QUICK RECAP: Bulldogs end seven-game skid with 45-20 victory over UMass
Following two months’ worth of losses, Mississippi State found pay dirt once again.
A Bulldog team that has been close at times this year finally found a way to put together four quarters of football again and get a victory. Michael Van Buren Jr. accounted for three touchdowns and led the Bulldogs back from an early deficit in a 45-20 win over Massachusetts on Saturday.
“Just a happy locker room,” head coach Jeff Lebby said. “Could not be more proud of our togetherness, the team we are creating, the foundation that’s being built. For those guys, being able to feel victory is important so proud of that.”
Mississippi State answered a 10-0 start to the game by UMass by scoring 35 consecutive points in the second and third quarters.
After the Bulldogs surrendered over 100 yards on the first two drives and had negative nine offensively, Mississippi State would hold UMass scoreless on five straight drives while scoring touchdowns to cap five of its six possessions.
A six-play, 97-yard drive midway through the second quarter helped Mississippi State get the lead for the first time. A 35-yard run by Johnnie Daniels started the drive and Seydou Traore finished it with a 19-yard touchdown reception.
Van Buren finished the night 14 of 25 for 222 yards and a touchdown and added two touchdowns on the ground. He led an offense that had 463 total yards with 241 of those coming on the ground on 30 carries.
It was the first win for freshman Van Buren as the quarterback after taking over for senior Blake Shapen when the starter went down with a season-ending injury during the Florida game back on September 21.
“I’m just playing calm and playing my game. Coach Leb never lets me get too high or too low. He’s always going to challenge me and make me get better in all aspects. We don’t try to get better at one specific thing, just trying to get better at being a quarterback.”
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Daniels had six carries for 92 yards and a touchdown, Davon Booth rushed 11 times for 76 yards and a score and freshman Xavier Gayten had two carries with a 72-yard score.
Jordan Mosley finished with four catches for 107 yards for the Bulldogs.
UMass (2-7) had 335 total yards with 199 on the ground. The Minutemen were 9 of 17 on 3rd downs and had a time of possession of 40:49 but committed nine penalties for 99 yards.
Brandon Campbell had 10 carries for 64 yards and a score to lead the way for the Minutemen.
Stone Blanton had 14 tackles for the Bulldogs (2-7) on defense while Nic Mitchell finished with 10 tackles. Brylan Lanier had an interception.
The win finally got State back on the right side of things, but the Bulldogs are back into SEC play next week with another tremendous challenge. State will go to No. 7 Tennessee on Saturday night at Neyland Stadium and try to spring the upset.
For a day or so, however, the Bulldogs will celebrate finally getting back on track.
“Certainly, proud of how we came back. The way that we started was not what we wanted at all on both sides of the ball,” Lebby said. “I was incredibly proud of our guys continuing to play the next play and create some momentum and then keep momentum.”
