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Rapid Reaction: Bulldogs start slow, eventually blow past UT Martin
By Ethan Levine
Published:
A few quick thoughts on Mississippi State’s convincing 45-16 win over UT Martin on Saturday afternoon.
What it means: The win, albeit against an FCS opponent, means Mississippi State will be undefeated when it takes on Alabama in a critical SEC West showdown next weekend in Tuscaloosa. Entering that contest without a loss is critical, as it would allow Mississippi State to lose and remain the hunt for an SEC West title and a College Football Playoff berth this winter. The Bulldogs’ chances to beat the Skyhawks were never in question, but closing out the victory and improving to 9-0 on the season is significant nonetheless.
What I liked: The Mississippi State rushing attack. The Bulldogs ran the ball 32 times for 254 yards, spending most of the second half nursing a lead. Their 7.9 yards per carry average was their second-best average of the season and their best average since a Week 2 win over UAB. More significantly, Josh Robinson, the SEC’s second-leading rusher, only ran the ball six times for 33 yards on what turned out to be a light day at the office. Mississippi State showed it’s as deep as it is talented in the run game, which should pay off for the MSU offense in its push for the playoffs.
What I didn’t like: Mississippi State’s slow start to the game. The Bulldogs led just 7-3 through one quarter, forcing Dan Mullen to play his starters for the entire first half and into the third quarter before MSU amassed a safe enough lead to insert the backups. The Bulldogs went three and out on their first drive of the game, and allowed UT Martin to record four first downs and three points on its first two drives before MSU finally took control. The Bulldogs still won by 29 points, but they cannot afford to start that slowly next week against the Crimson Tide.
Who’s the man: Dak Prescott was the man on Saturday, leading Mississippi State to 31 points in less than three quarters. He recorded a 48-yard rushing touchdown and a 55-yard passing touchdown to Joe Morrow before being removed from the game with a 28-point lead, and he ended the game with 206 yards passing, 54 yards rushing and three total touchdowns. Prescott also set a new school record for total yards in a season in the win over UTM, improving his total to 3,044 on the season with 260 yards on Saturday (the previous record was 2,892 yards, set by Tyler Russell in 2012).
Key Play: Leading by just four points early in the second quarter, Mississippi State was in need of a spark to ignite a huge run of points. Just as he has all season, Prescott delivered in a big moment when his team needed him most. The Bulldogs’ quarterback dropped back to pass on the first play of the quarter but felt the pocket collapse around him, forcing him to scramble for as many yards as he could. Forty-eight yards later, he was standing in the end zone. Prescott broke a handful of tackles in escaping down the left sideline, then out-ran most of the UTM defense on his way to pay dirt. Prescott’s touchdown extended Mississippi State’s lead from 7-3 to 14-3, and the lead was extended all the way to 31-3 before Prescott was given the rest of the night off. It took Mississippi State a quarter to find its rhythm, but once Prescott steadied his team with the long touchdown run the Bulldogs had no trouble taking care of the Skyhawks.
What’s next: The Bulldogs now move on to their biggest game of the year to this point, a critical SEC West showdown with Alabama in Tuscaloosa next week. The Rebels close the year with three SEC contests, two of which are against teams ranked in the top 15 of the most recent College Football Playoff Top 25.
A former newspaper reporter who has roamed the southeastern United States for years covering football and eating way too many barbecue ribs, if there is such a thing.
