I wasn't there when we beat the Bear in 1980 BUT I was there in 1996

[Todd4State]

And while that win certainly is not up there with 1980 by any stretch of the imagineation it was very memorable. Jackie was on the hot seat and we had not beaten Alabama since 1980. I thought we had zero chance of beating them- we had lost to La Tech and Kentucky in 1996. It was pretty bizarre from the start because it was a late game and it just seemed surreal going into the stadium and then you had the skydiver who screwed up and broke his leg delaying the game even further.

We kept it close throughout and had the lead for much of the game but I just kept waiting for Alabama to rip out our hearts yet again- or even worse for the officials to mess us over. And then it came down to the end and it looked like Alabama was marching down the field for a last minute field goal to rip out our hearts and then Paul LaCoste (Or Greg Favors?) sacked Freddie Kitchens to set up a 4th and 17 I think to knock them out of field goal range. And all of sudden I went from waiting on the bad to happen to "wait a minute- that's a looonnnngggg fourth down to convert. Sure enough next play they throw the ball to Michael Vaughn and it looked to me like we may have deflected it a little bit but at any rate- Vaughn didn't catch it and we won the game.

It was absolutely unbelieveable afterward. The goal posts got ripped down, people were tearing the bushes out from along the sidelines and ripping up turf to take home. After the game the party kept going all night long. I remember a guy fell off of one of the dorms and broke his leg among other things. I cherished it because I thought it would be awhile potentially before we beat them again. As it turned out we beat them the next two years- which I think took some luster off of the 1996 win, but I'm not going to complain about beating Alabama too much. And 1998 was even more underrated because that win started our championship run in 98 and JJ Johnson had an unbelieveable game against them- it was something over 250 yards all purpose most of which was on the ground.

[parabrave]

I was there in 2007 and my head is still ringing. All the bama fans around us were saying what are we spending 4 mill for. They were pissed and even more so when they lost to UL Monroe the next week.

[BrunswickDawg]

Yeah - 1996 was surreal. Seems like ?92 and ?94 were so close and the refs found the way to win the game. I know the maddest I?ve ever been after a State lose was ?92.

with about 2 minutes left in ?96 I turned to my wife and said ?I?ll meet you at the car. She didn?t even have to ask. She looked up after the game,and there I was swinging from the north endzone goalpost as it fell. In still can?t believe it.

[Bama_Dawg]

92 is what cemented that I would be at MSU. My brother was there and I drove up as a senior in HS. I remember David Palmer mocking the "This Bud's for you!" posters, and us leading the way for 3 quarters. Heartbreaking loss, but I was all in at that point.

And I was #3 on the North end-zone goal posts in '96 until that thing came down. So I guess Brunswick, our paths have crossed before...

I know many haven't, but a win at home, against those Tider's is surreal. My niece is now there, so this is a good year, but 2019 may be a great year for a home upset.

[Maroonthirteen]

Yeah to fully understand the 96, you have to remember the 91, 92 and 94 games. Those games were heavy weight fights. We gave them all they wanted and then some for most of those games. The 91 and 94 games were especially heartbreaking finishes. I remember in 94 buying a game program and there was an insert, a guide to the SEC CG. We were so close.

Then we came into the 96 at 4-5, our RB hurt and 5-7 139lb Robert Isaac filling in at RB. They were good but not great. However everyone expected us to lose. That finish was a nice surprise after the heart breakers of 92 & 94..

I wasn't on the goal post but I was within a few feet when it came down. Oh, Eugene Clinton borrowed my cowbell out on the field in the celebration. Eric Dotson was sitting on the bench soaking in the celebration. I gave him five. He was a mountain of a man.

[BrunswickDawg]

92 is what cemented that I would be at MSU. My brother was there and I drove up as a senior in HS. I remember David Palmer mocking the "This Bud's for you!" posters, and us leading the way for 3 quarters. Heartbreaking loss, but I was all in at that point.

And I was #3 on the North end-zone goal posts in '96 until that thing came down. So I guess Brunswick, our paths have crossed before...

I know many haven't, but a win at home, against those Tider's is surreal. My niece is now there, so this is a good year, but 2019 may be a great year for a home upset.

Sounds like it Bama. Seems like there were about 30 or so people hanging off it when it came down.

Was that before or after Palmer's DUI? I had a good friend at Bama at the time and we would go hang out in T-Town some. That January after the '92 Natty, we were at a party there with a bunch of women's basketball players and got invited to a football party at the Tuscaloosa Inn. It was a lot like that scene in Animal House on the road trip where they stop to see Otis Day and the Knights. I remember messing with my Bama friend threatening to ask Palmer if he needed a ride. That was a wild night. Only time I've ever seen malt liquor from a keg.

[Jack Lambert]

The big question is how many walking around today that were conceived because of the 1980 win.

[tcdog70]

I've seen them all. We got screwed in Tuscaloosa when we had it on the the 1 foot line with Bond under center and Sullins called our snap count and Montgomery flinched. The Refs choked on their whistle and not it is fourth and a 6 yards. We didn't score and once again got screwed by the Refs.

[Maroonthirteen]

You talking about 81 or 91? 91, Sleepy was the QB. we had it on the goal very late and jumped. Then obviously didn't get the TD with a few tries from the 5.

81, I don't recall the sequence of events. However the last play was Bond throwing a pass into the end zone from about the 5. It was tipped and picked to seal the game.

Heart breaking in the moment but Awesome memories of great games.

[parabrave]

The 92 game was one of the best games I ever saw. I'll always remember the Bama fans at halftime were nervous as shit. Me and my national guard brethren, drill weekend, were amazed at how fast their defense was. After the game I put money on Bama winning the natty.

[TUSK]

I've seen them all. We got screwed in Tuscaloosa when we had it on the the 1 foot line with Bond under center and Sullins called our snap count and Montgomery flinched. The Refs choked on their whistle and not it is fourth and a 6 yards. We didn't score and once again got screwed by the Refs.

Bond played ~a decade before Sullins & Montgomery, IIRC...

[TUSK]

Bond played ~a decade before Sullins & Montgomery, IIRC...

edit: what made it really odd was that the qb wasn't even under center when the penalty was called.

[QuadrupleOption]

The 92 game was one of the best games I ever saw. I'll always remember the Bama fans at halftime were nervous as shit. Me and my national guard brethren, drill weekend, were amazed at how fast their defense was. After the game I put money on Bama winning the natty.

No in '92 we trailed at half-time and came out in the 3rd quarter and took a 21-20 lead. Bama took back control of the game and won it 30-21. We were the only team to hold a lead on them at any point that season, which was a point of pride at the time (and would now be considered "accepting mediocrity" or some such crap). I remember being in Georgia for the Peach Bowl and watching that Bama squad tear Miami a new asshole en route to a national title. That D was sick.