Mississippi State had a forgettable first half as Auburn scored on its first five drives of the game, and led 42-9 at halftime.

Auburn opened the scoring less than three minutes into the first quarter, and led 21-6 at the end of the first quarter. The Tigers began 3-for-3 on third down conversions, while Mississippi State stumbled to a 2-for-7 start. The Bulldogs also lost a fumble. A missed extra point attempt late in the first quarter only added to the frustration.

When it appeared Mississippi State developed some momentum, QB Garrett Shrader fumbled at the Auburn 5-yard line with less than three minutes to go in the first half. Then Erroll Thompson was ejected on a targeting call late in the first half.

It was all too familiar for State fans, who openly wondered if the program has lost any ground made up when Dan Mullen left for Florida. At least two fans thought the Bulldogs were completely unprepared in all phases of the game, and that’s been a theme that dates to last season.