100 Day Bulldog Countdown: 63 Days - Flashing back to a memorable 1963

Year two of the Jeff Lebby era has arrived and the Mississippi State coach is back to work.

After a disappointing first season, the coach and his staff are doing what they can to get things back on track in Starkville. The players on the field will be the difference for State this season if they are to make a return and we’re going to discuss every single one of them over the course of the next few months.

As we do every year, we’re counting down 100 days until State’s first game at Southern Miss in Hattiesburg on August 30. Over this period of time, we’ll breakdown every scholarship player on the roster, look back at great moments in MSU history and even talk about legends that have come before the current Bulldogs.

Today, we look back at a season and bowl game to remember back in 1963.

100 Day Bulldog Countdown: 63 Days – Flashing back to a memorable 1963

In the middle of some lean years (more like decades), the Bulldogs had a fun year in ’63. State had seven-straight seasons under Allyn McKeen in which the Bulldogs had a winning season. From 1940-47, State was 53-15 with the schools first – and only- SEC Championship.

From 1948-62, MSU went through six coaches and had just five winning seasons. Paul Davis would deliver State’s best season in nearly 20 years would be on the way. Davis was hired in 1962 after Athletic Director Dudy Noble was fired in 1959 and head football coach Wade Walker stepped in to lead the department. In ’61, Walker would step away from being head coach and Davis was promoted from assistant to head coach.

Expectations weren’t especially high for Davis and is first year didn’t exactly change the opinions as the Bulldogs finished 3-6. In year two, however, the Bulldogs found some magic. State jumped out to a 4-0-1 start to the season with a win at Tennessee and the tie coming at Florida. After dropping the only two losses of the season to Memphis and Alabama on the road by a combined eight points, State knocked off Auburn and LSU and would tie with No. 3 Ole Miss, 10-10.

The season earned the Bulldogs their first bowl game since 1940 as they were invited to the Liberty Bowl to play NC State. Most State fans are familiar with the Liberty Bowl being played in Memphis, but that wasn’t the case at this point. State traveled all the way to Philadelphia, Pa., for this one.

Just over 8,000 people were there to watch a game that was infamous for the frigid temperatures. Legendary State broadcaster spoke about the sub 20 degree temps often during his career. His cup of coffee froze solid, his pen failed to write and he uttered the famous line that the atmosphere was “colder than a pawnbroker’s heart.”

One of the great highlights of State history came early in the ball game as Bill McGuire blocked a Wolfpack punt and All-SEC end Tommy Inman scooped it up to score a touchdown. State led 13-0 in the first half after Sonny Fisher scored but NC State would cut into a 16-6 lead with a score in the fourth quarter at 16-12.

MSU would hang on to win despite the late surge and the Bulldogs were Liberty Bowl champs.

State finished the season 7-2-2 with a 4-1-2 record in the SEC. The Bulldogs finished fourth in the SEC with a tie against the SEC Champion Rebels, a win over second place Auburn and a one-point loss to third place Alabama.

All great seasons happen thanks to great players. State had All-American lineman in defensive tackle Tommy Neville and center Pat Watson. Three backs on offense were also key in Ode Burrell, Sonny Fisher and Hoyle Granger and they earned All-SEC honors, as did Inman. More importantly, Davis earned SEC Coach of the Year honors.

Unfortunately, the Bulldogs weren’t able to follow that successful season with another. Davis coached three more seasons with the Bulldogs and didn’t win more than four games in a season. The next season with seven or more wins would come over a decade later when Bob Tyler led the Bulldogs to a 9-3 record in 1974.

Nonetheless, the season is still one to remember all of this time later.