Saturday, September 21
Starkville
3:00 PM
Mississippi State
3-1 , 1-0
28
vs
13
Kentucky
2-2 , 0-2
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Kentucky
3
0
7
3
13
Mississippi State
7
14
0
7
28
Kylin Hill eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the fourth time in as many games this season, while also scoring a career-high three times on the ground for the Bulldogs in Saturday's win over the Wildcats.
State Ousts Wildcats, 28-13, In First SEC Game Of 2019
September 21, 2019 | Football
by Mikaela Elizondo, Graduate Assistant/Communications
STARKVILLE – True freshman quarterback Garrett Shrader and junior running back Kylin Hill propelled Mississippi State back into the win column as the Bulldogs led wire-to-wire in a convincing 28-13 victory over Kentucky during Saturday's SEC opener at Davis Wade Stadium.
The Bulldogs (3-1, 1-0 SEC) captured their SEC opener for the third time in the last four seasons. Mississippi State has won 10 of its last 13 meetings over the Wildcats (2-2, 0-2 SEC) and extended its winning streak to five consecutive games over Kentucky in Starkville since 2010.
"We said heading into the game it was going to take poise, passion and precision," head coach Joe Moorhead said. "We certainly saw a lot of it. At times, little left to be desired than others. At the end of the day, it was the complementary offense, defense and the special teams game, and it was good enough to win. We knew heading into this season we are going to have to fight, scratch, claw and do whatever we need to do to go 1-0 on a weekly basis. We challenged the kids on Sunday; they responded. I am very proud."
Shrader fueled MSU's offensive attack as he registered 180 yards through the air and completed 17 of his 22 attempts. He also amassed 125 rushing yards on 11 carries. Shrader is the first true freshman quarterback to start for the Bulldogs during a regular season game since Damian Williams against Ole Miss in 2013.
Hill racked up 120 yards on the ground and accounted for a career-high three touchdowns as State outrushed Kentucky by a 241-154 margin. Hill has opened the season with four-straight 100+ yard games and is the only MSU player to accomplish the feat since at least 1990.
It only took 1:25 for State to grasp the lead, one that they would maintain for the remainder of the game. Willie Gay Jr. hauled in an interception from 52 yards out marking the State's first defensive touchdown since J.T. Gray's 58-yard pick-six against UMass on Nov. 3, 2017.
State has collected an interception in 15 of its last 17 games and totaled 17 interceptions during that stretch. Entering the contest, MSU had posted an SEC-leading 10 takeaways.
Kentucky responded when Chance Poore connected on a 40-yard field goal to bring the score to 7-3 at the end of the first quarter. Hill found paydirt for back-to-back scores during the second quarter which allowed State to enter halftime with a 21-3 advantage.
UK's Kavosiey Smoke plunged into the endzone from two-yards out, and Matt Ruffolo's 29-yard field goal cut MSU's advantage to 21-13 early in the fourth.
On third down and four with 3:48 on the clock, Shrader called his own number for a key conversation as he raced for a game-long 49-yard scamper to the Kentucky 20-yard line. Three plays later, Hill salted the game away with his third score of the game for the Maroon and White.
C.J. Morgan led the Bulldogs' defense with a career-high nine tackles and career-best two pass breakups. Fletcher Adams, Chauncey Rivers and Tim Washington each recorded a sack as Mississippi State has collected at least one sack in 26 consecutive games.
State now hits the road for only the second time this season, and the first in SEC play, as the Bulldogs travel to meet No. 8 Auburn (4-0, 1-0 SEC) on the Plains on Sept. 28. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m CT and the contest will be televised nationally by ESPN.
For more information on the Bulldogs, follow MSU football on its social media platforms by searching for "HailStateFB" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
STARKVILLE – True freshman quarterback Garrett Shrader and junior running back Kylin Hill propelled Mississippi State back into the win column as the Bulldogs led wire-to-wire in a convincing 28-13 victory over Kentucky during Saturday's SEC opener at Davis Wade Stadium.
The Bulldogs (3-1, 1-0 SEC) captured their SEC opener for the third time in the last four seasons. Mississippi State has won 10 of its last 13 meetings over the Wildcats (2-2, 0-2 SEC) and extended its winning streak to five consecutive games over Kentucky in Starkville since 2010.
"We said heading into the game it was going to take poise, passion and precision," head coach Joe Moorhead said. "We certainly saw a lot of it. At times, little left to be desired than others. At the end of the day, it was the complementary offense, defense and the special teams game, and it was good enough to win. We knew heading into this season we are going to have to fight, scratch, claw and do whatever we need to do to go 1-0 on a weekly basis. We challenged the kids on Sunday; they responded. I am very proud."
Shrader fueled MSU's offensive attack as he registered 180 yards through the air and completed 17 of his 22 attempts. He also amassed 125 rushing yards on 11 carries. Shrader is the first true freshman quarterback to start for the Bulldogs during a regular season game since Damian Williams against Ole Miss in 2013.
Hill racked up 120 yards on the ground and accounted for a career-high three touchdowns as State outrushed Kentucky by a 241-154 margin. Hill has opened the season with four-straight 100+ yard games and is the only MSU player to accomplish the feat since at least 1990.
It only took 1:25 for State to grasp the lead, one that they would maintain for the remainder of the game. Willie Gay Jr. hauled in an interception from 52 yards out marking the State's first defensive touchdown since J.T. Gray's 58-yard pick-six against UMass on Nov. 3, 2017.
State has collected an interception in 15 of its last 17 games and totaled 17 interceptions during that stretch. Entering the contest, MSU had posted an SEC-leading 10 takeaways.
Kentucky responded when Chance Poore connected on a 40-yard field goal to bring the score to 7-3 at the end of the first quarter. Hill found paydirt for back-to-back scores during the second quarter which allowed State to enter halftime with a 21-3 advantage.
UK's Kavosiey Smoke plunged into the endzone from two-yards out, and Matt Ruffolo's 29-yard field goal cut MSU's advantage to 21-13 early in the fourth.
On third down and four with 3:48 on the clock, Shrader called his own number for a key conversation as he raced for a game-long 49-yard scamper to the Kentucky 20-yard line. Three plays later, Hill salted the game away with his third score of the game for the Maroon and White.
C.J. Morgan led the Bulldogs' defense with a career-high nine tackles and career-best two pass breakups. Fletcher Adams, Chauncey Rivers and Tim Washington each recorded a sack as Mississippi State has collected at least one sack in 26 consecutive games.
State now hits the road for only the second time this season, and the first in SEC play, as the Bulldogs travel to meet No. 8 Auburn (4-0, 1-0 SEC) on the Plains on Sept. 28. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m CT and the contest will be televised nationally by ESPN.
For more information on the Bulldogs, follow MSU football on its social media platforms by searching for "HailStateFB" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Team Stats
UK
MS
Total Yards
386
421
Pass Yards
232
180
Rushing Yards
154
241
Penalty Yards
40
45
1st Downs
21
22
3rd Downs
1
6
4th Downs
3
0
TOP
26:54
33:06
1st Quarter
UK 0, MS 7
MS - Willie Gay Jr. 52 yd interception (Jace Christmann kick)
UK 3, MS 7
UK - Chance Poore 40 yd field goal 10 plays, 58 yards, TOP 4:22
2nd Quarter
UK 3, MS 14
MS - Kylin Hill 12 yd run (Jace Christmann kick), 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 4:25
UK 3, MS 21
MS - Kylin Hill 2 yd run (Jace Christmann kick), 10 plays, 80 yards, TOP 5:51
3rd Quarter
UK 10, MS 21
UK - Kavosiey Smoke 2 yd run (Chance Poore kick), 11 plays, 80 yards, TOP 3:40
4th Quarter
UK 13, MS 21
UK - Matt Ruffolo 29 yd field goal 11 plays, 55 yards, TOP 4:32
UK 13, MS 28
MS - Kylin Hill 1 yd run (Jace Christmann kick), 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:00
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
17
TD
0
YDS
180
INT
1
Players Mentioned
DE
/ Football
LB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
S
/ Football
DE
/ FootballQB
/ Football
LB
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