Mississippi State football: the history of Davis Wade Stadium
1986-2001
In 1986, Scott Field was expanded with the addition of an upper deck on the West side. Seating capacity went from 32,000 to 40,656.
Picture of the new upper deck in 1986
In 1990, the 11,642 square foot M-Club building opened in the south endzone. It was built over the Turman Field House, which was used for locker rooms.
In 1997, MSU installed a Sony Jumbotron in the south endzone. It seemed big at the time, but was just a fraction of the size of present video boards.
Here’s a list of the top 10 games/moments from this era:
10. 1998: 42-0 over Vandy
The 1998 defense was stifling. They didn’t allow anything to Vandy all day in the route. This game started the march to Atlanta.
9. 1992: 30-6 over #13 Florida
Coming into Week 4 of the 1992 season Jackie Sherrill had already beaten LSU, Auburn and Ole Miss, been to a bowl game and castrated a bull. MSU was ranked #24 but that didn’t stop a Florida columnist from saying some terrible things about Starkville just prior to their Thursday night game at Scott Field. The Bulldogs stomped the defending SEC champion #13 Gators 30-6.
8. 1994: 24-21 over #23 Tennessee
Peyton Manning’s first career game was spoiled by a late comeback in 1994. Eric Moulds made a couple of catches on the closing drive, but the biggest was on 4th & 12 from the 30 yard line when he makes a great grab for a 22 yard gain with under two minutes to play (it comes at 1:32 in the video below).
The offense would go to 4th down again at the goal line but converted for the winning score with under a minute left. MSU won the game over #23 Tennessee, 24-21.
7. 1999: 17-16 over LSU
LSU led 10-0 in the game before State got on the board with a safety. Then it was 10-5 at halftime. The Dawgs used a 14 play, 6:30 minute drive to win the game by scoring on a one yard TD run with under two minutes remaining.
Only 467 total yards for both teams combined in this game. It was a struggle, but State pulled it out. That’s our only win in Starkville over LSU the last 12 meetings.
6. 1999: 23-22 over Kentucky
1999 was the year of late 4th quarter heroics. Pig Prather’s INT on the MSU 13 yard line vs. Memphis, the comeback on the Plains, the last minute touchdown to beat LSU, the Egg Bowl and this two minute drill from Matt Wyatt and the game-winning 40 yard field goal from Scott Westerfield.
This win preserved MSU’s #8 ranking and undefeated record. 8-0 still stands at the best start to a season in program history.
5. 1991: 13-6 over #13 Texas
This wasn’t the time Jackie Sherrill castrated a bull in front of the team – that came just a year later. But the end result was the same each year – a Bulldog win over the Longhorns.
One of Sherrill’s first orders of business upon taking the job at MSU was to ensure all home games be played at home….in Starkville at Scott Field. That included this game, just the second of his tenure at Mississippi State. A 13-6 win over #13 Texas.
In a defensive struggle, State took a 10-3 lead into the half and held on in the 2nd half. Both teams only combined for 460 yards of offense as Jackie’s brand of playing defense and special teams worked for the upset.
This game was a statement. A statement to say that Mississippi State wasn’t going to lay down anymore. It put the program on the map under JWS and MSU went to a bowl game that year….and had winning records in 7 of his first 10 years with some big wins along the way.
4. 2000: 47-35 over #3 Florida
One of the most fun games to watch in the history of Davis Wade/Scott Field was 2000’s 47-35 thumping of #3 Florida. Big plays and memorable moments were all over the place, but perhaps the most memorable was the Gators self-inflicted 3rd & 57 in the 4th quarter. Beast man Steve even named his blog after the sequence of plays.
3. 1996: 17-16 over #8 Alabama
The 1980 victory over #1 Alabama is regarded as one of the biggest wins in MSU history and for good reason – but after it occurred the Bulldogs lost the next 15 games vs. the Tide. Then in 1996, Jackie Sherrill was able to beat his alma mater for the first time with a 17-16 upset in Starkville.
Alabama was ranked #11 at the time and MSU was just 3-5 on the year with some fans looking for a change at the head coaching position. This win re-established JWS and led to a three game winning streak vs. the Tide and four of five. What’s more, it laid the foundation for one of the best four year stretches in program history (1997-2000).
2. 1999: 23-20 over #23 Ole Miss
Take your pick here – the “kick and the pick” or “CJ Sirmones is still open”.
MSU was down 20-6 in the 4th quarter but came storming back. Wayne Madkin hit Sirmones to tie the game. Then David Cutcliffe decided to throw the ball from his own 20 with less than 30 seconds left – it was tipped and kicked by Robert Bean, then intercepted by Eugene Clinton and brought back into field goal range for Scott Westerfield who won the game on a 44 yard kick.
1. 1998: 22-21 over #9 Arkansas
In 1998, Arkansas started the year 8-0 under first year head coach Houston Nutt. They played at #1 (and eventual national champion) Tennessee and lost in what became known as the Clint Stoener fumble game. Despite the loss they moved up from #10 in the polls to #9 – and they could still clinch the SEC West with a victory in this game.
But the Dawgs and Wayne Madkin had something different in mind. Madkin (freshman – threw for 224 yards) led a three-minute drive where he hit Kelvin Love to convert on 3rd & 18 and then a few plays later he hit Kevin Cooper to convert on 4th & 15. Brian Hazelwood booted a 27 yard field goal through uprights (barely) which were soon taken down by the students. MSU 22, Arkansas 21. The win gave State the tiebraker (both teams finished 6-2) they needed to win the West and advance to the SEC Championship Game.
Next: 2001-2013