re: MSU vs Bama 1980 on SEC Network

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Look how big the shoulder pads are. Today, some players don't look like they got any on.

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Rules have changed. Back then an O-lineman could not use his hands. Linemen were taught to (chicken fight) hold the front of his own jersey and extend elbows. If the arms extended, it was holding. There was always pad to pad contact, so the big shoulder pads helped. Allowing linemen to use his hands and extend his arms changed the game as much as any rule to help the offense in the history of the game, imo.

Oh, and that loss was crushing in 1980. Back to back NC and 28 game winning streak going into that game. Still makes me sick.

Bear's fault..no Wilcox

My Dad and I were at that game. Section D on the W side. I have been to countless number of State games in my lifetime and that was by far the most crazed stadium atmosphere at the end that I have ever been a part of. Bama had a 28 game winning streak, 26 game SEC streak(don’t think Saban has matched that and probably never will), a 22 game winning streak against State. So the emotion that poured out of State fans that day was a once in a lifetime moment for quite a number of us.
When you look at the Bama-State series, it is all Bama, from 1958-1995, Bama was 37-1 against State and the overall is like 80-18 (basically 4 out of every 5 games is a Bama win). I was fortunate to be at the 1980 and the 1996 games (‘96 was a smaller version of ‘80). I have also seen us lose to Bama a number of times 1975, 77, 82, 84, 86, 93, 2005.

Glad they have found a way to show this game now. Obviously, the video was from 1980 so it is not very good. Jack Cristol was the best (IMHO) radio announcer in the nation in his heyday. There were none better at describing the action. You could close your eyes listening to a game on the radio and visualize what was happening because he was so descriptive. I think he had a God given talent that he perfected over time that was unmatched.

Any way thanks for creating a thread about this game and bringing back some great memories for me.

1980 was an incredible win for State. I've always loved the State-Alabama series. Good times, great fans.

Bond was hungover...they told him it was LSU on the other side of the ball.

Yep. That iconic “Bulldogs recover, Bulldogs recover” was one of the few times that he was overcome by emotion.
I am with you that it would have been great if had still been alive and calling the games in 2014. That would have been special.

I can remember the 1974 two point conversion by Rockey Felker that won the Memphis State game 29-28. State went on a 98 yard drive to in the last three minutes of the game to score in the waning seconds. Then went for two to win it (no overtime in those days). He was excited that night. Not sure if there is a recording of that or not but it was special. That was in the days were virtually every game was listened to on the radio and very few were on TV.

Believe it or not, there was a noise rule in college football during those days. The offense was entitled to hear the snap count. Whenever it got too loud, the referee would stop play and wait for the noise to die down before whistling the resumption of play.

Jack Cristol had such a dry sense of humor.
That remark was just like him.
I can attest that it was loudest stadium I have ever been in towards the end. I could not hear myself breathe.
Jacobs complained more than once to the official that could not hear. I would suspect that was the loudest that Memorial Stadium in Jackson ever got. When it was over total strangers were bear hugging each other in the aisles. My Dad who was a 1940 State grad was so proud. He had suffered through decades of losses to Bama and others and that game helped erase a lot of bad/sad memories.
Cowbells were technically prohibited at that time (thanks to Shug Jordan whining like a baby in 1974 and then the SEC subsequently banned them in 1975) though there were a few scattered here and there throughout the stadium. It was just pure crowd noise that was thunderous.

Bama did not beat themselves that day. Even Bear said when it was over that State was the better team that day and should have won by a bigger score.
State’s defense stuffed Bama all day long. Bama had one FG right before the half and the late Drive was the only sustained drive they had all day long. That of course ended in a fumble at the goal line when Tyrone Keys(later part of the famous 1985 Bears defense) blasted Jacobs causing the fumble that was recovered by Billy Jackson.

So no fluke or luck there during that game. It was a hard nosed physical game that was not for the faint of heart. Bama’s defense was great as well, only giving up 6 points (a field goal in each of the third and fourth quarters) by State kicker Dana Moore.