MSU will try to build on rout at Auburn

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State senior quarterback Dak Prescott is feeling pretty good about his team’s upcoming Southeastern Conference road trips.

Playing a key role in a 49-point home victory will raise anyone’s spirits, let alone a Heisman Trophy contender who wants to help the Bulldogs erase the memory of losing their SEC opener.

One week after a last-second, 52-yard field goal missed in MSU’s 21-19 loss to LSU, Prescott became the school’s all-time leading passer on a day he went 10 of 11 for 227 yards with two touchdowns in a 62-13 victory against Northwestern State at Davis Wade Stadium.

MSU Notebook: Prescott continues setting records

STARKVILLE – It will be hard to argue against Dak Prescott being the best Mississippi State quarterback in school history when his career comes to an end after this season.

Bulldogs display depth at quarterback in win

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State fans have been anxiously awaiting to see what redshirt freshmen quarterbacks Nick Fitzgerald and Elijah Staley have to offer.

Starkville Academy stages dramatic rally against Washington

STARKVILLE — The Starkville Academy football team was just waiting for the first quarter to end Friday night.

Injury creates opportunity for Lipscomb at EMCC

BOONEVILLE — Alexander Lipscomb had to be patient when he arrived at East Mississippi Community College in the summer.

Coming in as a freshman out of Columbus High School, Lipscomb knew playing time was going to be at premium. Even so, Lipscomb went hard every day in practice and surprised defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley with the amount of effort he gave in training camp.

In the first three games of the season, Lipscomb played sparingly and saw at the most five minutes at the end of each game. That changed Thursday night, as Lipscomb replaced injured Jalen Boney midway through the second quarter. He played the rest of the game in No. 7 EMCC’s 56-7 victory against Northeast Mississippi C.C.

MSU running backs hope to make bigger mark

STARKVILLE — Brandon Holloway hopes the Mississippi State football team’s running backs get on track Saturday.

The junior leads the Bulldogs with 88 rushing yards through two games. He has only carried the ball 12 times, while junior Ashton Shumpert is tied for the team lead in carries at 18 with quarterback Dak Prescott.

The running backs haven’t had many opportunities, but they will have a chance to shine at 3 p.m. Saturday (SEC Network) when MSU (1-1) plays host to Northwestern State (0-2) at Davis Wade Stadium.

Five things to watch for in Northwestern State-MSU

STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State football team will look to get back on track before it travels to Auburn next week.

MSU (1-1) will try to accomplish that goal at 3 p.m. Saturday (SEC Network) when it plays host to Division I Football Championship Subdivision foe Northwestern State (0-2).

MSU is coming off a 21-19 loss to LSU last week in Starkville that saw it play well but miss a chance to win when Devon Bell missed a 52-yard field goal as time expired.

MSU is 2-0 all-time against Northwestern State. The games were played in 1945 and 1946 in Starkville. MSU won by a combined score of 81-0.

MSU’s Richie Brown pleased with start to season

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State junior linebacker Richie Brown is not surprised at all at the numbers he has put in the first two games of the young season.

Better-conditioned Ware ready to make most of senior season

STARKVILLE – The pressure Gavin Ware is feeling this offseason is nothing new to him.

Chrestman contributes in all phases of game for Starkville Academy

STARKVILLE – Every time Colt Chrestman walks off the football field, he’s tired.

Prescott feeling more comfortable reading offenses

STARKVILLE — There’s a reason Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott isn’t running the ball as much this season.

The past two seasons, Prescott showed his versatility throwing and running the ball. As a sophomore, he ran for 829 yards and 13 touchdowns. He followed that season up by rushing for 986 yards and 14 touchdowns last season.

Entering this season, Prescott had rushed for 1,913 yards and 31 touchdowns in his three-year career. Through two games, he has 18 carries for 53 yards. He is tied for the team lead in carries with Ashton Shumpert. Each player has accounted for 33.3 percent of MSU’s 54 carries. Even though Prescott remains a focal point of the Bulldogs’ running game, he acknowledged he has matured at the position and is more comfortable staying in the pocket and going through his reads.

Mullen: Delay of game penalty ‘solely on me’

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State football coach Dan Mullen was pleased with the execution from his offense on the final drive of a 21-19 loss to LSU Saturday night.

Trailing by two, the Bulldogs took over at their 11 yard line with 1 minute, 32 seconds remaining. Senior quarterback Dak Prescott was 5 of 8 for 55 yards and moved his team to the LSU 29-yard line.

MSU will try to regroup after loss to LSU

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State football coach Dan Mullen hates losing.

It didn’t matter that No. 25 MSU trailed No. 14 LSU 14-3 at halftime and 21-6 at the start of the fourth quarter started. A 13-point final stanza put the Bulldogs in position to tie and win the game, but Devon Bell missed a 52-yard field goal as time expired in a 21-19 loss before a crowd of 62,531 at Davis Wade Stadium.

Knee surgery could force MSU’s Holman to miss season

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State men’s basketball freshman forward Aric Holman will have knee surgery this week, the school announced Sunday afternoon.

LSU’s ground game proves to be difference

STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State football team didn’t have a problem stopping the run last week against Southern Mississippi, allowing 102 yards and making a goal-line stand in a 34-16 victory.

But things changed in a big way Saturday, as MSU couldn’t stop LSU’s running game, especially sophomore Leonard Fournette, in a 21-19 loss at Davis Wade Stadium.

Brown gets Starkville started on way to rout

STARKVILLE — Avery Brown knew he had to give everything he had in the first 18 minutes of Friday night’s game.

The Starkville High School senior running back scored two touchdowns on the first two possessions to give his team a 14-0 lead against KIPP Collegiate (Tenn.). He saw his offense score one more touchdown that pushed the Yellow Jackets’ advantage to three touchdowns and ended his night.

MSU’s rally falls wide right

STARKVILLE — There were several times in the first half Saturday night when Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott put his hands up in frustration.

It was easy to see why because the Bulldogs couldn’t find a rhythm on offense against a very tough LSU defense. MSU gained only 109 yards of total offense, while Prescott had 71 (88 passing yards, -17 rushing yards) in the first 30 minutes. As a result, MSU trailed 14-3 at halftime.

Prescott and the No. 25 Bulldogs turned it around the second half with 269 yards of offense, but it wasn’t enough as Devon Bell missed a 52-yard field goal as time expired to give the No. 14 Tigers a 21-19 win.

Martin enjoys transition from LSU to MSU

STARKVILLE — There’s no doubt Bill Martin always will have a place for purple and gold in his heart.

The Mississippi State assistant athletic director for media relations and the main contact for the Bulldog football team attended LSU for six and a half years while finishing his undergraduate degree. After completing an internship at Florida in the spring of 2008, he returned to his alma mater in the summer of that year as the No. 2 football contact and the women’s basketball sports information director.

EMCC showcases depth at wide receiver

SCOOBA — East Mississippi Community College quarterbacks won’t have any problem finding a wide receiver this season.

At times, it’s hard narrowing the options to one because the Lions have plenty of weapons on the outside.

That was evident Thursday, as Wyatt Roberts and John Franklin III found eight wideouts and one running back in No. 7 EMCC’s 69-0 victory against Coahoma C.C.

Bulldogs’ defense looks to take next step against LSU

STARKVILLE – First-year Mississippi State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz doesn’t want all the blame placed on the secondary for the passing yards given up last week against Southern Mississippi.