Mississippi State
2-1 , 1-1
Auburn
1-2 , 0-1
Bulldogs Notch 19-14 Upset Victory Over Auburn On The Plains
September 15, 2007 | Football
? Official Statistics
? Official Statistics (PDF)
? Postgame Notes & Quotes (PDF)
AUBURN, Ala. - An interception that led to a mid-fourth-quarter drive by Mississippi State (2-1, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) proved to be the difference in the Bulldogs' 19-14 upset win at Auburn (1-2, 0-1) Saturday afternoon on the Plains. The win broke AU's six-game win streak in the series, MSU's last victory over the Tigers coming in 2000 in Starkville.
After Blake McAdams' 73-yard punt had pinned Auburn deep in its own territory, Demario Bobo's first career interception of a tipped Tiger pass at the AU 44-yard line would set up an MSU drive that was the only scoring play of the second half. State drove the 44 yards on 10 plays and finished it with a 5-yard Christian Ducre rush with 5:29 to go in regulation. The two-point conversion failed. Ducre had an 18-yard rush earlier on the drive on a third-and-12 draw play from the Auburn 25.
Neither team had mounted much momentum in the second half of action before the MSU score, trading short drives back and forth throughout. The only other possessions of significance in the half were Auburn's first and last of the half. AU took the ball to open the third quarter and went 60 yards to the MSU 16 before fumbling the ball away.
On its last attempt of the game, to try and answer MSU's score, Auburn starting quarterback Brandon Cox returned to the field after being benched early on in favor of backup Kodi Burns. Cox quickly moved Auburn down the field 67 yards on 12 plays - to the Bulldog 9 - before State's defense stood strong, finally watching a last-minute, fourth down attempt fall incomplete in the end zone.
"It's a 60-minute ballgame and we worked on understanding that all week," MSU head coach Sylvester Croom said. "We felt like if we played one play at a time for 60 minutes, we would have a chance to win, and we did. I couldn't be more proud of our players for this effort."
Highlighting the day statistically for MSU was running back Anthony Dixon, who posted his fourth career 100-yard game, rambling for 103 yards on 29 carries. Dominic Douglas led the MSU defensive effort with nine tackles.
State opened the game strong, building a 13-0 lead through a quarter-and-a-half, only to see Auburn score twice in the latter part of the first half to lead 14-13 at the intermission.
MSU took the opening drive of the day and went 58 yards on 12 plays before being halted by the AU defense. Adam Carlson was then true on a 32-yard field goal to give the Bulldogs an early 3-0 lead. Bulldog starting quarterback Michael Henig suffered a broken bone in his throwing hand on the drive and never returned. Reserves Wesley Carroll and Josh Riddell would split time under center for State the remainder of the afternoon.
On the second play of the ensuing Tiger possession, Bulldog Derek Pegues intercepted a tipped Cox pass and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown. Carlson's extra point made the State lead 10-0 just 6:24 into the contest.
After the teams went scoreless the remainder of the first quarter, the Bulldogs added to their lead early in the second period with a Carlson 30-yarder, the result of an AU fumble forced by an 11-yard sack from State's De'Mon Glanton.
But Auburn would get things cranked up late in the half under the direction of the option-style, signal-caller Burns, scoring twice in the final 4:18. He led the Tigers on a 5-play, 54-yard drive - capped by a 28-yard rumble by Ben Tate - to trim the MSU lead to 13-7. Ben Tate and Burns were Auburn's leading rushers with 91 and 87 yards, respectively.
State then handed AU a golden opportunity when Pegues fumbled the ensuing kickoff at the MSU 30. Seven plays later, Burns dove in from a yard out to give the Tigers their 14-13 halftime lead.
MSU returns home next Saturday to host Gardner-Webb University. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. CT at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field.
Team Stats
MS 3, AU 0
MS - Adam Carlson 32 yd field goal 12 plays, 58 yards, TOP 5:41
MS 10, AU 0
MS - Derek Pegues 20 yd interception (Adam Carlson kick)
MS 13, AU 0
MS - Adam Carlson 30 yd field goal 12 plays, 54 yards, TOP 4:29
MS 13, AU 7
AU - Ben Tate 28 yd run (Wes Byrum kick), 5 plays, 54 yards, TOP 2:45
MS 13, AU 14
AU - Kodi Burns 1 yd run (Wes Byrum kick), 7 plays, 30 yards, TOP 3:42
MS 19, AU 14
MS - Christian Ducre 5 yd run (Wesley Carroll passfailed), 10 plays, 44 yards, TOP 5:15
