1993 Peach Bowl: MSU Bulldogs meets up with the North Carolina Tar Heels in Atlanta
The second bowl appearance for Jackie Sherrill as the head coach of the Mississippi State football team resulted in a frustrating loss, but in a very different way from the way the first bowl appearance did.
On January 1, 1993, in the Georgia Dome, the Mississippi State Bulldogs faced the North Carolina Tar Heels in Atlanta, Georgia. And MSU was very quick to jump out to a solid, 14-0 lead over the Tar Heels.
And while the Bulldogs ran with that 14-0 lead into the third quarter, North Carolina found a way to ensure that the game was tied up by the time the fourth quarter rolled around. Early in the fourth quarter, North Carolina took a 21-14 lead thanks to a remarkably 44-yard pick six. And that interception returned for a touchdown really ended up dooming MSU.
State kicked a field goal to help close the gap, but it wasn’t enough for State.
Mistakes were really the story of this game for the Mississippi State football team. The Bulldogs were picked off twice, fumbled once (though MSU did recover it) and State ended up committing nine penalties for 87 penalty yards.
That’s just a bit of a messy game for MSU. and it’s a big part of explaining why the Bulldogs lost 21-17. Mississippi State football fans who were disappointed with the way the game turned out should certainly feel disappointed with the way this one ended up. The Bulldogs let a victory slip away here.