STARKVILLE – Mississippi State fell in SEC play once again on Saturday, taking a 41-21 beating from No. 5 Georgia at Davis Wade Stadium.
The weekend festivities on campus included a home women’s basketball game for Education Day, the inaugural Diamond Dawg classic baseball game and rivaling pregame shows from SEC Nation and Barstool Sports, but head coach Jeff Lebby’s team failed to match the occasion.
The Bulldogs received the opening kick and drove 75 yards in 14 plays to score a touchdown via quarterback Kamario Taylor, who came in for a 4-yard run on third down near the goal line.
Shapen was efficient, 4-4 passing with 34 yards and a couple of scrambles, but the offensive line had some worrying snaps. It foreshadowed what was to come in the following drives.
MSU gained just 50 yards total on the following three drives, which included a pair of punts and a fumble by Shapen to set up the first UGA touchdown of the day.
In a flash, MSU was trailing 17-7 midway through the second quarter, watching the defense struggle to contain a uniform and efficient offensive approach from the Georgia offense.
MSU finally got another drive going inside the final minutes of the first half, but a penalty set them back on the edge of the red zone. Lebby kept the offense on the field on fourth down, well inside kicker Kyle Ferrie’s field goal range, and a pass short of the sticks to Bothwell fell incomplete off the back’s hands.
The turnover on downs gave Georgia one more possession before the break, which was advanced by two flags on MSU’s defense. Jahron Manning was called for targeting on a scary hit delivered to Georgia receiver Lawson Luckie. The very next play, Tony Mitchell was flagged for pass interference.
The defense did force a 4th down just outside of field goal range, but jumped on the hard count to gift Georgia another first down. The visitors took full advantage, adding another touchdown just before the break to extend their lead to 24-7.
Georgia received the second-half kickoff and extended its lead quickly with a 59-yard touchdown run by Nate Frazier, dealing a swift blow to MSU’s already slim hopes.
Down 38-7, MSU was dealt another blow as quarterback Blake Shapen left the game after taking a blindside hit. Taylor came in and led a touchdown drive, capped by his second rushing score of the day, to show at least some life amid the onslaught.
The home team Bulldogs will try to get back in the win column on the road at Missouri next week. The game is one of only two opportunities left to become bowl eligible, with the last chance being the Egg Bowl in Starkville on Black Friday.
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