MISSISSIPPI STATE 38, AUBURN 21
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) - Robert Bean blocked a punt and returned
it 23 yards for a touchdown and his interception return set up a
field goal as Mississippi State beat Auburn 38-21 Saturday.
Mississippi State's special teams scored twice and set up a
touchdown, and Bean's interception was one of two that led to
scores for the Bulldogs (4-1), who are 3-0 in the Southeastern
Conference for the first time since 1981.
Despite combining for 59 points, Mississippi State and Auburn
(1-4, 1-3 SEC) were both ineffective offensively. The Bulldogs
had just 253 yards, the Tigers 211.
Blocked punts and Bean's interception fueled a 24-point outburst
by Mississippi State in the third quarter that broke a 7-7
halftime tie.
On the sixth play of the second half, Mississippi State freshman
quarterback Wayne Madkin found Kelvin Love streaking down the
left sideline for a 48-yard touchdown.
Auburn's first three possessions after halftime ended with two
blocked punts and Bean's interception.
Adesola Badon's blocked punt was downed at the 1, and Dennis
McKinley plunged into the end zone on the next play.
Auburn then ran just two more plays before Bean stepped in front
of the receiver and intercepted the pass thrown by Auburn
freshman Gabe Gross. Bean's 16-yard return to the 9 set up Brian
Hazelwood's 29-yard field goal.
Bean's touchdown came after he blocked the punt, scooped up the
ball at the 23 and weaved through several Auburn players for a
31-7 Mississippi State lead.
After Mississippi State kicked off the for the second time
Markeith Cooper fumbled the return. Kenzaki Jones emerged from a
pileup with the ball and, while being tackled, pitched back to
Eugene Clinton, who completed the 31-yard TD play.
Auburn, off to its worst start since 1952, tied the game 7-7 just
before halftime when Gross found Errick Lowe for a 26-yard TD.
The Tigers didn't score again until 272-pound defensive lineman
Leonardo Carson returned an interception 21 yards for a touchdown
in the closing seconds of the third quarter.
Ben Leard replaced Gross in the fourth quarter, and his second
pass was intercepted by Barrin Simpson. Two plays later, James
Johnson ran 23 yards for a touchdown.
Leard was 4-of-6 for 58 yards, including a late 16-yard TD to
Karsten Bailey. Gross, the first freshman to play quarterback at
Auburn since 1981, also had 58 yards on 5-of-15 passing.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 38, Auburn 21
1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH FINAL
--- --- --- --- -----
Auburn 0 7 7 7 21
Mississippi St. 7 0 24 7 38
First Quarter
MSU-Clinton 31 fumble return (Hazelwood kick), 14:32
Second Quarter
Aub-Lowe 26 pass from Gross (Bironas kick), 4:12
Third Quarter
MSU-Love 48 pass from Madkin (Hazelwood kick), 11:50
MSU-McKinley 1 run (Hazelwood kick), 8:36
MSU-FG Hazelwood 29, 5:48
MSU-Bean 23 blocked punt return (Hazelwood kick), 2:50
Aub-L.Caron 21 interception return (Bironas kick), :43
Fourth Quarter
MSU-Johnson 23 run (Hazelwood kick), 9:25
Aub-Bailey 16 pass from Leard (Bironas kick), 4:21
Aub MSU
--- ---
First downs 13 12
Rushes-yards 45-95 42-177
Passing 116 76
Comp-Att-Int 8-21-3 5-15-1
Return Yards 31 167
Punts-Avg. 7-28.7 6-38.2
Fumbles-Lost 2-2 1-1
Penalties-Yards 3-15 5-40
Time of Possession 32:30 27:30
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING-Auburn, Burks 17-44, Pennington 5-21, Carter 10-19, Gross
12-7, Embery 1-4. Mississippi St., Johnson 25-133, McKinley 5-19,
Madkin 8-12, Love 1-6, Prather 1-5, Miller 1-2, Rainey 1-0.
PASSING-Auburn, Gross 4-15-2-58, Leard 4-6-1-58. Mississippi St.,
Madkin 5-15-1-76.
RECEIVING-Auburn, Robinson 3-51, Lowe 3-35, Bailey 2-30.
Mississippi St., Love 1-48, K.Cooper 1-13, McKinley 1-9, McCaskey
1-8, Johnson 1-(minus 2).
A-40,027