1998 Tennessee vs Syracuse

[bothsocksup]

With all of his money, did Konrad ever donate back to the school?

 

[SWC75]

1) I'm in the camp that the interference wasn't necessarily a bad call, (I remember waiting to see if they would call it) so much as it was a late call by the wrong guy. The ref who called it was 30 yards down the field. You had to wonder why the ref closest to the play didn't call it. I still remember Steve Hyder going beserk in the post game show, alleging, quite seriously that Phil Fullmer had bribed the refs. I thought for sure he was going to get sued for slander or liable or whatever.

2) That game didn't close the door on our ambitions that year. We crushed defending AP national champion Michigan in the Big House the next week, (McNabb over Brady!), then pounded Rutgers 70-14. If we could have run the table, we still had a shot at the BCS title game, If you are going to lose, a controversial one pointer in the opener to a team that went undefeated is the way to do it. Anybody for a title game rematch? Then there was the issue of getting a Heisman for Donovan to make up for the one Donnie McPherson didn't get.

3) The real crusher was the NC State game. Not only were we thinking Heisman and National Championship but also revenge for the above referenced game we gave away in 1997. It started out looking just like the Michigan game with McNabb leading the team inexorably down the field on a long drive to score. Then the Wolfpack had a third and twenty something. All we had to is stop them and McNabb would have the ball again. George DeLeone's defense let Torry Holt run free. He got 29 yards and somehow that turned everything around for both teams. We couldn't seem to get out of our own way- or in theirs- the rest of the way and lost 17-38. It was the first of a series of national TV embarrassments that did much to bring the program down. Everything was gone: the title, the Heisman. We couldn't even get Donovan to New York. The McNabb Era was going to end without ever making a serious run at the national title. I was so bummed out the next day that for the only time in my life as an SU fan I wondered if it was worth the pain and suffering of a moment like that.

I got over it but I'll never forget it.

 

[SU2NASA]

I still haven't gotten over the Tennessee loss.

Same here. I cringe every time I see this thread pop up.

 

[OttoMets]

1) I'm in the camp that the interference wasn't necessarily a bad call, (I remember waiting to see if they would call it) so much as it was a late call by the wrong guy. The ref who called it was 30 yards down the field. You had to wonder why the ref closest to the play didn't call it. I still remember Steve Hyder going beserk in the post game show, alleging, quite seriously that Phil Fullmer had bribed the refs. I thought for sure he was going to get sued for slander or liable or whatever.

2) That game didn't close the door on our ambitions that year. We crushed defending AP national champion Michigan in the Big House the next week, (McNabb over Brady!), then pounded Rutgers 70-14. If we could have run the table, we still had a shot at the BCS title game, If you are going to lose, a controversial one pointer in the opener to a team that went undefeated is the way to do it. Anybody for a title game rematch? Then there was the issue of getting a Heisman for Donovan to make up for the one Donnie McPherson didn't get.

3) The real crusher was the NC State game. Not only were we thinking Heisman and National Championship but also revenge for the above referenced game we gave away in 1997. It started out looking just like the Michigan game with McNabb leading the team inexorably down the field on a long drive to score. Then the Wolfpack had a third and twenty something. All we had to is stop them and McNabb would have the ball again. George DeLeone's defense let Torry Holt run free. He got 29 yards and somehow that turned everything around for both teams. We couldn't seem to get out of our own way- or in theirs- the rest of the way and lost 17-38. It was the first of a series of national TV embarrassments that did much to bring the program down. Everything was gone: the title, the Heisman. We couldn't even get Donovan to New York. The McNabb Era was going to end without ever making a serious run at the national title. I was so bummed out the next day that for the only time in my life as an SU fan I wondered if it was worth the pain and suffering of a moment like that.

I got over it but I'll never forget it.

Well put. My thoughts exactly. That rainy Thursday night game was such a bummer. Spotwood got hurt right around then, too.

 

[MikeSU02]

1) I'm in the camp that the interference wasn't necessarily a bad call, (I remember waiting to see if they would call it) so much as it was a late call by the wrong guy. The ref who called it was 30 yards down the field. You had to wonder why the ref closest to the play didn't call it. I still remember Steve Hyder going beserk in the post game show, alleging, quite seriously that Phil Fullmer had bribed the refs. I thought for sure he was going to get sued for slander or liable or whatever.

2) That game didn't close the door on our ambitions that year. We crushed defending AP national champion Michigan in the Big House the next week, (McNabb over Brady!), then pounded Rutgers 70-14. If we could have run the table, we still had a shot at the BCS title game, If you are going to lose, a controversial one pointer in the opener to a team that went undefeated is the way to do it. Anybody for a title game rematch? Then there was the issue of getting a Heisman for Donovan to make up for the one Donnie McPherson didn't get.

3) The real crusher was the NC State game. Not only were we thinking Heisman and National Championship but also revenge for the above referenced game we gave away in 1997. It started out looking just like the Michigan game with McNabb leading the team inexorably down the field on a long drive to score. Then the Wolfpack had a third and twenty something. All we had to is stop them and McNabb would have the ball again. George DeLeone's defense let Torry Holt run free. He got 29 yards and somehow that turned everything around for both teams. We couldn't seem to get out of our own way- or in theirs- the rest of the way and lost 17-38. It was the first of a series of national TV embarrassments that did much to bring the program down. Everything was gone: the title, the Heisman. We couldn't even get Donovan to New York. The McNabb Era was going to end without ever making a serious run at the national title. I was so bummed out the next day that for the only time in my life as an SU fan I wondered if it was worth the pain and suffering of a moment like that.

I got over it but I'll never forget it.

The uniform calls were even more outrageous than the PI call.

That NC State game was terrible. That team should have had no more than two losses in total. While that year was fun, it was also really disappointing.

 

[xc84]

Virginia Tech 1999 is up there for me. I still shudder thinking about 62-0...

That was the same day as a disastrous Yankees loss to the Sox. Awful sports day for me.

I was there too. Before the game many of the VT fans were thinking we'd beat them even though they were higher ranked. I was thinking we'd beat them. At 48-0 at the end of 3 quarters, it was tough to stay for the rest.

 

[CusefanATL]

I'm still waiting for the espn 30 for 30 special investigating this issue nationwide back in the day using that game as the shining example. Not so much the interference call (which was close and if it was going to be called a all should have been called by the guy right there not the back judge way far away), but the not one but TWO equipment calls for too short pants.

Has anyone seen that called before or since?

Just saw this picture of Nick Mullens at SMU on Twitter.

 

[721Comstock]

Just saw this picture of Nick Mullens at SMU on Twitter.

View attachment 143246

Is he wearing bike shorts? That's... bizarre.

 

[dollarbill44]

Just saw this picture of Nick Mullens at SMU on Twitter.

View attachment 143246

I could be wrong, but I think they eliminated that rule several years ago.

 

[upperdeck]

no this rule is back now

 

[dollarbill44]

no this rule is back now

I stand corrected. It is back for this year and it will no doubt be called by an SEC crew at a big moment in a CFP game.

 

[SU2NASA]

This thread should be killed with fire. I'm still not over this game.

 

[sufandu]

no this rule is back now

For the team the refs want to lose, right?

 

[Orangello]

The fix was in. Period.

 

[SoBeCuse]

Tee Martin wasn’t very good but there was so much talent around him. Lots of NFL studs on that team. That’s a game I like to revisit once in awhile.

 

[buffalorange]

1998 NC State.
1997 Oklahoma.

Actually, I don't need to list them. Every regular-season McNabb loss other than the two road Virginia Tech games and the first Miami game could be on here. So many missed opportunities.

I liked Coach P, but the one persistent problem I had with him is that EVERY year the team would have a What the F loss.

 

[kirbivore]

This game brings up the misery of the phantom 4th down pass interference.

Tenn was one of the worst NCAA Championship teams to win it all. If any one had a rabbitt's foot in their uniforms that year, it sure was them.

Also the phantom balls of P and D on the final goal line series for SU

 

[MSOrange]

This thread should be killed with fire. I'm still not over this game.

Me neither. I very rarely complain about refs. But this game..... kneepads showing or whatever it was What?

 

[sufandu]

Me neither. I very rarely complain about refs. But this game... kneepads showing or whatever it was What?

That's what it was. We were inside the 20 moving the ball well on one of those (they called it twice). I think we missed a fg after the penalty.

Those always bothered me way more than the PI. I've watched the replay of that in slo-mo. As much as I hate to admit it, that actually was the right call.

 

[syracuse95]

I stand corrected. It is back for this year and it will no doubt be called by an SEC crew at a big moment in a CFP game.

It was called against Florida last week in their game against Georgia.

 

[OttoMets]

A very bad day, no doubt.

Hard to believe our hard nosed coach and team laid a 0-56 egg just last year against Georgia Tech. Somehow, that anomaly seems to get forgotten. I sure hope those days are over. Forever.

Wow, we didn't dream of what 2014 and 2015 had in store for us with Mr. Hardnosed.

 

[Bornorange]

This game and the Northwestern Game where the refs did not quite understand what out of bounds means.

 

[AlaskaSU]

Me neither. I very rarely complain about refs. But this game... kneepads showing or whatever it was What?

I looked it up. 1998 was the year. There were two ridiculous attire penalties: socks too high and pants too short. SEC refs. We lost by 1 pt. They went on to win the National Champ.

 

[AZOrange]

I looked it up. 1998 was the year. There were two ridiculous attire penalties: socks too high and pants too short. SEC refs. We lost by 1 pt. They went on to win the National Champ.

Still refuse to watch the replay having been to the travesty in person

 

[ForeverOrange]

Not counting the Tennessee game. For the 90s to be considered our "golden era" we sure did lay a lot of golden eggs. And after watching some of that OP Game, I will be more grounded about our offensive line. It is clear that this has been an issue for us no matter the coach. I knew Mcnabb hid a lot of our issues, but wow.