Starkville - Mississippi State lost its first home game of the season as the #1 Georgia Bulldogs came into town and dominated to win 45-19.
Mississippi State began the game with a 3-and-out, and it allowed Georgia to punch them in the mouth early. Stetson Bennett IV used his two monster tight ends Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington to get them up the field, and Bowers finished it off with a touchdown off-play action at the goal line.
The State offense remained stagnant, but the defense kept them in it as Collin Duncan picked off a Bennett pass that was underthrown to Ladd McConkey.
Georgia marched back down the field at the start of the 2nd quarter. Mississippi State linebacker Nathaniel Watson appeared to strip the ball out from Donovan Edwards on a 2nd down in the red zone, but he was ruled down and loud boos roared from the student section as Jack Podlesny kicked the field goal to put Georgia up 10-0.
Will Rogers began to hit his rhythm in the second quarter as he led his Bulldogs into the red zone for the first time, but they were forced to settle for a field goal after two incomplete passes and a stuffed run from the five-yard line.
Georgia hit them right back as Bennett led them to a 75-yard touchdown drive courtesy of a 39-yard catch from Kearis Jackson, and Bennett finished it off as he juked Collin Duncan on the QB keeper for a 4-yard score.
With under two minutes to go in the half, Rogers hit Jaden Walley at the 50, and he turned it upfield for a 47-yad gain. The red zone offense struggled again, which forced State to settle for another field goal.
The Mississippi State defense forced a three-and-out and freshman Zavion Thomas made them pay. The New Orleans native fielded the punt off the bounce and had nothing but open grass ahead of him as he used his blazing speed for an easy score with three seconds remaining in the half. MSU would go for two to try to make it a three-point game but were unsuccessful, and they went into halftime down 17-12.
It seemed like it could be a bit of a momentum shift for Mississippi State, but Ladd McConkey put that to rest at the start of the third quarter. McConkey broke free for a 70-yard touchdown on an end around 47 seconds into the half and had a 17-yard touchdown reception on Georgia's next drive.
State was forced to punt after Rogers overthrew Walley for what would've been a huge gain downfield, but Tyrus Wheat stepped up and got the ball back for the Bulldogs. Wheat jumped and tipped a Bennett pass and he secured the interception as it came to the ground. It gave Mississippi State a short field and set up a 6-yard touchdown for Rufus Harvey.
That was all Mississippi State was able to get in the second half, and Georgia put the game away as Ladd McConkey got them down to the goal line on a 28-yard catch. The Mississippi State goal line defense stepped up, but Emmanuel Forbes was called for roughing the kicker on Georgia's field goal attempt, and the #1 Bulldogs put it in for another score as Bennett hit Darnell Washington in the back of the endzone.
Mississippi State was stopped for a turnover on downs on each of their next two possessions, and Georgia running back Kendall Milton burst through a hole for a 34-yard dagger touchdown with two minutes remaining.
Mississippi State will get a break from the SEC gauntlet next week as they'll welcome East Tennessee State to town before finishing up the regular season with the Egg Bowl in Oxford on Thanksgiving.
