SMU and the lost season of 1997

[utkgbro56]

The last winning season (6-5). Mike Cavan took over after they fired Rossley which I thought was the dumbest move. We had the best offense, all we needed was a better d-coordinator. The future looked bright until the final game against TCU who was winless until that game. My brother was Chris Gedwed ( OLB#31) and had his knee blown out on the second play of the game. That game we got burned by their TE, who he would have been covering. I was just a little kid then but it broke my heart to see things end like that. SMU tanked from that point on and TCU took off. Those were the god ol' days with Ramon Flannigan, Donte Womack, Kevin Thornall, Craig Swann, Chris Bordano, Donald Mitchell etc. Who knows what could have been if SMU had won that game against TCU. Would like to hear your thoughts....

[2112]

cavan caused me to fall off the wagon............

[Junior]

Will have to admit, those were the best of the worst times.

[George S. Patton]

Will have to admit, those were the best of the worst times.

I had no gray hair in 1997. Now, I'm white as a sheet. Guess following SMU athletics can do that for you. But if we turn things around, I'll consider using some hair care product.

[StangEsq]

That was when I started to believe in The Curse. We had all of our running backs injured in that game. Should have beaten TCU by 30.

[Dutch]

so is the '97 team like our version of the '72 Dolphins?

[StangEsq]

That would mean that the '97 team would have to meet out somewhere every year and drink champagne when we are eliminated from bowl contention.

[Dutch]

they don't?

[gostangs]

On the recruiting page because......??

[Fooball]

I don't know if you remember, but I believe that Cavan played Chris "Snacks" Sanders in the final drive to win it - benching Ramon Flanigan. Snacks bounced a couple of balls off the turf during that drive before they even got to the receiver. Ramon watched from the sidelines, which I thought was a shame. 7 years of SMU down the drain.

[StangEsq]

Yeah, by that point we should have just let Ramon run it on every down. I will never forget the games vs. ranked ATM and UCLA that he almost pulled out that required miracle finishes by those teams to beat us.

[Dutch]

On the recruiting page because......??

in defense, it's on the FOotball page TOO.

both threads went in very different directions

[PhirePhilBennett]

The last winning season (6-5). Mike Cavan took over after they fired Rossley which I thought was the dumbest move. We had the best offense, all we needed was a better d-coordinator. The future looked bright until the final game against TCU who was winless until that game. My brother was Chris Gedwed ( OLB#31) and had his knee blown out on the second play of the game. That game we got burned by their TE, who he would have been covering. I was just a little kid then but it broke my heart to see things end like that. SMU tanked from that point on and TCU took off. Those were the god ol' days with Ramon Flannigan, Donte Womack, Kevin Thornall, Craig Swann, Chris Bordano, Donald Mitchell etc. Who knows what could have been if SMU had won that game against TCU. Would like to hear your thoughts....

What about the left-handed throw by the TCU QB on Fourth Down as he was being wrapped up and tackled...to save the drive and basically put the game out of reach of a comeback.