1940 Mississippi State vs Alabama

[@wbc40]

Thank you so much for posting this video. My grandfather, Eustace Conway, was on the 1940 Mississippi State team. Can't believe I can actually watch his team play with my own eyes. Amazing!

[@TheSteveshak]

Surprisingly, a lot of passing for SW FB. This is tremendous footage. Thank you for posting.

[@CrimsonStorm1968]

Even though I am a Bama fan and got our fannies tanned that year .This is rare footage ,glad you posted this ,really cool

[@Tyrunner0097]

Really neat to see the two most popular offensive formations in play in this game. Alabama with the Notre Dame Box, Miss State with the Single Wing.

[@fostermilesjason]

Similarities Bama - Same uniforms and same conservative offense MSU - Moved on from 40's to modern day era of college football

[@TheJpep2424]

Bama still dominating with championships. Msu still irrelevant.

[@Lunzatis_Palemoon]

@@TheJpep2424 The only reason Alabama has won championships is because they get 5 star athletes without trying. It's extremely easy to win championships with that kind of talent. Alabama wouldn't be doing shit if they had to play with mostly 2 & 3 stars, a couple of 4 stars sprinkled in, and MAYBE a 5 star or two if they were lucky.

[@jesuschristhomeslice9492]

​@Lunzatis_Palemoon if it was easy LSU, Ohio St, Texas A&M would each have just as many titles as Alabama

[@floridapmi]

Knowing Bama fans as we all do, I bet they were screaming to fire the coach after the game.

[@82ghall]

old Denny stadium

[@conductorinblack]

Alabama looks to be the home tean on this great video. Do you have any idea where the game was played? Is this Birmingham or is it on campus?

[@mikecausey5860]

conductorinblack old Denny stadium

[@okrajoe]

Wow, college football has really changed...

[@jaygremillion]

State should claim the national championship that year. You know Alabama and a few other schools certainly would do so.

[@TheJpep2424]

Bama only claims championships in the record books. What fans claim is irrelevant. Bama's championships are recorded by the ncaa

[@Lunzatis_Palemoon]

@@TheJpep2424 Mississippi State had a legit claim to the Championship that year but you "Bama" dick riders wouldn't know actual college football history. And yes, Alabama has claimed National Championships before so STFU.

[@TheWatchman879]

It would be interesting to see s coach use these offensive formations today...not the entire game, but perhaps a play here and there....to see if a defense knows how to respond.

[@markdumas]

according to what rankings?

[@LandondeeL]

Ah, the Golden Days of Football, when College Football was the glamour sport, and Professional Football was something not discussed in polite society. College Football, where you were expected to work in research in a glass factory in Buffalo after you graduated, rather than join the riff-raff of pro football....or worse still, to deliberately flunk college year after year, so one could be a college football perennial for years....and years....and years....

[@TheJpep2424]

Yes, shame on anyone trying to move to pro ball to make a nice living.

[@daBears06]

So your saying players getting paid millions to play the sport they love is a bad thing?

[@LandondeeL]

@@daBears06 Not at all. I was commenting about the time this particular game took place: 1940. In 1940, there were only 10 teams in the NFL, and most of the players were so poorly paid, they had to take regular jobs in the off-season. My comment was based on an incident in the classic movie "It's A Wonderful Life", where college football star Harry Bailey took a job at his father-in-law's glass factory, rather than play with the pros, a point which befuddles modern audiences.

[@montecarlo4294]

Was Devonta Smith there back then?

[@robroberts1473]

holy crap that was 72 years ago and iam embrassed at how bama played lol this was great thanks for posting it no face masks ouch.

[@Lunzatis_Palemoon]

Actually, Mississippi State's football teams were extremely good in the early 40s and may have ended up winning a National Championship then had WWII not happened.

[@toastnjam7384]

Looks like Alabama using the Notre Dame Box and Miss St. the Single Wing.

[@RMB42]

The game hasn't changed much in over 70 years. The motion rules eliminated the pre-snap offensive "shift" and of course the players are much bigger and faster now, but otherwise it's surprisingly similar.

[@carrite]

It's fun to see six guys moving at once on offense...

[@jeffs3752]

Bama's red zone offense was offensive.

[@andyorr4159]

State ‘s QB looks like a giant.

[@comeacross9]

A lot of motion penalties not called. Also no face masks which was a good thing because face masks encourage you to put your head where it does no belong. Thanks for posting.

[@goodmaro]

Can you give any time points and point out the fouls? I didn't see any that should've been called.

[@TheJpep2424]

rules were different, you were allowed to shift multiple players before the snap. Not sure if you're ware but rules have changed since 1940.

[@scottarivett496]

@@TheJpep2424 You could even pull an OL man before the snap. I think they had 1-2 count before the snap to get out of down stance and start pulling. I watched footage of an old Army game with the Blanchard/Davis backfield and they pulled early on half the plays. I knew a guy that played back then and he told me it was legal if you were pull blocking. Great old guy. Played baseball for the Phillies for awhile. I miss him.

[@billyblazer80]

Proof that MSU did beat Alabama, once ;)

[@melodymakermark]

I was in attendance for another State win exactly 40 years later. There’s proof here somewhere on the ‘tube. ;-)

[@TheJpep2424]

@@melodymakermark flue win. Took Bama turning it over 5 times and one was inside the 3 yard line about to score the game winner.

[@melodymakermark]

I assume you meant fluke win? You would be wrong. I was in attendance. Bama was rattled the entire game by one of the greatest defenses in SEC history, which explains your turnovers. Bama was indeed in a position to score the winning TD, but our all SEC linebacker knocked the piss out of the QB, dislodging the ball and sealing the State victory. State should’ve won the ‘81 game in T-Town, but the elephants got their usual preferential calls at home.

[@Lunzatis_Palemoon]

@@melodymakermark J Pep is a toddler who can't see or understand reality. With idiots like him around, Karma is about to continue bitch slapping Alabama for a while just like she has the past two seasons. These dumb Alabama fans need to be humbled.

[@danlanders7341]

I think these offensive formations would be illegal today.

[@carrite]

The formations are legal, the pre-snap movement is not.

[@goodmaro]

@@carrite Why? It doesn't seem to simulate the start of play, everybody sets for a second before the snap or starting a man in motion, and it's not quick or jerky.

[@TheJpep2424]

@@goodmaro Because you cant have more than one player shifting at the same time before the snap today. The entire backfield shifts at the same time in this game. Today thats a penalty for illegal shift.

[@goodmaro]

@@TheJpep2424 No such rule. There's *never* been such a rule.

[@Lunzatis_Palemoon]

@@TheJpep2424 That's not correct. You can't have any players under or behind the center shift at the same time. In fact, these formations and shifts, if done correctly, would still be legal. The O-line and TEs, if they are lined up with the Center could all shift together at the same time. For that matter, even if the WRs are out wide away from the O-line as long as they aren't behind the center and are aligned with the Center and the rest of the O-line and TEs you could also shift the WRs at the same times as the O-line and TEs. You could have the RBs, FB or a WR, and QB lined up in the positions they will be in and they wouldn't have to move or you could have them individually shift and set before the next person shifts.