An Outsiders Guide to Two Moments in MSU history

MSU has been a national contender only twice in its 118-year football history.

In 1940, MSU went undefeated, but a tie sent the Bulldogs to the Orange Bowl. They followed up in 1941 with an SEC Championship, actually defeating Ole Miss in a game that decided the title.

After the Egg Bowl, State played a game against West Coast power San Francisco. They won that game on December 6, 1941. The next morning, Pearl Harbor was bombed. Rather than returning to Mississippi and accepting the Sugar Bowl berth (which went to Missouri in lieu of MSU's absence) many of the MSU players went off to war.

After posting the best record in the SEC West from 1997-2000, the 2001 season was one of great expectations for MSU. A senior laden team was ranked in the Top 15, won its opening game and was set for a big ESPN showdown with a highly touted BYU team when terrorists attacked on 9/11. The season went downhill, and eventually led to the Croom error.

Now, MSU is playing a game ranked #3 in the nation against powerhouse Auburn, ranked #2. It is quite possible that an MSU win could mean the Bulldogs would be ranked #1 in the country. That can only mean one thing.

Ebola outbreak.