Final
Dixon helps Mississippi State beat Kentucky 31-24
Nov 1, 2009 - 1:45 AM By JEFFREY McMURRAY Associated Press WriterLEXINGTON, Ky.(AP) -- Anthony Dixon rushed for two touchdowns and a school-record 252 yards as Mississippi State kept its bowl hopes alive by outlasting Kentucky 31-24 on Saturday night.
Dixon broke Jerious Norwood's single-game record of 247 yards just two weeks after he surpassed Norwood's career rushing mark of 3,212 yards. Norwood set the one-game record in 2005 against Houston.
Mississippi State (4-5, 2-3 Southeastern Conference) won its second straight matchup in Lexington against the Wildcats (4-4, 1-4), who defeated the Bulldogs last year in Starkville.
Dixon scored his second touchdown from 3 yards out with a minute left in the third quarter to give the Bulldogs their winning margin.
Kentucky freshman quarterback Morgan Newton led the Wildcats inside the 20 in an attempt to tie, but turned the ball over on downs with 1 minute to go.
Dixon was already the Bulldogs' all-time leader in attempts, touchdowns and 100-yard games, and came into the game 15th in SEC history in rushing.
Kentucky led 14-3 early, but the Bulldogs never let the Wildcats maintain momentum, answering big plays with bigger ones of their own.
Dixon's first score, a 1-yard plunge, was set up by a 53-yard sprint by Chris Relf, who briefly relieved struggling Tyson Lee at quarterback in the first half. Dixon got 116 of his record yardage before halftime.
After Randall Cobb put the Wildcats up by a touchdown in the third quarter by scoring from 3 yards on a direct snap, Lee turned in the longest play of the game two snaps later. He found O'Neal Wilder sprinting down the center of the field and hit him in stride for a 67-yard touchdown, tying the score at 24.
Newton, starting just his third game for Kentucky, had no plays of that length but displayed the most poise of his brief career, three times completing passes on third-and-long. The first two led to scoring drives, but the third was in Kentucky's final drive, which fell short.
Newton scored once with his legs, dragging multiple defenders with him and running it in from 11 yards out. Earlier, Derrick Locke gave the Wildcats a 7-3 lead by scampering 10 yards into the end zone, largely untouched.
Mississippi State had plenty of chances early - including one drive where the Bulldogs advanced to the Kentucky 2. However, on fourth-and-goal, Lee's pass was picked off by Sam Maxwell to end the threat. He threw another interception - this one by Randall Burden - on his next pass, sparking the brief change to Relf.
Kentucky led 17-10 at halftime on a 38-yard field goal by Lones Seiber. Cobb gave the Wildcats an opportunity to tack on those points with a 46-yard punt return.
It was just the second punt return of the half for the Wildcats, and the first appeared to be even bigger as Gene McCaskill tiptoed the sideline and sprinted toward the end zone. However, Kentucky was forced to start the drive near midfield when officials ruled he was pushed out of bounds.
The Wildcats quickly gave up the ball. Newton threw a backward pass intended for Cobb that was instead picked up by Chris White.
Mississippi State flipped field position with a 37-yard run by Dixon, setting up a 33-yard field goal by Derek DePasquale for the first points of the game.
- 51
roots - NCAAF
MISSSTATE 31
KENTUCKY 24 0:00 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Oct 31 9:38 PM
TD MISSISSIPPI ST ANTHONY DIXON 3 YD RUN (DEREK DEPASQUALE KICK)
Mississippi State 31, Kentucky 24 3rd - 0:59Oct 31 9:32 PM
TD MISSISSIPPI ST ANTHONY DIXON 3 YD RUN (DEREK DEPASQUALE KICK)
Mississippi State 31, Kentucky 24 3rd - 0:59Oct 31 9:32 PM- NCAAF
MISSSTATE 31
KENTUCKY 24 0:59 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Mississippi State 31, Kentucky 24 3rd - 0:59Oct 31 9:32 PM
TD MISSISSIPPI ST O'NEAL WILDER 67 YD PASS FROM TYSON LEE (DEREK DEPASQUALE KICK)
Mississippi State 24, Kentucky 24 3rd - 6:56Oct 31 9:21 PM
TD MISSISSIPPI ST O'NEAL WILDER 67 YD PASS FROM TYSON LEE (DEREK DEPASQUALE KICK)
Mississippi State 24, Kentucky 24 3rd - 6:56Oct 31 9:21 PM
TD MISSISSIPPI ST O'NEAL WILDER 67 YD PASS FROM TYSON LEE (DEREK DEPASQUALE KICK)
Mississippi State 24, Kentucky 24 3rd - 6:56Oct 31 9:21 PM- NCAAF
MISSSTATE 24
KENTUCKY 24 6:56 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Mississippi State 24, Kentucky 24 3rd - 6:56Oct 31 9:21 PM
TD KENTUCKY RANDALL COBB 3 YD RUN (LONES SEIBER KICK)
Mississippi State 17, Kentucky 24 3rd - 7:49Oct 31 9:15 PM
TD KENTUCKY RANDALL COBB 3 YD RUN (LONES SEIBER KICK)
Mississippi State 17, Kentucky 24 3rd - 7:49Oct 31 9:15 PM- NCAAF
MISSSTATE 17
KENTUCKY 24 7:49 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Mississippi State 17, Kentucky 24 3rd - 7:49Oct 31 9:15 PM - NCAAF FINAL
1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
MISSSTATE 3 7 21 0 31
KENTUCKY 7 10 7 0 24 FINAL
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: MISSISSIPP - FG, DEREK DEPASQUALE 33 YD,
10:37. MISSSTATE 3-0
KENTUCKY - TD, DERRICK LOCKE 10 YD RUN
(LONES SEIBER KICK), 13:32.
KENTUCKY 7-3
2ND QUARTER: KENTUCKY - TD, MORGAN NEWTON 1
Oct 31 9:13 PM - NCAAF
MISSSTATE 31
KENTUCKY 24 0:00 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Oct 31 9:13 PM
TD MISSISSIPPI ST CHRISTIAN DUCRE 2 YD RUN (DEREK DEPASQUALE KICK)
Mississippi State 17, Kentucky 17 3rd - 11:48Oct 31 8:59 PM
TD MISSISSIPPI ST CHRISTIAN DUCRE 2 YD RUN (DEREK DEPASQUALE KICK)
Mississippi State 17, Kentucky 17 3rd - 11:48Oct 31 8:59 PM- NCAAF
MISSSTATE 17
KENTUCKY 17 11:48 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Mississippi State 17, Kentucky 17 3rd - 11:48Oct 31 8:59 PM
TD MISSISSIPPI ST ANTHONY DIXON 1 YD RUN (DEREK DEPASQUALE KICK)
Mississippi State 10, Kentucky 14 2nd - 3:43Oct 31 8:17 PM
TD MISSISSIPPI ST ANTHONY DIXON 1 YD RUN (DEREK DEPASQUALE KICK)
Mississippi State 10, Kentucky 14 2nd - 3:43Oct 31 8:17 PM- NCAAF
MISSSTATE 10
KENTUCKY 14 3:43 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Mississippi State 10, Kentucky 14 2nd - 3:43Oct 31 8:17 PM
TD KENTUCKY MORGAN NEWTON 11 YD RUN (LONES SEIBER KICK)
Mississippi State 3, Kentucky 14 2nd - 5:16Oct 31 8:09 PM
TD KENTUCKY MORGAN NEWTON 11 YD RUN (LONES SEIBER KICK)
Mississippi State 3, Kentucky 14 2nd - 5:16Oct 31 8:09 PM- NCAAF
MISSSTATE 3
KENTUCKY 14 5:16 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Mississippi State 3, Kentucky 14 2nd - 5:16Oct 31 8:09 PM - NCAAF
MISSSTATE 3
KENTUCKY 7 0:00 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Oct 31 7:47 PM
TD KENTUCKY DERRICK LOCKE 10 YD RUN (WILL FIDLER KICK)
Mississippi State 3, Kentucky 7 1st - 1:28Oct 31 7:43 PM
TD KENTUCKY DERRICK LOCKE 10 YD RUN (WILL FIDLER KICK)
Mississippi State 3, Kentucky 7 1st - 1:28Oct 31 7:43 PM- NCAAF
MISSSTATE 3
KENTUCKY 7 1:28 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Mississippi State 3, Kentucky 7 1st - 1:28Oct 31 7:43 PM - NCAAF
MISSSTATE 3
KENTUCKY 0 4:23 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Mississippi State 3, Kentucky 0 1st - 4:23Oct 31 7:34 PM
Related News
- Kentucky RB signee Jason Patterson on his goals with the Wildcats Dec 23
- John Calipari and Wildcats recap Louisville Dec 22
- Antonio Reeves, Reed Sheppard, and Kentucky set records in beatdown of Cards Dec 21
- Mark Stoops and John Calipari complete latest sweep of Louisville Dec 21
- Vince Marrow calls out Scott Satterfield while praising Jeff Brohm Dec 21
- JJ Weaver returning to Kentucky for final season Dec 21
- Bleav in Kentucky talks UNC win, National Signing Day, Louisville, and more Dec 21
- DeCarlos Nicholson commits to USC Dec 20
- Mark Stoops and Vince Marrow recap Kentucky’s 2024 signing class Dec 20
- Jalen Farmer commits to Kentucky Dec 20
- Cutter Boley officially signs with the Kentucky Dec 20
- Jamon Dumas-Johnson commits to Kentucky Dec 20