By By Fredie Carmichael/The Meridian Star
Nov. 22, 2001
Former Mississippi State quarterback John Bond still can't shake the nightmares of his last college football game.
It was Nov. 19, 1983. Bond said he vividly remembers watching in disbelief as Artie Cosby's apparent game-winning field goal went through the uprights before being blown backwards by a 40 mph wind gust.
Tuesday night.
Ole Miss won the game 24-23 in front of 59,758 screaming fans at Jackson's Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Rebels ended their year 6-5 and played Air Force in the Independence Bowl. The Bulldogs ended 3-8 on the year and lost the next three games against its rival from Oxford.
Controversial ending
Bond was 2-2 against his arch rivals. Both losses resulted from what he called unusual plays. Other than the wind blown field goal, Bond's teammate, Johnie Cooks an All America linebacker at MSU, is still hot about the controversial ending of the 1981 contest.
Cooks said that game, his last Egg Bowl, left a bitter taste in his mouth that is still there today.
State was leading the game 17-14 with 12 seconds left on the clock, when MSU defensive back stepped in front of a John Fourcade pass and hauled in crucial interception in the end-zone. But the referee flagged Johnson with pass interference.
After assessing the penalty, officials placed the ball on the MSU 1-yard-line. Fourcade ran it into the endzone on the next play to put the Rebels on top for good, 21-17, sending Cooks, Bond and the rest of the Bulldogs steaming.
Similarities and predictions
Bond said he sees several similarities between this year's MSU team and his 1983 team.
Bond, however, believes the Dogs will get some breaks tonight against the Rebels.
Cooks agreed.
Fredie Carmichael is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. Call him at 693-1551, ext. 3228, or e-mail him at fcarmichael@themeridianstar.com.