1980 Bulldogs best ever?

I often go back to that season and relive the frustration, as I have long felt this was quite possibly the best team we ever fielded, despite the fact it went 9-3. This team was, IMO, the "gold-standard" of what makes so many of our fans always wait for, "the other shoe to drop".

2 of the 3 losses were more than winnable, UF & Nebraska in the Sun Bowl. I don't remember the specifics of our 6-point loss at UF that year, but do recall those Gators were whipped by 2 teams we beat, LSU & Miami. I do remember coming out against NU gang-busters to start the game, stuffing them defensively and ramming it down their throats on O until a run of t/o's killed us and snow-balled. The other loss was our inexplicable meltdown versus USM, a team that just had our number in those days.

I have always felt we had a better team than all 3 of the teams that beat us that year. That close loss to UF cost us the Sugar Bowl.

Does anybody else think that may have possibly been our best team ever, fully capable of winning a NC had they not, "screwed-the-pooch"?

Question, is that the only team we've ever had, in modern times anyway, to beat Alabama, Auburn, LSU and OM all in the same season?

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Originally Posted by maroonmania

Question, is that the only team we've ever had, in modern times anyway, to beat Alabama, Auburn, LSU and OM all in the same season?

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Yes, because in 1999 we beat all of those except Alabama....and when we were beating LSU we were losing to Bama.

In 1953 we tied Alabama, Ole Miss and Auburn and beat LSU.

In 1941 we beat all of them except LSU who we tied.

In 1940 we beat all of them except Auburn who we tied.

I stopped at 1933 when we joined the SEC as I doubt we ever played all four in one year before that. So 1980 would be the only year to accomplish that feat.

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Originally Posted by blacklistedbully

I often go back to that season and relive the frustration, as I have long felt this was quite possibly the best team we ever fielded, despite the fact it went 9-3. This team was, IMO, the "gold-standard" of what makes so many of our fans always wait for, "the other shoe to drop".

2 of the 3 losses were more than winnable, UF & Nebraska in the Sun Bowl. I don't remember the specifics of our 6-point loss at UF that year, but do recall those Gators were whipped by 2 teams we beat, LSU & Miami. I do remember coming out against NU gang-busters to start the game, stuffing them defensively and ramming it down their throats on O until a run of t/o's killed us and snow-balled. The other loss was our inexplicable meltdown versus USM, a team that just had our number in those days.

I have always felt we had a better team than all 3 of the teams that beat us that year. That close loss to UF cost us the Sugar Bowl.

Does anybody else think that may have possibly been our best team ever, fully capable of winning a NC had they not, "screwed-the-pooch"?

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I didn't get to watch the 1980 team in person but I will say that the 1999 team was pretty strong. As far as screwing the pooch I think the 2010 team kind of screwed the pooch. If they had beaten Auburn and Arkansas then they would have been a two loss team in a super strong SEC, which is what a lot of us hope we accomplish this year.

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Originally Posted by LC Dawg

I didn't get to watch the 1980 team in person but I will say that the 1999 team was pretty strong. As far as screwing the pooch I think the 2010 team kind of screwed the pooch. If they had beaten Auburn and Arkansas then they would have been a two loss team in a super strong SEC, which is what a lot of us hope we accomplish this year.

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Rather than the 2010 team, which wasn't used to winning, I'd like to substitute the 2000 team for the losses to South Carolina, LSU and Arkansas. And who knows, if we were undefeated we may have played the Egg Bowl differently.

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Originally Posted by The Croom Diaries

Rather than the 2010 team, which wasn't used to winning, I'd like to substitute the 2000 team for the losses to South Carolina, LSU and Arkansas. And who knows, if we were undefeated we may have played the Egg Bowl differently.

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South Carolina, LSU & Arkansas losses in 2000 were ridiculous. We were better than all three of those teams-we appeared to lack motivation against Arkansas and stupid mistakes cost us in the other 2.

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Originally Posted by blacklistedbully

I often go back to that season and relive the frustration, as I have long felt this was quite possibly the best team we ever fielded, despite the fact it went 9-3. This team was, IMO, the "gold-standard" of what makes so many of our fans always wait for, "the other shoe to drop".

2 of the 3 losses were more than winnable, UF & Nebraska in the Sun Bowl. I don't remember the specifics of our 6-point loss at UF that year, but do recall those Gators were whipped by 2 teams we beat, LSU & Miami. I do remember coming out against NU gang-busters to start the game, stuffing them defensively and ramming it down their throats on O until a run of t/o's killed us and snow-balled. The other loss was our inexplicable meltdown versus USM, a team that just had our number in those days.

I have always felt we had a better team than all 3 of the teams that beat us that year. That close loss to UF cost us the Sugar Bowl.

Does anybody else think that may have possibly been our best team ever, fully capable of winning a NC had they not, "screwed-the-pooch"?

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I went to my first game that year (Auburn in Jackson, 24-21 win. Yay!) at seven years old. I consider it my CFB and MSU fandom birth. I remember watching the Sun Bowl with my Dad but not specifics. 1980 is the point from which I can tell you any score, record, and even what our unis looked like if I think about it. Prior to that is when I have to do more reference although I can remember some specifics and generally know when we were good and when not, etc. So, I started off loving the Dawgs in 1980 and was spoiled. Been struggling to catch up ever since.

I would, however, make an argument that 1992 may have or at least had the potential to have been legendary though the record does not show it. It IS marred by the Oxford game, Sleepy's injury, and a 24-3 loss to guess who?????? LSU of course. They were 2-9, and it was the beginning of this 1-22 nonsense versus them as we had beaten them 28-19 the year before in BR. Other than that it felt epic at the time, although I guess the 10-3 win over Arkansas on a scoop and score was lame. Anyway, I always felt the '92 team was one of our strongest ever that just didn't work out. Coming home and turning on the TV to see we were leading Florida 23-6 was just so not what I as a State fan was used to or really expected. This was before the days of keeping up with games on phone and stuff. If you had a prior engagement, you didn't know what was going on. Beating them 30-6 is one of the most satisfying wins of my MSU fandom.

that sun bowl was devastating to me ... I had two former team mates from high school on that squad ... Donald Ray King & Ron Harper .... UF was a pisser but the sun bowl required therapy for me

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Originally Posted by FISHDAWG

that sun bowl was devastating to me ... I had two former team mates from high school on that squad ... Donald Ray King & Ron Harper .... UF was a pisser but the sun bowl required therapy for me

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Yep, we gifted that game to them. I don't think I've ever seen a clearer example of momentum shifting so dramatically due to t/o's. For the first few minutes, it looked as though we might even dominate them. Then the wheels just came off the wagon.

we didn't have a chinaman's chance at the Sugar Bowl. It was GA all the way or Alabama had we not beat them. We were offered the Florida win after the season and Emory declined.

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Originally Posted by maroonmania

Question, is that the only team we've ever had, in modern times anyway, to beat Alabama, Auburn, LSU and OM all in the same season?

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I was fortunate enough to be there for all of those games. Unfortunately was there for the USM debacle too. We just couldn't get up for them. (Trap game warning for this year's team-don't let down one bit). Yes, I believe that was the best State team I have ever seen. Good offense and great defense.

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Originally Posted by dawgman

we didn't have a chinaman's chance at the Sugar Bowl. It was GA all the way or Alabama had we not beat them. We were offered the Florida win after the season and Emory declined.

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What do you mean, "We were offered the Florida win after the season"?

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Originally Posted by Martianlander

I was fortunate enough to be there for all of those games. Unfortunately was there for the USM debacle too. We just couldn't get up for them. (Trap game warning for this year's team-don't let down one bit). Yes, I believe that was the best State team I have ever seen. Good offense and great defense.

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Interesting in that I was a JR in HS in 1980 and my cousin was a USM student. He invited me to drive to Starkville with him and see the MSU-USM game and I did. So the only MSU game I got to see in person that year was the USM drubbing. Just my luck.

We stuffed Joe Cribbs of auburn at the one yard line on fourth down to preserve victory late in the fourth quarter that year. No one remembers that bc of the bama win the week after. Cribbs started for the Buffalo Bills for years.

I was there

I was in school then and as crazy as it sounds, the '81 team had the chance to be better. As it was, should have gone 10-1 with only loss to Missouri in Jackson early in the season. Lost 17-14 to Bama, game ended on the 6 or 7 yard line; 7-6 to USM, Bond suspended did not play, Moore missed at least one field goal, Southern never crossed midfield offensively but recovered a muffed punt deep in our territory and scored; 21-17 to Ole Miss and Dick Pace.
Would have been undefeated SEC champs(or maybe co w/UGA).

Was the '81 bama game one where their defense yelled out, "Hut-hut" to get our o-lineman to jump pre-snap?

I was a student both those years, as well. Perhaps it's why I've never thought of us as a bad football team. I expected us to win based on how we played in '80 & '81, but did consider us, "snake-bit".

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Originally Posted by blacklistedbully

What do you mean, "We were offered the Florida win after the season"?

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Florida sent assistant coaches to Starkville to spy on us during the week of the game. This was discovered after the regular season and the game was offered to us as a forfeit

Emory refused it saying they beat us on the field.

No, that was the '91 game, Sherrill's first year. In '81, Bond hit Danny Knight on a crossing route for about 65 yards in the last minute or two down to around the 10 yard line. We couldn't get it in from there and game ended. Could've kicked a game tying FG but there was no OT in those days so Emory went for it all, as he should have. Many forget a TD pass earlier in the game to Glen Young that was called back due to "holding." TV announcers threw their hands up over that call.

No.