State Posts 31-15 Win Over Gardner-Webb For Third Consecutive Win

Saturday, September 22

Starkville

6:00 p.m.

Mississippi State

3-1

Gardner-Webb

1-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Gardner-Webb

Mississippi State

State Posts 31-15 Win Over Gardner-Webb For Third Consecutive Win

September 22, 2007 | Football

Box Score

By: hailstate.com

? Official Statistics
? Official Statistics (PDF)
? Postgame Notes & Quotes (PDF)

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State won its third straight football game Saturday night, downing non-conference visitor Gardner-Webb 31-15 at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. It marks the first time since the 2000 season the Bulldogs have won three consecutive gridiron contests.

State (3-1) amassed 379 yards of total offense in the game, led by another solid rushing effort from running back Anthony Dixon. Dixon tallied 86 yards on 16 carries while scoring two of the Bulldogs' early touchdowns in the affair.

MSU scored on its opening possession, completing a 68-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown run by Dixon. On Gardner Webb's opening drive, De'Mon Glanton intercepted Devin Campbell's pass and returned it 60 yards for a touchdown and a 14-0 Bulldog advantage. Glanton's return marked the third consecutive week a Bulldog player had returned an interception for a touchdown on the opponents' opening drive.

About halfway through the second quarter, Josh Riddell came into the game for starting quarterback Wesley Carroll (both splitting time in place of the injured Michael Henig) and drove the Bulldogs down the field for another Dixon touchdown run, this one for 12 yards. On the next drive for State, Riddell threw his first career touchdown pass, hitting Tony Burks for a 30-yarder to give the Bulldogs a 28-0 lead at the intermission.

The Bulldog defense held the Running Bulldogs' option offense to only 64 yards in the first half.

Bulldog penalties and a stagnant offense helped GWU back into the game in the second half. MSU had nine penalties for 102 yards, and those penalties helped the Running Bulldogs get in good field position. However, they could not capitalize as the MSU defense only allowed one touchdown, a 6-yard Phillip Peoples scoring run, and forced three Evan Kay field goals.

The Bulldogs lone second-half points came from an Adam Carlson field goal. He had missed one earlier, the result of a bad hold.

In addition to Dixon's night, backup Christian Ducre' ran for an additional 52 of his own. Riddell ended the night 8-for-11 through the air with 124 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

On the defensive side of the ball, Gabe O'Neal led the way for the Bulldogs with 10 tackles. Titus Brown added two sacks and moved into eighth place on the school's career sack list.

State hits the road next Saturday, Sept. 29, travelling to meet SEC Eastern Division foe South Carolina in Columbia. Kickoff is slated for 11:30 a.m. CT and the contest will be televised by Lincoln Financial Sports. Gardner Webb returns home to host Austin Peay.