1980 Bulldogs best ever?

[drunkernhelldawg]

You're right about our losses in 1980. Tough to win em all, but shoulda coulda woulda. They are surely in the top five. I've got to give it to the ten win team, led by the under-appreciated Number 9, as JWS liked to call him. I think this year's team will be the best ever.

[blacklistedbully]

There were plenty of players from those '80 & '99 teams that made it to the NFL. I believe at least 8 from '80 and at least 10 from '99. You could throw in a few more if we include the '81 team.

[dawgman]

not true. That was indeed the rule back in 1980.

No such rule was ever in effect. The only place it is ever discussed is MSU fans. It seems to help MSU fan's feelings to think we had a shot at the Sugar Bowl. As someone who actually was at that game, not just claims to have been, the only thing ever discussed at the time was that the forfeit would have given us a co-championship. The non-existent rule has been repeated so many times that many have come to believe it.

[Coach34]

No such rule was ever in effect. The only place it is ever discussed is MSU fans. It seems to help MSU fan's feelings to think we had a shot at the Sugar Bowl. As someone who actually was at that game, not just claims to have been, the only thing ever discussed at the time was that the forfeit would have given us a co-championship. The non-existent rule has been repeated so many times that many have come to believe it.

The Jackson Daily news had articles on it leading to the end of the season because State was still in the mix for the Sugar.

[blacklistedbully]

The Jackson Daily news had articles on it leading to the end of the season because State was still in the mix for the Sugar.

And I recall there being a big deal made of the change to that rule later on.

[Dawgowar]

JWS didn't drive the stake in them on the field. The last time we played them, we beat them in 1990. Rockey was the coach.

Thought Jackie had one night game with them AT USM? Oh well, graduated in 85 and went to Europe for 3-4 years. In that time, AFN showed me the highlights of Smith's run vs Tennessee and the scores of all the Egg Bowl's Rocky lost, that was it. Stars and Stripes didn't get you the Saturday night scores until Monday. My mom spent three seasons mailing me tapes of SEC games one or two weeks after the fact. All we got were two or three nationally (cough, Big Ten, Notre Dame, Miami) games each weekend. One channel, one Army. Hooah!

Still, being a young Lieutenant in Europe, single, and just smart enough to not get into trouble was fun - but you have not been a Bulldog fan until you are 3k+ miles from Mississippi and your troops are telling you "It's okay sir, maybe you guys can win some games next year."

[Dawgowar]

Yes, but a LOT has changed since the 80's. Don't forget we beat Favre his junior AND senior years.

And believe it or not, Don Smith never won an Egg Bowl.

I think Ole Miss winning over us at that time was a combination of bad recruiting by Bellard and Billy Brewer hating us. He was scared of Jackie though. Urban legend is when he found out we hired Jackie, he went "Oh shit". He knew what was coming.

Thankfully a lot has changed. Don is still my favorite. Hope Dak can knock him off that perch.

[Schultzy]

Another royal screwing was in the 2000 LSU game when Pig Prather hit LSU's Toefield on the 2 yard line and he fumbled the ball out of the end zone. Should have been our ball on the 20 yard line, yet they gave LSU a TD. Replays clearly showed he fumbled before crossing the goal line.

Worst call EVAR! And it was at the three or four!

[blacklistedbully]

Worst call EVAR! And it was at the three or four!

Sorry, but no. That was really bad, but those who were there KNOW Dick Pace was the worst call ever, BY FAR.

[NCDawg]

Sorry, but no. That was really bad, but those who were there KNOW Dick Pace was the worst call ever, BY FAR.

I agree. At least the fumble by the LSU back into the endzone was a pretty close call, whereas Dick Pace's call wasn't close. No way in hell that was pass interference when our DB was standing there waiting on the ball and the Ole Miss guy comes over his back. Should have been offensive pass interference if anything.

[State82]

Sorry, but no. That was really bad, but those who were there KNOW Dick Pace was the worst call ever, BY FAR.

Definitely. And it's not even close.

[Coach34]

I hope Dick Pace is rotting in Hell.

That was blatant cheating.

[maroonmania]

I hope Dick Pace is rotting in Hell.

That was blatant cheating.

Well the 2000 LSU game was televised and I have watched a freeze frame of the side judge looking right down the line where, out in the wide open, our guy punches the ball out of the LSU RB's hand between the 1 and 2 yard line and the ball goes flying through the end zone yet he signals a TD. So, on that one, either the ref was blatantly cheating OR he is legally blind. LSU fans want to claim we didn't score in 1999 but all of that happened in a mass of humanity where this play happened out in the wide open with no question on what the right call should have been.

[NCDawg]

Well the 2000 LSU game was televised and I have watched a freeze frame of the side judge looking right down the line where, out in the wide open, our guy punches the ball out of the LSU RB's hand between the 1 and 2 yard line and the ball goes flying through the end zone yet he signals a TD. So, on that one, either the ref was blatantly cheating OR he is legally blind. LSU fans want to claim we didn't score in 1999 but all of that happened in a mass of humanity where this play happened out in the wide open with no question on what the right call should have been.

I agree that he definitely did not score, but in the ref's semi-defense, it was pretty close. If they had replay back then, the TD would have definitely been overturned. Kinda' like the time Nickoe Whitely knocked the hell out of that Georgia RB at the goal line, and he fumbled in the end zone.

[Coach34]

Well, that fumble was at game speed and while the no-call was absolutely terrible- those things happen.

Our CB in 1981 had the inside position and simply jumped in the air- the ball from Fourcade was underthrown. The OM WR came back to the ball and climbed over the back of our CB to try to catch the ball. I want to say we intercepted the pass- and Pace throws the flag and calls it on us.

What at makes it even worse for you young guys that don't understand- the ball had been thrown from midfield or so- and pass intereference back then in college was a spot foul- not 15 yards. OM got the Pace cheat call that put them on the 1 yard line to allow them to win the game with under 30 seconds left. Had ESPN existed then- that call would have been replayed 100 times and Pace would have been embarrassed nationally. It was that bad.

Worst. Call. Ever

[NCDawg]

Well, that fumble was at game speed and while the no-call was absolutely terrible- those things happen.

Our CB in 1981 had the inside position and simply jumped in the air- the ball from Fourcade was underthrown. The OM WR came back to the ball and climbed over the back of our CB to try to catch the ball. I want to say we intercepted the pass- and Pace throws the flag and calls it on us.

What at makes it even worse for you young guys that don't understand- the ball had been thrown from midfield or so- and pass intereference back then in college was a spot foul- not 15 yards. OM got the Pace cheat call that put them on the 1 yard line to allow them to win the game with under 30 seconds left. Had ESPN existed then- that call would have been replayed 100 times and Pace would have been embarrassed nationally. It was that bad.

Worst. Call. Ever

I agree. I remember leaving the stadium in Jackson mad as hell. I think Bellard kicked a FG on 3rd down with about 30 seconds left, and we felt the game was in the bag. As I recall there was another pass interference play prior to that one, which set them up at mid-field. Fourcade threw that pass way over the guy's head, into the stands, and he called pass interference on that one. Pace was determined to not let us win that game.

[maroonmania]

I agree that he definitely did not score, but in the ref's semi-defense, it was pretty close. If they had replay back then, the TD would have definitely been overturned. Kinda' like the time Nickoe Whitely knocked the hell out of that Georgia RB at the goal line, and he fumbled in the end zone.

Actually, if you watch the LSU play, even in real time, its really not close at all and that is what still makes it infuriating. Otherwise, I would give the ref the benefit of the doubt. If that call had happened at the end of the game rather in the first quarter it would be a much more notorious call than it even is today. Close is the Tyson Lee illegal forward pass against Houston that should have been fully legal, the LSU fumble into the end zone, which was at MINIMUM a full yard away from the goal line, was not close. Really the biggest head scratcher about the Tyson Lee play is that that happened after instant replay was brought in yet somehow mysteriously we didn't even get a review on that one.

Is the OM interference play online anywhere? I wasn't at that 81 Egg Bowl (82 was my first one to attend) and I think I may have seen the play on a highlight somewhere but its been decades since I saw it if I did. I do know it was a ridiculously bad call though.

[tcdog70]

I agree. I remember leaving the stadium in Jackson mad as hell. I think Bellard kicked a FG on 3rd down with about 30 seconds left, and we felt the game was in the bag. As I recall there was another pass interference play prior to that one, which set them up at mid-field. Fourcade threw that pass way over the guy's head, into the stands, and he called pass interference on that one. Pace was determined to not let us win that game.

Don't think it was another PI call. What happened was that Bellard squibbed kicked the KO and They got the Ball at midfield. We should have kicked it deep. It was Kenneth Johnson who intercepted the pass.

[Martianlander]

I agree. I remember leaving the stadium in Jackson mad as hell. I think Bellard kicked a FG on 3rd down with about 30 seconds left, and we felt the game was in the bag. As I recall there was another pass interference play prior to that one, which set them up at mid-field. Fourcade threw that pass way over the guy's head, into the stands, and he called pass interference on that one. Pace was determined to not let us win that game.

Yes, Pace called three pass interference calls in a row, none of which were legitimate and the last certainly should have been offensive interference. Maddest I have ever left a stadium.