STARKVILLE — Mississippi State had held the ball for nearly 12 minutes, spanning the first and second quarters, when quarterback Mike Wright and company faced a third-and-8 inside Kentucky’s 10-yard line.
The Bulldogs had already converted four third downs on the possession, including a third-and-10 and a third-and-13. On both of those plays, Wright had completed passes to sophomore wideout Zavion Thomas to move the chains. Wright scanned the field after taking the snap, but Wildcats defensive back Zion Childress came free on a blitz and forced the quarterback to scramble, and he was brought down after just a two-yard gain.
And so it was that MSU’s longest scoring drive in terms of both plays and time of possession since at least 2011 ended in just three points. All the Bulldogs — who were again without starting quarterback Will Rogers and lead running back Jo’Quavious “Woody” Marks — managed out of the 20-play, 88-yard march was a 25-yard Kyle Ferrie field goal.
“Our starting quarterback and starting tailback are out; that usually makes it a little more difficult for points to come by,” head coach Zach Arnett said. “We know that if we want to get to postseason play, we have to at least get to six victories, and those guys are all competitors. They know (they have to) come back out and go to work. That’s the only way you’re going to give yourself the best chance to progress and score more points.”
MSU (4-5, 1-5 Southeastern Conference) only managed one other red-zone trip Saturday night, ultimately turning the ball over on downs in the fourth quarter of an ugly 21-point loss to Kentucky (6-3, 3-3). It was the Bulldogs’ first home loss to the Wildcats since 2008.
Pick-six negates momentum created by defense
MSU’s well-rested defense responded well when it finally retook the field, with linebacker Jett Johnson and safety Corey Ellington stepping up to stop Kentucky quarterback Devin Leary on a designed third-down run. On the first play after MSU got the ball back, a short pass from Wright intended for Lideatrick “Tulu” Griffin was instead intercepted by linebacker D’Eryk Jackson, who returned it for the Wildcats’ third pick-six of the season.
Johnson nearly executed a similar play early in the second half, jumping an out route in front of Wildcats receiver Tayvion Robinson, but the pass deflected off his hands and fell incomplete. Had Johnson come up with the interception, he would have had a clear path to the end zone.
“That would have been huge, obviously,” Johnson said. “With the offense struggling, it would have been a huge momentum shift. Typically I’m sure-handed, I feel like everybody on the team would tell you that. It was a little bit out of reach and I just couldn’t pull it in.”
End-of-half woes continue with Kentucky touchdown drive
Wright and the Bulldogs’ offense got the ball right back after the defensive touchdown, but a sack on third down put MSU behind the chains and forced a quick punt. The Wildcats then managed to run the ball effectively for the first time all night.
MSU held Ray Davis, who entered as the SEC’s leading rusher, to minus-4 yards on three carries in the first quarter. On what turned out to be Kentucky’s final drive of the first half, though, Davis carried the ball on five consecutive plays for 33 yards.
With the Bulldogs keying on Davis by then, Leary handed off to receiver Barion Brown, who took a jet sweep down the sideline for 22 yards inside MSU’s 10. Two plays later, Leary tossed his second touchdown pass of the night, finding Dane Key on a slant route to extend MSU’s deficit to 21-3. Considering the Wildcats were also getting the ball to start the second half, the game felt out of reach for the Bulldogs right then and there.
The drive continued an all-too-familiar script for MSU, which has now allowed a touchdown in the final minute of the first half six times through nine games.
“We have to find a way to cap off red zone trips with touchdowns, and obviously we would like to keep their red zone trips to field goals,” Arnett said. “With the way the clock rules are this year… it magnifies the importance of red zone trips. Touchdown percentage in the red zone is critical.”
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