On to our 4th matchup in the greatest games Sweet 16/poll/event of a lifetime we're engaged in...'98 vs. the Pigs facing the 1941 Orange Bowl.
1998 vs. #9 Arkansas
In 1998, Arkansas started the year 8-0 under first year head coach Houston Nutt. They played at #12 (and eventual national champion) Tennessee and lost in what became known as the Clint Stoener fumble game. Despite the loss they moved up from #10 in the polls to #9 - and they could still clinch the SEC West with a victory in this game.
But the Dawgs and Wayne Madkin had something different in mind. Madkin (freshman - threw for 224 yards) led a three-minute drive where he hit Kelvin Love to convert on 3rd & 18 and then a few plays later he hit Kevin Cooper to convert on 4th & 15. Brian Hazelwood booted a 27 yard field goal through uprights (barely) which were soon taken down by the students. MSU 22, Arkansas 21. The win gave State the tiebraker (both teams finished 6-2) they needed to win the West and advance to the SEC Championship Game. Here's the video:
Mississippi State vs. Arkansas, 1998 (via BulldogOzzy)
1941 vs. #9 Georgetown
Not to be confused with the 1941 season, this Orange Bowl went with the 1940 season - one that saw 2nd year head coach Allyn McKeen bring an undefeated 9-0-1 record to Miami, FL to face the 8-1 Hoyas.
I'm not gonna lie, I wasn't at the game nor did I even listen on the transistor radio. But I can give you a few facts, like: this is the only time Mississippi State ever won one of the bowl games in the current BCS (2nd appearance in the Orange Bowl - 1937 loss to Duquesne). The victory also sealed the program's only undefeated season (with the exception of 1903, which only had 5 games and 3 wins). Here's the video:
1941 Orange Bowl Highlights (via sparky39762)