FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — With the Mississippi State football team’s defense not having much success against Arkansas in the second half, the Bulldogs were thinking about taking their time.
Trailing 50-44, MSU took possession of the football with 5 minutes, 33 seconds remaining in the game. It marched down the field and into the red zone, but there was still enough time for the Razorbacks to get a chance on offense. Even so, MSU wanted to score and decided to take whatever opportunity presented itself to score.
“You’ve got to score,” MSU senior quarterback Dak Prescott said. “In a game like this, you’re going back and forth, some crazy turnovers had happened, and you’d hate for one to happen at a bad time. You just use the momentum and go score however it’s given.”
The Bulldogs scored to take the lead to set the stage for the defense to block a field goal and secure a 51-50 victory Saturday night at Razorback Stadium. It was the Bulldogs’ first victory in Fayetteville.
Arkansas (6-5, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) scored on five of its seven possessions in the second half, but MSU (8-3, 4-3) scored on its final three possessions, excluding the final one where it took three knees to run the clock out.
The teams combined for 101 points and 1,110 yards.
Record broken
Prescott and junior wide receiver De’Runnya Wilson have connected for a lot of touchdowns at MSU.
They took it to the next step Saturday, when Prescott found Wilson for a 10-yard touchdown with 6:58 remaining to give the duo 18 in their careers. The score helped them pass the 17 touchdowns Tyler Russell and Chad Bumphis had a couple of seasons ago.
Prescott threw for 508 yards and five touchdowns, while Wilson had in 10 catches for 93 yards and a touchdown.
Wilson suffered a neck injury last week, but he started against Arkansas.
Jenkins starts
Redshirt freshman Elgton Jenkins started at right tackle for junior Justin Senior.
Senior dressed out, but he didn’t see any action. Last week, MSU gave up nine sacks to Alabama in a 31-6 loss in Starkville. MSU’s offensive line allowed only two sacks Saturday.
It was just Jenkins’ second start. He started for senior Rufus Warren at left tackle Oct. 10 against Troy. He is listed as the backup left tackle on the depth chart.
Jenkins played at Clarksdale High School, but he was redshirted last year as a freshman.
In addition to Wilson coming back, freshman wide receiver Malik Dear returned from an injury and caught one pass for 12 yards.
Freshman running back Dontavian Lee also returned and dressed, but he didn’t play.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
