Run Game, Defense Lead Bulldogs To 23-9 Upset Of No. 8 Auburn

Saturday, October 6

Starkville

6:30 PM

Mississippi State

4-2 , 1-2

#8 Auburn

4-2 , 1-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Auburn

Mississippi State

Run Game, Defense Lead Bulldogs To 23-9 Upset Of No. 8 Auburn

October 06, 2018 | Football

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Postgame Notes & Quotes Photo Gallery VIDEO: Game Highlights VIDEO: Postgame Press Conference

by Caleb Garner, Graduate Assistant/Communications

STARKVILLE – A near-unstoppable ground game and a record-setting day by Nick Fitzgerald propelled Mississippi State back into the win column Saturday night, with the Bulldogs notching a 23-9 victory over No. 8 Auburn at Davis Wade Stadium.

The Bulldogs (4-2, 1-2 SEC) relied on a smash mouth approach to down the Tigers (4-2, 1-2), gashing AU on the ground for 349 yards led by Nick Fitzgerald's 195 that helped him pass Tim Tebow as the Southeastern Conference's all-time leading rusher among quarterbacks. Fitzgerald found the end zone for both of MSU's touchdowns on the night.

MSU also dominated time of possession, controlling the ball for 41 minutes, 53 seconds compared to Auburn's 18 minutes, seven seconds.

And, defensively, it was a bend-but-don't-break night for the Bulldogs, who limited Auburn to 304 yards of total offense and just three field goals, coming up big on many occasions, including holding the Tigers to just 4-of-17 on third- and fourth-down conversions combined.

After teams traded field goals for much of the first half, the Bulldogs found pay dirt first as time expired in the second quarter with a one-yard score on a Fitzgerald quarterback draw up the middle to give State a 13-3 lead at the half.

Jace Christmann added his third field goal of the contest with 6:55 left in the third to cap off a 13-play drive that lasted over eight minutes and gave the Bulldogs a commanding 16-3 advantage.

The Tigers would try to chip away at State's lead with an Anders Carlson kick to make it 16-6. Auburn looked to shrink the gap even further, threatening late in the third, but Mark McLaurin stripped a would-be Tiger touchdown out of the arms of Whitlow. Kobe Jones wrapped up the ball in the end zone for a touchback that ended the threat.

Carlson added his third field goal of the night with 11:24 remaining to cut MSU's lead to 16-9, hitting from 24 yards out. The Tigers would block an MSU field goal try on the ensuing drive and start in MSU territory after an MSU penalty on the play. But State's defense stood strong, holding AU to one first down on the drive and forced a turnover on downs.

On the next drive, Fitzgerald sealed the deal for the Maroon and White with his second score of the day, this one from 21 yards out with just over two minutes remaining to put State's lead up to a commanding 23-9.

McLaurin led the Bulldogs with 10 total tackles on the night, while Montez Sweat sacked Tiger signal-caller Jarrett Stidham three times, including one forced fumble. That sack total matched Sweat's career high set in the 2017 TaxSlayer Bowl win against Louisville.

Kylin Hill also eclipsed the 100-yard mark on Saturday, scampering for 126 yards on 23 attempts.

Next Up For MSU …
The Bulldogs will enjoy an off week next Saturday before returning to SEC action Saturday, Oct. 20, at No. 5 LSU (5-1, 2-1 SEC). It will be the 112th meeting between the Bulldogs and Tigers all-time. Game time and broadcast information is expected to be announced Monday.

10 Notables From MSU's Win Over Auburn …

Run, Dawgs, Run

The Bulldogs put on a clinic running the football Saturday, rushing for 349 yards on 57 carries. That total was the most gained by a Bulldog offense against an SEC foe since running for 457 in the 2016 Egg Bowl win at Ole Miss. State ran for 384 against Kansas State on Sept. 8.

Fitzgerald led the charge that featured a pair of 100-yard rushers with 195 yards on 28 attempts with two scores. Not far behind him was sophomore sensation Kylin Hill, who dashed for 126 on 23 carries.

Fitzgerald Breaks Tebow's Record

With a 39-yard run in the fourth quarter, Nick Fitzgerald became the SEC's all-time leading rusher among quarterbacks, passing Tim Tebow's mark of 2,947. Fitzgerald is now just one yard shy of 3,000 total rushing yards, as he passed Bulldog great Walter Packer for third all-time in program history in rushing.

Controlling the Clock

MSU dominated the Tigers in time-of-possession on Saturday, holding possession for 41 minutes, 53 seconds. Auburn, on the other hand, only had control of the ball for just over 18 minutes.

Third (Down's) A Charm

The Bulldogs' success was partly due to its ability to convert on third downs, keeping their drives alive by converting 7-of-17 on third downs. On fourth downs, State was 1-of-2. Auburn, on the other hand, converted just three of their 14 third-down opportunities.

Top-10 Wins

State notched its first top-10 victory since downing No. 6 Texas A&M, 35-28 on Nov. 5, 2016 at Davis Wade Stadium. The 14-point victory is also the most lopsided win by the Bulldogs against a top-10 team since defeating No. 2 Auburn, 38-23 in 2014.

Turnovers, Anyone?

The Bulldogs tallied a pair of fumble recoveries on Saturday—the most since recovering two at Auburn in 2017. Auburn also turned the ball over on downs three times against the stingy MSU defense.

Joel Baldwin notched his first career fumble recovery, while Kobe Jones' third-quarter takeaway in the end zone for a touchback preserved State's lead.

Sweat Causes Problems In Backfield

State's talented edge rusher Montez Sweat tied his career high for sacks in a game with three, while also being credited for a pair of hurries on Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham.

Dawg Defense Continues To Stand Strong

The Bulldogs' defense held the Tigers to just nine points on Saturday, marking the fifth time this season State has held opponents to 14 points or less, which leads the FBS.

Red Zone Efficiency

The Maroon and White was once again strong inside the 20, converting three of its four opportunities inside the Auburn red zone. MSU's defense also continued to keep its opponents out of the end zone, with both of Auburn's red-zone conversions coming via the field goal.

Ball Security Continues For Bulldog Ball-Carriers

MSU rushers continued to hold onto the football, with Aeris Williams now at 130 consecutive carries without losing control of the ball, and an even more impressive 436 without a lost fumble.

Nick Fitzgerald has not lost a fumble in 401 carries, while not fumbling in 122. Kylin Hill, on the other hand, has yet to lose a fumble in his Bulldog career (126 consecutive carries)

Quotable …
"To me, what is fun is going out there and dominating. Both offensive and defensive lines, I feel like they had their way with [Auburn] tonight, and it was just amazing to watch and awesome to be a part of. Huge props go to my five guys up front—they gave us an opportunity [to win]. I told them before the game, 'If you guys win, then we're going to win.' That's exactly what they did." – Nick Fitzgerald