Nine Biggest Mississippi State Football Moments Heading into Saturday
Sherrill – Bulldogs Shock No. 13 Ranked Texas:
Coming into the 1991 football season, Mississippi State had one winning season in the prior decade. Jackie Sherrill was hired to breed life into the program and he started off his legacy in a big way in game two in 1991.
Sherrill’s Bulldogs shocked 13th ranked Texas 13-6 in Starkville and it kick started Sherrill’s carrier as a Bulldog. It also gave Sherrill his sixth straight victory over the Longhorns at that time and for the former Texas A&M coach, that was a big deal.
The Bulldogs rode that momentum to a 7-5 record and a Liberty Bowl berth.
3rd and 18 – 4th and 15:
Mississippi State hosted Arkansas back in November of 1998 and the winner would be in the driver seat for the SEC Western Division crown.
Arkansas led 21-19 with just over two minutes to go and the Bulldogs had one last shot with the football.
On 3rd down and 18 to go for another first down, Wayne Madkin took the snap, broke out of a tackle and avoided another and found Kelvin Love for a first down, sending Scott Field into frenzy. Then with their backs against the wall on 4th and 15, Madkin again avoided a heavy Razorback rush to find Kevin Cooper streaking across the field for yet, another first down.
Two plays later, Brian Hazlewood kicked the game winning field goal, setting off a celebration of epic proportions in Starkville.
Snow Troopers:
Everyone remembers the snow bowl right? Mississippi State defeated Texas A&M 43-41 in an epic overtime battle in a down right blizzard in Shreveport.
What some may not know that couldn’t make it to the game are the events that led up to the game.
You have to remember that entire year for the Bulldogs, in that they opened with Memphis at Liberty Bowl Stadium in 104 degree heat. They also closed the regular season in Oxford in sleet and rain.
When reports came out of potential snow in Shreveport, we bundled up like we were going elk hunting in Alaska – we never dreamed we would witness what we saw that night.
In the stadium pregame, all was calm, just a little wind out of the west. You head to the concession stand for a drink and come back up the ramp and you see one snow flake, then another – then an absolute sheet of continuous snow. Mississippi State dressed in all white went from just another team in white and maroon, to camouflaged Bulldogs in about ten minutes. The rest is history as the game was an absolute classic.
The Fumble:
Nov 28, 2013; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Bo Wallace (14) fumbles the ball as he is hit by Mississippi State Bulldogs defensive back Nickoe Whitley (1) in overtime at Davis Wade Stadium. Mississippi State Bulldogs defeat the Mississippi Rebels with a score of 17-10 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports
The 2013 Egg Bowl brought us a little of everything. Chris Jones finally met Robert Nkemdiche, Damien Williams started and played quarterback for most of the game with Dak Prescott coming off the bench – bowl implications were on the line and the Dawgs needed a win to get there.
Nobody ever thought that in overtime, Ole Miss Quarterback Bo Wallace would fumble as he approached the goal line. Literally feet away from crossing the goal line, the ball was popped out of Wallace’s grasp by Nickoe Whitley and scooped up by Bulldog cornerback Jamerson Love.
Again, another Bulldog celebration erupted as Mississippi State became bowl eligible and defeated Mississippi for the fourth time in five tries.