Down 17 points with 5:39 remaining, Damian Williams found Donald Gray for a 24-yard completion on fourth down to keep the Bulldogs alive against LSU last Saturday in Baton Rouge.

Six plays later, Williams capped off the 9-play, 66-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. The Bulldogs would score 17 straight points in the second half before fumbling deep in their own territory on what would have been the game-winning drive.

The fight showed by Mississippi State against LSU exemplified the coaching and motivational ability that coach Dan Mullen and his staff bring to the sideline.

The comeback effort marked the first time this season that MSU outscored its opponent in the second half. Previously, South Alabama and South Carolina outscored the Bulldogs 35-6 combined after halftime.

Over the last two quarters, Mississippi State’s defense shut out LSU and an offense that appeared balanced for the first time in a while under junior quarterback Danny Etling, who completed 19-of-30 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions.

“He did a good job in the first half getting the ball out before pressure got to him,” Mulled said during Wednesday’s SEC coaches teleconference. “I thought he was pretty accurate with his throws … they have those great wide receivers, and he gave them an opportunity to go out and catch the ball.”

Meanwhile, Mississippi State continued to split time between Nick Fitzgerald and Damian Williams. Fitzgerald attempted 24 passes and carried the ball 13 times while Williams attempted just eight passes and ran just three times. The QB situation is still a mystery despite the team scoring two late touchdowns with Williams under center.

Regardless of the comeback effort, a loss is a loss.

“We have to come back from last week’s loss,” Mullen said. “Our guys are working hard and responding well out on the field.”

Mississippi State travels north this week for a game it must win in order to stay on track for bowl eligibility, especially after dropping the season opener.

The 1-2 Bulldogs face the 1-2 Massachusetts Minutemen in Gillette Stadium, located just outside of Boston and about 1,320 miles from Starkville. UMass is widely considered one of the worst programs in Division I college football. In fact, ESPN’s Football Power Index gives MSU a 92.4 percent chance of winning, and Vegas favors the Bulldogs to win by more than 22 points.

So why would they schedule a game so far from home to play a team that they should, in all reality, dominate from start to finish?

“(It’s a) great opportunity to go play in an NFL stadium in a great environment, and I know our guys are excited about that,” Mullen, who was involved in the scheduling process, said on Wednesday. “We looked at the opportunity for guys to go get to play a game in an NFL venue. I think that had a lot to do with the scheduling of this game.”

The Bulldogs follow the Minutemen with a bye before hosting Auburn on Oct. 8.

What can make the trip to Gillette Stadium even more positive is if MSU can put together four quarters of good football.