Legendary 2014 Bulldogs Return For 10-Year Anniversary
October 18, 2024 | Football, Joel Coleman
State set to honor first-ever MSU football squad to earn a No. 1 ranking.
STARKVILLE – An incredibly special weekend is in store in Starkville as Mississippi State is set to welcome home members of the 2014 football team to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the group putting the Bulldogs at the top of the national polls for the first time ever.
The team will be honored over the course of the weekend with private events as well as public recognitions pregame and during game day on Saturday when MSU faces No. 14 Texas A&M at Davis Wade Stadium.
"There is always an excitement and buzz in Starkville when we have the opportunity to welcome Bulldogs home," MSU Director of Athletics Zac Selmon said. "This 2014 team created so many unforgettable moments in program history. They were certainly great players who left an imprint on Bulldog fans everywhere, but we are even more proud of the leaders, community members, mentors, fathers and businessmen they have become since donning Maroon and White. We look forward to having these guys home and celebrating their lasting legacies."
Festivities for the returning heroes will begin on Friday evening with a private dinner allowing former players, coaches and support staff to reunite and reconnect. Then, on Saturday, players will participate in a pregame hype segment. Following the conclusion of the first quarter, a complete team recognition will commence in the South end zone to celebrate all that happened a decade ago.
"It's hard to believe it's already been 10 years since that incredible season in 2014," MSU head football coach Jeff Lebby said. "This group embodied that toughness, effort, edge, physicality and grit Mississippi State football has long represented. I've always said that this is a players' game – those who came before us and the ones who come after us. Without a doubt, this group left a lasting legacy, and the Mississippi State family couldn't be more grateful and proud."
Mississippi State's 2014 team will forever stand as one of the best groups in program history. Three consecutive wins over Top-10 foes got the Bulldogs off to a 6-0 start and gave MSU its first-ever No. 1 ranking.
For five weeks, State remained the country's top squad and garnered the distinction of being the first team to ever be tabbed No. 1 in the College Football Playoff rankings.
The Bulldogs went on to compile a 10-3 overall record that included a perfect 7-0 mark at home. State ended its magical season with its first Orange Bowl appearance in 74 years.