Bulldogs Rally Bites Ole Miss
The sound of Scott Westerfield's shoe smacking the ball echoed throughout the near-silent stadium.
An instant later the noise level rose sharply as the ball sailed through the uprights to give No. 18 Mississippi State a 23-20 victory over No. 23 Mississippi on Thursday night.
Westerfield's 44-yard field goal with four seconds left capped a thrilling comeback that saw the Bulldogs rally with 17 fourth-quarter points.
"We always feel like we have a chance to win if we have time," Mississippi State coach Jackie Sherrill said.
After the game, thousands of State fans poured onto the field and tore down the goalpost that Westerfield sent his second game-winner of the season through. Minutes later, they toppled the goalpost at the other end of the field.
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Mississippi State quarterback Wayne Madkin took the Bulldogs 88 yards, throwing a 38-yard touchdown pass to C.J. Sirmones to tie it at 20 with 27 seconds left. Then, Eugene Clinton intercepted Romaro Miller's pass and returned the ball 27 yards to set up Westerfield's kick.
It's the third time in school history that Mississippi State (9-2, 6-2 Southeastern Conference) has won nine games, and the second straight year it has won six conference games.
Mississippi (7-4, 4-4) used a strong rushing game by Deuce McAllister, who gained 134 yards on 36 carries, to eat up the clock
holding the ball 36:37 to Mississippi State's 23:23. But could not hold off the Bulldogs in the closing minutes.
Mississippi State, which entered the game ranked first in the nation in total defense and first in run defense, allowing just 60.5 per game, allowed Ole Miss rush for 63 in the first half.
Mississippi dominated the first quarter, holding the ball for 12:26, running 23 plays for 116 yards while the Mississippi State offense managed just five plays for 13 yards.
But for all of the Rebes ability to grind out yards and eat up minutes, they go no closer to the end zone than the Bulldogs 26. Five penalties and two fumbles helped stall them.
Ole Miss had 13 penalties, lost two fumbles and Miller was intercepted twice.
"We made more mistakes than we did in out last six football games put together," Mississippi coach David Cutcliffe said. "Our focus and our concentration was not what it should be for a team that's playing in its 11th game."
After three quick plays by State in the second quarter, the Rebels needed just two plays, an offsides penalty against the Bulldogs and 57 seconds to go up 7-0. Miller hit Maurice Flournoy with a 30-yard touchdown pass. Less than four minuets later Ole Miss was up 10-0 on Les Binkley's 32-yard field goal.
Mississippi State cut the lead to 10-6 when Dicenzo Miller rumbled 29 yards to score.
Binkley's 49-yard field goal gave Ole Miss a 13-6, and Ronnie Heard's interception with eight seconds left in the first half made it stand up.
Ole Miss stretched its lead to 20-6 in the third quarter when Miller hit tight end Adam Bettis with a 6-yard touchdown pass.
But in the fourth quarter Madkin, who completed 20 of 33 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns, found his own tight end, tossing 5 yard to Donald Lee to cut the Rebels' lead to 20-13.
Miller, who was held out of practice this week after spraining his right ankle Saturday against Georgia, completed 13 of 27 for 150 yards and two touchdowns.
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