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re: 33 Years Ago Today - the Biggest Upset in SEC History

Posted on 11/1/13 at 9:27 pm to
Posted by anc
Member since Nov 2012
18010 posts
Posted on 11/1/13 at 9:27 pm to
You are looking at too many numbers.

In 1980, Bear and the Gumps were invincible. They had won 28 straight games, the 1978 and 1979 national championships. State had one of the best years, yes, but no one beat the Bear.

They had beaten a good USM team 42-7 the week before. 2 weeks before that, USM beat State 42-14. Bama just stomped everyone. Their closest SEC game in two years had been a 24-point margin (59-35) against Ole Miss and a 28-7 win over LSU, who went 8-3 that year.

That's why this game is considered the biggest upset in SEC history. Pigs flying was maybe a worst team beating a top ranked Alabama team, but Alabama had some injuries in that game. State took an unstoppable offense that had been averaging close to 40 points a game (that's 65 points in 2013 numbers) and held them to a field goal.

It was just a day that the streak had to stop. Tebow crying was similar, and it can be argued that since Ole Miss did it on the road, it was just as big. Florida looked pretty unstoppable at the time as well.

The 1996 game- State was 3-5 when they beat a 7-1 Alabama team that was ranked #8. Alabama lost three games that year (and flirted with losing to Vandy and NC State earlier in the year) Simply put, they had not really been an unbeatable juggernaut. That's the game where Alabama really beat themselves. Missed a couple of makable field goals and an extra point and lost 17-16 to an improving Mississippi State. To me, that was similar to Tennessee beating South Carolina this year. An upset, but not the biggest of all time.
This post was edited on 11/1/13 at 9:33 pm
Posted by IAmReality
Member since Oct 2012
12229 posts
Posted on 11/1/13 at 9:40 pm to
Typically in most upsets the "better" team beats themselves.

No huge underdog is gonna win without the other team helping them a ton, lots of turnovers, penalties, that sort of thing.
Posted by TeamCornbread
Member since Oct 2013
860 posts
Posted on 11/1/13 at 9:55 pm to
The reason they almost recovered a John Bond fumble was because an Alabama a-hole lineman slapped the football out of the hand of the center right before he snapped it. The ref stated he saw it and if Bama had recovered it he would have flagged them
Posted by CapstoneGrad06
Little Rock
Member since Nov 2008
72175 posts
Posted on 11/1/13 at 9:55 pm to
Still pissed?
Posted by TeamCornbread
Member since Oct 2013
860 posts
Posted on 11/1/13 at 10:00 pm to
Not at all. We won. Just to say it was a John Bond fumble is reaching. It never made it to his hands. An offensive lineman fell on it.
Posted by Hater Bait
Tuscaloosa & Gulf Shores
Member since Nov 2012
2870 posts
Posted on 11/1/13 at 10:03 pm to
Boo!!
Posted by LC412000
Any location where a plane flies
Member since Mar 2004
16673 posts
Posted on 11/1/13 at 10:57 pm to
quote:

John Bond had a good career under center. Beat LSU all 4 years.


You should be banned for bringing up this guy's name in any sentence with LSU

I thought the only game won by MSU in his 4 years were the wins against LSU or at least it felt that way
Posted by FearlessFreep
Baja Alabama
Member since Nov 2009
17280 posts
Posted on 11/1/13 at 11:25 pm to
quote:

anc
Eh, pretty fair analysis. I can see your point.

I still contend that despite the streak, Bama wasn't the unstoppable juggernaut most seem to believe at the time. Their 1979 MNC came at the expense of an incredibly weak schedule - their only regular-season opponent who finished the year in the AP Top 20 was probation-riddled AU. In fact, of the 28 consecutive wins prior to the MSU game, only four opponents had fewer than 4 losses at their respective seasons end, and their 26 regular season opponents during the streak had a combined record of 121-165-3, a .428 winning percentage. And that '79 Tide squad almost certainly made NCAA history when they faced three consecutive opponents, Vandy, Wichita State, and Florida, who would go on to lose 10 games apiece (quite a distinction in the days of 11-game seasons).

So finally falling to one of the very few respectable teams they faced in three years was inevitable, making it less of an upset than it might appear.
This post was edited on 11/1/13 at 11:27 pm
Posted by CapstoneGrad06
Little Rock
Member since Nov 2008
72175 posts
Posted on 11/2/13 at 12:11 am to
Baylor finished top 20 too. As well as SWC champ Arkansas, whom Alabama met in the Sugar Bowl.
Posted by Libertyabides71
Fyffe Alabama (Yeah the UFO place)
Member since Jul 2013
5082 posts
Posted on 11/2/13 at 12:16 am to
quote:

Alabama beat themselves that day.



We can only beat ourselves.
Posted by RollTide1987
Augusta, GA
Member since Nov 2009
64985 posts
Posted on 11/2/13 at 12:35 am to
quote:

Alabama ended up forfeiting the entire year, but LSU won 17-14 in Tuscaloosa on Stallings' best team - cost them a back to back national title.


1. It was a team that went 9-3-1

2. Jay Barker and Sherman Williams - two of our three biggest weapons on offense - were both injured fairly early on in the game.

3. It wasn't Stallings' best team.
Posted by CockRocket
Columbia, SC
Member since May 2012
6840 posts
Posted on 11/2/13 at 12:48 am to
quote:

That's because UNC isn't on the schedule. You will lose to Lesser Carolina though.
Ha that's funny because we pushed their shite in this year. Carry on tho.
Posted by Nimbus2000
Member since Jun 2013
1250 posts
Posted on 11/2/13 at 12:52 am to
quote:

The following Tuesday, Reagan beat Carter and it became the greatest four day period in Mississippi State history.


Didn't the hostages also get released around that time?
This post was edited on 11/2/13 at 12:53 am
Posted by BayouBengals03
lsu14always
Member since Nov 2007
99999 posts
Posted on 11/2/13 at 1:25 am to
quote:

Bama had already been tied by Tennessee several weeks earlier

Then how was it a 31-game winning streak?

Maybe a 31-game unbeaten streak.
Posted by LOYALBAMA
bham
Member since Sep 2008
2566 posts
Posted on 11/2/13 at 1:35 am to
quote:

Bama wasn't the unstoppable juggernaut most seem to believe at the time. Their 1979 MNC came at the expense of an incredibly weak schedule



Leave it to an aubren fanatic to throw some shite on the wall. That &( team was awesome.


The team just mailed it in that day, but when a drive was needed they marched down the field to the 2 yard line before fumbling.

The reason aubren was probation riddled was because you got caught cheating....again

Quick question. Name a championship aubren won without cheating.
Yea, that;s what I thought.

FearlessFreep - NTY ITAT - amiright?
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