldogs went on to dominate the Gators.