On a day when Mississippi State honored Jack Cristil for his 50 years of service to the university, the only thing ‘wrapped in maroon and white’ was the gift the Bulldogs handed the Wildcats. The University of Kentucky (6-3, 2-3) won Saturday’s contest at Scott Field 45-24 over the home standing Bulldogs (3-5, 0-4). MSU posted the best offensive and defensive game of the year by posting 396 total yards and holding the high-powered Wildcats to 266. Kentucky sported a 375 yards per game average before coming into Starkville, while the Bulldogs were averaging 327.
“This is the first game that I’ve been in in a long, long time that everything that happened we ended up giving to them,” MSU head coach Jackie Sherrill said at a post-game press conference. “In the first half, we were able to overcome things that we gave them. Quite frankly, we can’t give people gifts and expect to come back and win.”
The gifts came early in the second half when Derek Abney returned two punts for touchdowns to give the Wildcats a 37-17 lead. Abney returned the first punt 69 yards, the second 52 yards. The two returns for touchdowns gives Abney four on the season.
“The first one that he returned, we didn’t kick it high, and our gunners went inside. You have to make sure you put him back in the middle,” Sherrill said. “The second one, our wingback on the right let a guy come inside and he got part of the ball so that ball line drived. And we didn’t do a very good job of getting down and containing him. But, he (Abney) has done that against everybody that they played.”
Returning to early season form, the Bulldogs turned the football over five times, while not forcing a Wildcat turnover. Bulldog quarterbacks combined for four interceptions and MSU lost one fumble on the day.
The Bulldog defense held the potent passing game of the Wildcats to 161 passing yards. Jared Lorenzen was held to a season low 141 yards passing while completing 10 of 22 passes.
The MSU defense also held Artose Pinner just below his 114-yard season average for rushing yards, allowing 104.
For the Bulldog offense, freshman tailback Jerious Norwood showed the ability that earned all-America honors last season. Norwood rushed for a game-high 138 yards on 15 carries.
“The guys up front did a good job. They have been doing a good job all season,” Norwood said after the game. “We have good backs. Nobody is a bad back. We just have to wait on our turn. When you get a chance, you have to take advantage of it.”
Kevin Fant completed 9-30 passes for 162 yards, but did set an MSU record for longest passes play. Fant connected with Terrell Grindle in the second quarter for a 91-yard touchdown. Grindle finished the game with three catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns. Fant also hooked up with Darnell Jones for the Bulldogs only other touchdown.
“It was just me one-on-one outside. I just took it upon myself to make a good effort to go after the ball and make things happen,” Grindle said of his record-setting reception. “I saw the ball in the air and I ran under it.
“I feel like we played good at times. Other times we didn’t execute at the same time. It was mostly we killed ourselves and not so much that they beat us.”
Mario Haggan and Jason Clark led the Bulldogs defensively, posting 11 tackles apiece. Clark also posted the Bulldogs only sack.
The Bulldogs will travel to Tuscaloosa for their next contest, when they take on the Crimson Tide of Alabama. Game-time is set for a 1 p.m. kickoff.