For the third straight week Jerious Norwood ran wild. Norwood almost doubled Kentucky’s rush total of 84 yards by gaining 165 yards on 24 carries before a sprained ligament sidelined him.
“I think he’s getting more comfortable with the blocking schemes,” Croom said of Norwood. “He knows where the holes are supposed to be and goes to them and looks for the cutback.”
Second-string running back Fred Reid knew what to do after Norwood left the game.
Reid amassed 109 yards on only 11 carries, including a 32-yard scamper that iced State’s 22-7 win over the Wildcats.
The Bulldogs’ 340 yards rushing marked the most yards on the ground in a game for MSU since posting 351 against Florida in 2000.
In great contrast to the phenomenal rushing performance, the West Coast passing game never materialized for State. Quarterback Omarr Conner threw for only 79 yards on seven completions out of 17 attempts.
“We were only 66 percent good today,” Croom said. “We got two-thirds ready to play today and not the offense.”
When Sylvester Croom was hired at Mississippi State he said his offense would not be glamorous or flashy. The running game kept him from worrying about that Saturday afternoon in his second straight SEC win, which included nine defensive points, two field goals, three turnovers and five pre-snap penalties.
“We did everything we could today to lose the football game,” Croom said shortly after the final snap.
The MSU defense had its most dominating performance of the year, holding Kentucky to 251 total yards. UK quarterback Shane Boyd only threw for 103 yards on 11 completions out of 24 attempts and threw a crucial interception on his first pass.
Sophomore linebacker Quinton Culberson picked off Boyd on the third play of the game and sprinted 35 yards for the opening touchdown.
“I read it as a bubble pass and kind of fumbled it a little bit,” the safety turned linebacker said about his first career interception. “Luckily I held on to it and was able to get it in for a touchdown.”
The Bulldogs have started three new linebackers in the past two games. Those include two true freshmen in Gabe O’Neal and Titus Brown and the sophomore Culberson.
“I think it was the linebackers,” Croom said about the success of the MSU defense. “Culberson is the spark to everything we do. I think we hit them (Kentucky) very well. We did a better job of taking them out of the option than we did Vanderbilt.”
The Cats abandoned the option after running it four times for seven yards in the first quarter. The last two attempts each went for no gain.
“When we found out Boyd was going to play, we knew we had to stop the option,” said linebacker Clarence McDougal. “If we could stop the option first, then we could go from there.”
Boyd was pressured almost every time he dropped back to throw. His feet got him out of trouble a number of times. He ran for 54 yards, but was sacked three times.
“I am still focused,” the frustrated Kentucky quarterback said. “I’m just trying to get rhythm, but I cannot give up.”
The loss was Kentucky’s sixth in a row and drops the Cats to 1-7, including a winless mark in the conference.
The victories over Florida and Kentucky mark the first time MSU has had consecutive SEC wins since State beat Kentucky and Alabama in successive weeks in 2000.
The opening quarter was a nightmarish one for both passing games. Boyd threw for 15 yards in the first quarter while Conner completed two passes for minus-three yards. Both threw an interception.
The Bulldogs attempted a fake punt on their first series of the second quarter. On a fourth and four from the Kentucky 34 linebacker Brad Horton took the snap and lost a yard. The Cats could not capitalize on the mistake and were forced to punt.
When State’s drive stalled on the next series MSU punter Jared Cook booted a 61-yarder that pinned UK inside its own 12-yard line. Cook finished the game with a 44-yard average after averaging 55 last week.
“It’s great,” Croom said of Cook. “He’s getting it out of his hands quickly. He’s getting great hang time.”
Kentucky drove 52 yards on 10 plays after Cook’s 61-yarder, but the Cats came away empty handed when on fourth and nine Boyd’s pass went for a loss of one.
The Bulldogs then put together a nine-play, 48-yard drive, which was capped by Keith Andrews’ 33-yard field goal with just over a minute to play in the first half.
Conner finished the half three of nine for 17 yards, but the Dawgs out rushed UK 125 to 53 in the first half. Mississippi State’s defense allowed just 31 rushing yards in the second half and held UK to one touchdown, marking the first time the MSU defense held an SEC opponent to seven points since State beat Alabama 29-7 in 2000.
“It’s a good feeling,” MSU linebacker Clarence McDougal said. “After the game versus Florida, Coach Croom told us that it was a new season. We are 2-0 now.”
Conner was intercepted a second time midway through the third quarter. Kentucky linebacker Jon Sumrall snatched the tipped ball out of mid-air. The Wildcats took over at the MSU 49-yard line, but their drive stalled at the 35-yard line, forcing kicker Taylor Begley to attempt a 53-yard field goal that fell short of the cross bar.
Andrews added a field goal early in the fourth quarter to make the score 13-0. Andrews has made his last four field goals.
On their next possession, the Wildcats stormed down the field, but were stumped on a third and 10. The Cats lined up to punt, but for the second time in the game did not. UK punter Anthony Thornton completed a pass to a wide-open Roger Williams. Croom said his team was missing a player who was supposed to be covering Williams. That defender was hurt and did not tell anyone, Croom said.
“We messed up on the substitution,” Croom said. “The guy is sitting out there wide open. That was smart for them to do that.”
Kentucky’s drive ended in a controversial touchdown when Boyd’s knee appeared to touch the turf at the four-yard line, but he some how slithered his way into the end zone.
“All I can do is rant and rave. It doesn’t change anything,” Croom said when asked about the questionable call. “The replay on that scoreboard out there showed he was down.”
The Bulldog defense ended any chance of a Kentucky comeback when Titus Brown sacked Boyd in the end zone for a safety with 3:28 left in regulation.
“Somebody just came free,” Boyd said. “I was going to throw the ball away, but I realized I was still in the tackle box.”
After an onside kick by Kentucky MSU took over at the UK 32-yard line. On first down Reid made a great cutback to the left side of the field, found a gaping hole and barreled into the end zone for State’s only offensive touchdown.
“I told myself we were going to come out and play hard and just try to bet these guys,” Culberson said. “And that is what we did.”