MSU comes undone in fourth quarter
STARKVILLE, Miss. — This has been a disappointing season for Dan Mullen and Missisippi State.
But the Bulldogs' third-year coach believes his team is a lot closer to reaching its aspirations than a 3-4 mark and 0-4 start to Southeastern Conference play suggests.
"For our guys, we're not far off from where we want to be," said Mullen after the Bulldogs' 14-12 loss here to South Carolina. "That final step is a tough one. We have to take that final step to get over the hump and become a top-10 or top-15 team. I don't see us very far off as a team."
MSU had a fourth quarter lead against a top-15 team in the No. 15 Gamecocks. But that 10-7 advantage became a 14-10 deficit when Connor Shaw hit Alshon Jeffery for a game-winning touchdown pass with 3:50 left in regulation. The Bulldogs got the ball to the USC 32 on the ensuing drive, but D.J. Swearinger's interception of MSU quarterback Tyler Russell sealed the Bulldogs' fate.
"We have to finish these games out and find a way to make the big play to win the game when the game is on the line in the fourth quarter," Mullen said. "We have to make sure as coaches we're putting our guys in a position to do that, and we can continue to coach and continue to develop them and continue to get better. There's a lot of football still left in this season."
MSU's schedule lightens a bit over the next two weeks, as the Bulldogs will travel to Kentucky on Oct. 29 after a bye week before returning to Davis Wade Stadium to play Tennessee Martin a week before No. 2 Alabama comes to Starkville, providing the 'Dogs with another chance to make a statement.
"We have to take the next step," said tailback Vick Ballard. "That is hard, but we have to make that leap."
Russell starts: After much discussion as to who Mississippi State's starting quarterback would be, Russell started and lasted the whole game despite taking several big hits. Chris Relf, who started the season as the Bulldogs' top quarterback before being benched against UAB, did not play. Third-string quarterback Dylan Favre, nephew of NFL legend Brett Favre, attempted a pass on a trick play from receiver.
Six in a row: The Gamecocks have now won six straight games against MSU and lead the all-time series 8-6. USC's streak began in 2000 with a 23-19 win over the Bulldogs.
Spurrier hits 50: Saturday's win was Steve Spurrier's 50th at Carolina. Only Rex Enright (64) has more career wins at the school. The Gamecocks are now 50-34 under Spurrier.
New poll standings: The Gamecocks moved up a spot to No. 14 in the Associated Press poll and No. 12 in the USA Today coaches' poll on Sunday.