re: Remembering the Jackie Sherrill era at Mississippi State, the most important HC Hire

I still maintain that 911 affected State more than any other school in the nation. We defeated Memphis in the first game and then we were set to play BYU on September 15th. Had 911 not happened I think we beat BYU soundly and defeat USCe the following Thursday on ESPN. Now we got drilled by Florida and LSU that year but we lost a two point game to Auburn, 3 point game to Arky , 7 point game to Bama. We led all three of those games in the 4th Quarter. Then you have the inexplicable loss to Troy (still smh on that one), and then absolute thievery of the BYU game. Other than the 1981 Egg Bowl, that is only game that I have said that referees rob us of. The BYU OL bear hugged our defense all night long and finally in the fourth quarter they got one holding penalty called on them. It was the loudest booing I have ever heard at Scott Field. Even my wife was booing and she really does not understand football that well but even she was calling out the holding on their OL.
We lost 41-38.

The record was 3-8 but could have easily have been 9-2. Six of our losses could have easily have been wins and I think 5/6 of them would have been if not for 911.

We had been off 17 days when we played USCe on September 20th. We were flat and just did not play well that night and lost 16-14. It was the first game played after 911 and the game just seemed to be not important after what had happened.

After that, the season just seemed to spiral downward and though we did win the Egg Bowl, that was about the only highlight of the season.

2002-2003 saw the end of Sherrill in a decidedly disappointing manner. But I am still grateful to him for what he did for our football program. He established that we could win at State and though end was not good , it eventually made possible what CDM did more recently.