AUBURN, Ala. — Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen was pleased with the play of his special teams Saturday night.
Redshirt freshman Westin Graves made a 44-yard field goal late in the third quarter and the Bulldogs claimed a 17-9 victory over Auburn on the road.
“I don’t think special teams turned the tide of the game anywhere, but I really liked our effort,” Mullen said.
Graves has made all five field goals he has attempted this season after missing the only kick he attempted last season.
Senior Devon Bell averaged 65 yards on four kickoffs and had two touchbacks. Sophomore Logan Cooke punted the ball five times and averaged just under 423 yards and pinned three inside the 20-yard line.
The three inside the 20-yard line made it tough on the Auburn offense to get anything going. He boomed one that went for a touchback, but toned it back after that kick and kept the ball in play.
“I thought our punt game, with the execution of that first punt which he boomed, kept them pinned deep,” Mullen said.
The Bulldogs won for the first time in Auburn since 2007 and have now won two-straight in the series for the first time since winning four in a row from 1997-2000.
Market plays
Senior safety Kendrick Market played after missing last week’s home game against Northwestern State as a precaution.
He wore a boot for most of the week leading up to the game against the Demons and wore one this week, but practiced and got the start against the Tigers.
He was second on the team with eight tackles.
Market suffered a ruptured Achilles heel tendon last year against Ole Miss in the regular season finale, and missed the Orange Bowl against Georgia Tech. He didn’t go through spring practice, but participated in the first fall practice back in August.
Halftime leaders
The Bulldogs held a 14-0 lead at halftime and converted that into a victory.
Mullen is now 42-2 when he leading at halftime. The only loss for the Bulldogs with a halftime lead under Mullen came in his first year in 2009. MSU led Houston 17-14 at the intermission, but the Cougars came back to claim a 31-24 victory in Starkville.
Auburn is the seventh team MSU has held scoreless at halftime under Mullen. Jackson State didn’t score in the first two quarters in 2009, Memphis and Ole Miss in 2010, Ole Miss again in 2011, South Alabama in 2012, Alcorn State in 2013, and Vanderbilt and Southern Mississippi last season.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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