Mississippi State Bulldogs vs Missouri Tigers Match Player Stats On Nov 05, 2015

The Sports Xchange
Nov 6, 2015

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Dak Prescott's interception-less streak ended two weeks ago.

The Mississippi State quarterback didn't waste time extending his new one.

Prescott led the 20th-ranked Bulldogs to a 31-13 win over Missouri on Thursday night, throwing for 303 yards and four touchdowns as Mississippi State pulled away in the second half.

Prescott threw 12 touchdown passes with no interceptions before his first pick of the year on Oct. 24 against Kentucky. Since then, Prescott has thrown six more scores with no interceptions, including two third-quarter tosses against Missouri that pushed a 14-13 halftime lead into a 31-13 blowout.

Missouri (4-5, 1-5 Southeastern Conference) entered the game with the best pass defense in the league, but the Tigers had yet to see a beast like Prescott, who came into Thursday ranked fourth in the conference in passer rating at 149.71. His fourth touchdown pass of the night -- an 8-yard pass to wide receiver Fred Brown -- made him the sixth player in SEC history to account for 100 career touchdowns.

Before Thursday, Missouri's defense allowed just three passing plays of at least 30 yards. Mississippi State (7-2, 3-2) accounted for two in the win. Prescott's longest strike of the night came on a 63-yard completion to wide receiver De'Runnya Wilson (four catches, 102 yards, two touchdowns) in the third quarter. In that period, Prescott completed nine of 12 attempts for 127 yards and two scores.

Prescott, who completed 27 of 40 passes, also gained 47 yards on 14 carries.

The Bulldogs' defense became the latest to rattle Missouri freshman quarterback Drew Lock, now the official starter after Maty Mauk's second suspension of the season. Lock completed 11 of 26 passes for 107 yards and two interceptions, his second being the back-breaker for Missouri.

With the Tigers trailing 21-13 after Prescott's third touchdown of the game to start the second half, Lock scrambled to his right on Missouri's first offensive play. He backpedaled and badly underthrew receiver Nate Brown. Mississippi State defensive back Kivon Coman intercepted the pass, setting the stage for a Westin Graves field goal to extend the lead to 24-13.

Missouri's three-game touchdown drought ended with 1:50 left before halftime on a 14-yard carry by running back Russell Hansbrough. Since the Tigers' previous touchdown -- in the third quarter of a 24-10 win over South Carolina on Oct. 3 -- Missouri went nearly 15 full quarters and 47 drives without finding the end zone.

Hansbrough's run cut Mississippi State's lead to 14-13 at intermission. The Bulldogs scored on two passes by Prescott, the first coming on their fourth play of the game. Prescott found wide receiver Fred Ross (11 catches, 115 yards) matched up against linebacker Michael Scherer down the seam, and hit him for an easy 36-yard score.

After Missouri cut into the Bulldogs' lead with a pair of field goals from kicker Andrew Baggett, Prescott connected with Wilson on a 28-yard touchdown pass.

Both of Missouri's first-half field-goal drives were set up by key plays from linebacker Kentrell Brothers, a forced fumble and a blocked punt, his third block of the season.

NOTES: Missouri DT Rickey Hatley was a pregame scratch due to a sprained right knee ... Mississippi State RB Dontavian Lee and WR Malik Dear did not travel to the game because of injuries ... Mississippi State WR Gabe Myles returned to the field Thursday after missing the previous three games with an ankle injury.