STARKVILLE — Heisman Trophy candidate Dak Prescott’s day was finished just after halftime.
The Southeastern Conference’s leading rusher, tailback Josh Robinson, watched most of the game from the sideline.
Three more starters didn’t play, but the No. 1 Mississippi State football team barely missed a beat, as its next wave of playmakers emerged Saturday in a 45-16 victory against Tennessee-Martin on Homecoming.
“That’s what I like,” said MSU coach Dan Mullen, whose team won its 12-straight game. “All year long this team has had players step up when their number is called. Today, Josh Robinson is sore, can’t finish the game, so two more running backs come in and average over 10 yards per carry. It has been like that all year, and it was like that today. It’s always good to get a win.”
The unusual suspects who paved the way to MSU’s victory included a pair of little-used tailbacks — junior Brandon Holloway, sophomore Ashton Shumpert — and a deep crop of receivers that made play after play to help the Bulldogs finish off their ninth-straight win to open the season.
Shumpert, whose longest career run entering the game barely covered 20 yards, exploded with a 59-yard touchdown in the third quarter. He finished with four carries for a career-high 84 yards. It was that kind of day for the Bulldogs, as player after player came off the bench to make a mark.
Holloway rushed for 70 yards and a 35-yard touchdown. Junior wide receiver Joe Morrow hauled in a 55-yard touchdown pass on Prescott’s final play in the third quarter. Freshman Jamoral Graham, maligned for his turnover problems as the starting punt returner, had a 44-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Damian Williams for his first career touchdown.
“I’m happy for him,” Mullen said of Graham. “He’s kind of weathered the storm a little with those fumbles on the punt returns, but he was back there because he was our best guy in practice. He is a guy that has a lot of natural ability, and he does have some maturing to do. But for him to get in there and get him a touchdown, that’s good.”
Graham became the 11th Bulldog to catch a touchdown pass this season, the latest in a group of receivers that has given Prescott valuable production this season.
But most symbolic of MSU’s “next man up” mentality was the play of Holloway and Shumpert, who had combined for 40 carries and 195 yards entering the game. Against UT-Martin, they combined for 11 rushes for 152 yards and two scores, including the 59-yard run by Shumpert and a 35-yard scoring burst by Holloway in the second quarter.
“It felt good to finally get into the end zone after so many close calls,” Holloway said of his first career touchdown. “We never know how much we will play in any given game, so we have to be ready at all times. We were ready tonight.”
They had to be. Prescott, perhaps being protected for MSU’s trip to face Alabama next week, rushed a season-low six times for 54 yards and Robinson, who needs 16 yards to hit the 1,000-yard mark, carried six times for 33 yards, season lows in both categories.
That left the burden to Holloway and Shumpert.
“Shump had 82, Holloway had 70. That’s not bad,” Mullen said with a smile. “If I was a smarter coach, I guess I’d give them the ball all the time. But that’s what I love about this team. When a guy’s number is called, he is ready to deliver. That doesn’t happen everywhere, but it has happened for us all year long.”
The production from backups wasn’t exclusive to MSU’s offense, either. The defense had three sacks, including the last one by seldom-used defensive end Torrey Dale, who dropped Jarod Neal for his first career sack. Starters Ryan Brown and Preston Smith had the others.
“It was all about finishing our rush tonight,” said Brown, a junior from New Orleans. “We want the other quarterback to feel it after playing us.”
In all, 32 Bulldogs saw action on the defense, and MSU’s four leading tacklers were all backups. Senior linebacker Christian Holmes led the Bulldogs with nine stops, while linebacker Richie Brown added seven and cornerback Tolando Cleveland had five.
But it wasn’t all second-string glory for the Bulldogs. Prescott enjoyed a bounce-back game while he played, throwing for 206 yards and two scores while rushing for another in a little more than two quarters. His two first-half touchdowns, a 10-yard pass to sophomore Fred Brown and the 48-yard rushing score, helped power MSU to a 24-3 halftime lead. After he found Morrow for the 55-yard bomb in the third quarter, Prescott’s day was over.
“Dak played solid,” Mullen said. “He didn’t have to make a lot of plays because we had so many people step up, but he hit on some throws.”
Overall, though, the day didn’t belong to Prescott or Robinson. Instead, it belonged to the other guys, including Morrow, who scored his first touchdown since Week 2 against Alabama-Birmingham.
“If you play well in practice, you’ll get to play in the game,” Morrow said. “That’s the philosophy around here. And when you get in the game, they’re going to throw you the ball. As receivers, we are always ready.”
Redshirt freshman Gabe Myles, again playing for the injured Jameon Lewis, led MSU with five catches for 54 yards.
“I trust all of those guys, not just the starters,” Prescott said of the receivers. “That all goes back to the offseason when we put in extra work running routes together away from the team. I even trust the guys who haven’t gotten onto the field.”
No matter who was in the lineup, the Bulldogs moved the ball with few mistakes. The Bulldogs finished with 520 total yards, topping the 500-yard mark for the seventh time.
MSU led by as many as 35 in the second half, taking a 38-3 lead on Shumpert’s 55-yard run.
“Had to make a play,” Shumpert said. “When opportunity knocks, I’m going to answer.”
UT-Martin (5-6), which fell to 0-2 in Starkville, scored 13 of its 16 after MSU had emptied its bench. Quarterback Jarod Neal was responsible for both scores, a 1-yard run and a 31-yard pass to tight end Ben Axline midway through the fourth.
“I’ve been coaching for 20 years and Mississippi State is a first-class place,” UT-Martin coach Jason Simpson said. “Everything from coach Mullen to how the fans treated us were greatly appreciated. I’m proud of them and hope they win the rest of the season.”
Of MSU’s barrage of playmakers, Simpson said, “That’s a very good football team, and their athletic ability caused us to be in the wrong place. I understand Prescott came out in the third quarter and they have a big-time game next week.”
The big day for MSU’s backups wasn’t by accident. With Alabama looming, the MSU coaches were cautious at a number of positions, as Lewis, Prescott, and Robinson were held out at various points. Offensive lineman Justin Malone didn’t play, either, giving way to sophomore Devon Desper, who started his second game at left guard. Cornerback Will Redmond also was out, the result of a one-game suspension for academic reasons.
Mullen expects everyone back for the trip to Tuscaloosa.
“We’re going to enjoy this win tonight,” Mullen said, “and get ready for a big game back in conference play starting tomorrow.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brandon Walker on Twitter @BWonStateBeat
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