On a week in which a number of teams around the country who were the beneficiaries of the brilliant mind, leadership, and sense of humor of the recently deceased pirate coach Mike Leach paid tribute, his last team—Mississippi State—took to the field at home and led by their Senior QB Will Rogers and Senior RB Jo’Quavious Marks, who played pretty much flawless football, paid Leach the ultimate tribute—a 31-to-24 win over Arizona. Marks rushed for 123 yards on 24 attempts for the Bulldogs’ only score on the ground while Rogers was a very efficient 13-of-17 for 162 yards without an interception and 3 TDs—his last of which won the game for Mississippi State in overtime.
The Bulldogs got off to a shaky start in their very first possession of the game, a 12 play 75 yard drive and fumble on 4th and goal at the Arizona 4 yard line. But maybe there was a little divine intervention in this one as Arizona threw back-to-back-to-back interceptions, three-of-four on the night for QB Jayden de Laura, which led to a couple of Bulldog TD’s in typical Air Raid style to go up 14-0. One in four plays in under two minutes and the other in less than 30 seconds after an interception at the Arizona 26 and run back to the Wildcat 6 yard line. The Wildcats finally cashed in just before the half on a 77 yard drive aided by a pass interference call and a Jayden de Laura pass completion to Tetairoa McMillan to give them a first and goal at the Mississippi State 1 yard line and 2 seconds for de Laura to run it in, which he did. 14-7 at the break.
Arizona got the ball after half-time but were held to a three-and-out that led to a Bulldog four play, 2 minute drive, and Will Rodgers 15 yard pass into the end zone to go up 21-7. But the Wildcats came back on a 75 yard, 10 play drive, consisting mostly of de Laura pass completions and runs, ending in a 17 yard TD pass to Jacob Cowing to get back within a TD at 21-14. After holding the Bulldogs to a three-and-out and then a punt on their next two possessions Arizona was able to tie the score fairly early in the 4th on another TD pass from de Laura to McMillan. Less than three minutes later Mississippi State inched back ahead on a Kyle Ferris 36 yard field goal. The Bulldogs had a golden opportunity to extend that lead with under five minutes left in the 4th Qtr on another Jayden de Laura interception. But the Wildcats defense wouldn’t give up and held Mississippi State to another three-and-out giving Arizona one more crack at it with less than three minutes to play. After two great pass plays by de Laura, one for 49 yards to McMillan and another, 12 yards to Cowing, they found themselves sitting at 4th and 2 on the Mississippi State 19 yard line with just 2 seconds left in the game. Tyler Loops field goal attempt was good and the game was tied at 24 a piece.
The Bulldogs got the ball first in overtime and scored on a 29 yard pass from Will Rogers to Jeffery Pittman to go up 31-24 where the score would stay after four incomplete pass attempts by de Laura. In addition to all the mistakes on the Arizona side—five turnover in all—the Mississippi State defense finished with nine tackles for loss to go with four interceptions and eight pass breakups. Considering that Arizona had seven more first downs, 130 more total yards of offense, and five more minutes on the clock to get it done, it was a good if not shaky win for the Bulldogs who are now 2-0 heading into a huge SEC matchup this next weekend against LSU. Arizona goes back home to Tucson to host the University of Texas El-Paso on Saturday.