State Comes Up Clutch To Top Arkansas

Saturday, November 1

Fayetteville, Ark.

3:00 p.m.

Mississippi State

5-4 , 1-4

Arkansas

2-7 , 0-5

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Mississippi St.

Arkansas

State Comes Up Clutch To Top Arkansas

November 01, 2025 | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

Bulldogs win 38-35 over the Razorbacks.

By: Kellen Walker, Student Writer

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Mississippi State's 17-point fourth quarter lifted the Bulldogs over Arkansas in a 38-35 thriller on Saturday afternoon in Fayetteville.

With 48 seconds left in regulation, quarterback Blake Shapen found receiver Anthony Evans III in the flat on a fourth-down play. Evans III then broke a tackle to spring free for an 18-yard touchdown to give State the 38-35 advantage that the MSU defense was able to preserve.

For the game, Shapen passed for 242 yards and two touchdowns. His teammate and fellow quarterback, Kamario Taylor, turned in 40 passing yards for a touchdown along with 55 rushing yards and a score, all coming in the second half.

Receivers Brenen Thompson and Evans III finished the game with 218 combined receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Defensively, safety Isaac Smith led State with 11 total tackles and a pass breakup. Nic Mitchell also turned in 10 tackles with a sack.

The Bulldogs drew first blood in the contest when Shapen hit running back Davon Booth in the backfield on third-and-goal. Booth then made a defender miss and won the race to the end zone, giving State a 7-0 edge at the 7:06 mark of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Arkansas struck for 13 straight points over three possessions to steal a 13-7 lead going into halftime.

The second half began with Taylor entering at quarterbacks after Shapen was shaken up following an Arkansas roughing the passer penalty.

Following two quarterback keepers for 13 yards, Taylor tossed a 45-yard strike to Evans III for a game-tying touchdown before kicker Kyle Ferrie put State on top, 14-13, at the 13:43 mark of the third quarter.

The Razorbacks responded with a touchdown at the 9:23 mark and then another at the 6:18 mark. A successful two-point conversion extended Arkansas's lead to 28-14.

On State's following possession, Taylor took a quarterback keeper up the middle for a 20-yard touchdown to cut MSU's deficit to 28-21 with 4:49 left in the third.

Shapen re-entered the game on State's following possession, but a tipped pass led to an interception to set Arkansas up in State territory going into the fourth quarter.

The Razorbacks began the last period with another touchdown to regain a 14-point lead, 35-21, with 13:43 left in regulation. Shapen and the Bulldogs responded again though when Booth found paydirt from two yards out to pull MSU within a touchdown at 35-28.

The Bulldog defense came up with a big stop to bring the offense back out, and Ferrie ultimately nailed a 46-yard field goal to make the score 35-31 with 5:07 to play.

State's defense stood strong and forced a three and out, giving the Bulldogs possession at their own 31-yard line with 3:08 left. State then had to convert a pair of fourth-down plays leading up to the eventual win.

First, Shapen dropped a dime to receiver Brenen Thompson to set MSU up at the Razorbacks' 34-yard line. That helped set up the fourth down in which Evans III scored the game winner.

Next Up For MSU…

Mississippi State hosts Georgia on Saturday, November 8 at Davis Wade Stadium. Kickoff is set for 11:00 a.m. CT. The game will be televised by either ESPN or ABC.