In the most complete performance of the season, Dan Mullen’s Bulldogs earned its first SEC win over the Georgia Bulldogs from the east behind huge performances from K.J. Wright, Vick Ballard and Chris Relf.
Mississippi State (2-2, 1-2 SEC) found itself in a defensive struggle with Georgia (1-3, 0-3 SEC) for most of the game, but a 10-play touchdown drive lasting 5 minutes and 45 seconds opened the flood gates in the fourth quarter as MSU went on to win 24-12.
It was a big win for MSU, which was looking to avoid an 0-3 start to conference play, but Mullen cautioned that there is still a long way to go in the season.
“It’s a long path to where we want to go, but this is definitely a step in the right direction,” Mullen said.
For Mullen’s offense, it was the most efficient performance of the season. After a five-turnover performance against LSU, the Bulldogs only had one turnover against Georgia, and that came on a trick play when LaDarius Perkins tried to complete a pass to Relf in the second quarter. Mullen accepted full responsibility for the call after the game.
Relf played the entire game at quarterback and was able to get into a good rhythm, rushing for 97 yards and passing for 150 yards and two touchdowns. Ballard was the featured running back, amassing 93 total yards and scoring on a one-yard touchdown run and 13-yard reception. For Ballard, the increased number of carries (13) helped him get into the flow of the game.
“When I play in the game, I gotta get enough snaps to where I get in a groove, and I feel like tonight I found a little rhythm,” Ballard said.
Ballard’s most important carry was only for four yards, but it was one of the most critical points in the game. With the Bulldogs up 10-6 and facing a 4th-and-1 at their own 39 yard line in the fourth quarter, Mullen decided to go for the first down instead of punting the ball away.
“If I’m preaching to our kids, ‘we’re gonna make the plays to win the game,’ I can’t shy away from making a call to win the game,” Mullen said. “It wasn’t even a hesitation; we went for it right away.”
Ballard picked up the first down on the play, and the drive would ultimately end with a 33-yard pass from Relf to Arceto Clark for a touchdown that sewed up the victory for the Bulldogs. The reception was Clark’s first touchdown as a Bulldog.
“I was very determined to get into the end zone because I know how good it feels to score,” Clark said.  “I haven’t scored since high school, so I had been waiting on that.”
For the coordinator Manny Diaz and the MSU defense, it was another game of bending but not breaking as they held Georgia to two field goals and a touchdown, despite giving up 387 yards of total offense.
It is fitting that the second play from scrimmage saw Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray sacked by Wright and Fletcher Cox, as those two made plays all over the field in Saturday’s win. Wright had seven tackles and broke up three passes, while Cox had five tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. Junior Charles Mitchell led the team with 10 tackles.
Diaz said his defense is starting to reach the level of play he expects from them.
“They’re starting to gain confidence,” Diaz said. “They don’t always play like it, but they’re starting to act like a championship caliber defense.”
Unfortunately for the Bulldog defense, Cox limped off the field late in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. The sophomore will be evaluated before a decision is made on his status for next Saturday’s game against Alcorn State.
Tight ends Marcus Green and Brandon Henderson both missed Saturday’s game due to injuries, and their status for the Alcorn State game remains uncertain as well.
Saturday’s win puts Mullen’s team in a much better position moving into back-to-back non-conference games in the next two weeks, as it will not have to hear the grumblings that come with being winless in conference play. Receiver Chad Bumphis, who led the team with 64 receiving yards, thinks this is the opportunity to turn the season around.
“I think it’s our time to just get on a roll,” Bumphis said.
If the Bulldogs play similar to Saturday night, it may be a while before that roll ends.