Less than a minute into the second quarter Saturday against Auburn, Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers threw a dime to wide receiver Rara Thomas for a 22-yard touchdown.
The Bulldogs offense went into hibernation from there.
MSU didn’t score on offense for the rest of the half. Or the third quarter. Or most of the fourth quarter.
But Mississippi State revived its talented scoring unit at a critical time.
Rogers hit Thomas again for a 33-yard touchdown with 3:49 to play in regulation, putting the Bulldogs back in the lead and helping them secure a 39-33 overtime win.
Here’s how MSU put together a 65-yard scoring drive to right the ship.
Play No. 1: First and 10 at the Mississippi State 35. The Bulldogs were given advantageous field position thanks to a short kickoff and a nice return by redshirt freshman running back Simeon Price. Using its typical “10” personnel — one running back, no tight ends — MSU goes with two wide receivers on each side of the field. Given an 8-yard cushion by his Auburn defender, Austin Williams looks for a quick pass from Rogers and makes the catch at the MSU 41. Williams had six catches in the game, tied for the lead among the Bulldogs.
Play No. 2: Second and 4 at the MSU 41. After the success of its first-down play, Mississippi State runs a very similar concept on second down. Rogers throws the ball to sophomore Rara Thomas, who can’t pick up quite as big a gain as Williams did; Auburn’s Jaylin Simpson closes on Thomas immediately, keeping him to a 3-yard gain. Still, the catch sets up a short third down at the 44-yard line.
Play No. 3: Third and 1 at the MSU 44. With trips (three receivers) off to the right, Rogers hands the ball to running back Dillon Johnson on a read-option. But Auburn star edge rusher Derick Hall breaks into the backfield early, tripping up Johnson for a 1-yard loss. Johnson was injured Oct. 15 at Kentucky, did not play Oct. 22 at Alabama and finished with just three carries for minus-1 yard Saturday. MSU totaled just 13 rushing yards on 18 carries — 62 yards on 12 carries if not factoring in sacks and a bobbled punt snap.
Play No. 4: Fourth and 2 at the MSU 43. Mississippi State is pushed to fourth down, but the Bulldogs have no real other option than to go for it with just more than five minutes remaining. Coach Mike Leach keeps the offense on the field, and his faith is rewarded. Rogers said Auburn gave the Bulldogs the defensive “look” MSU was hoping to see, showing man coverage. He targets Williams, the middle man of the three-receiver set, from the snap. “That receiver in the trip formation usually gets the ball,” Rogers said. The quarterback said he tried to lead Williams, but his throw is low. Williams gets his gloves under it anyway to make the catch, bailing out his housemate and converting on fourth down. “I guess that’s what roommates are for, so I guess dishes on me or whatever this week,” Rogers said.
Play No. 5: First and 10 at the MSU 46. Sticking with the trips formation, Mississippi State calls a screen to Georgia transfer receiver Justin Robinson. With Williams and Rufus Harvey blocking in front of him, Robinson makes a nice cut and darts across the first-down marker. He picks up 11 yards, his longest catch during a four-reception, 31-yard day. Robinson was announced as the starter over Caleb Ducking on Saturday.
Play No. 6: First and 10 at the Auburn 43. Rogers goes back to Robinson, the outside man in the Bulldogs’ trips set. Standing wide open at the 40, Robinson adjusts to catch a ball thrown a bit toward the sideline and turns to run. He runs down the hash marks on the right sideline and is pulled out of bounds right at the sticks, converting a first down for MSU. The three first downs on the drive’s first six plays are as many as the Bulldogs had in the entire third quarter.
Play No. 7: First and 10 at the Auburn 33. Mississippi State goes back to two receivers on each side of the field. Auburn brings pressure, and Rogers is close to getting hit from the back side when he uncorks a deep ball to the right side of the field. It’s well over the head of Robinson, the intended target, and it’s closer to Harvey, who had a couple steps on his defender. The pass is the only incompletion on the drive for Rogers, who went 42 of 59 for 357 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.
Play No. 8: Second and 10 at the Auburn 33. For the first time in four plays, Rogers looks to the left side of the field for a critical play in Saturday’s game. He delivers a perfect slant in stride to Thomas, who makes the grab at the 21-yard line. Cornerback J.D. Rhym stumbles in pursuit of Thomas, who outraces Rhym and two more Tigers to the end zone and flashes the peace sign before crossing the goal line. Thomas’ second touchdown of the day puts MSU back on top, 30-25. “He’s such an explosive receiver,” Williams said. “He’s great with the ball in his hands. … The opportunity came to him, and he made the most of it.”
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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