Mississippi State dominated Southern Miss 34-17 in an in-state showdown that saw the Bulldogs pull away with a 24-point third quarter explosion. Fluff Bothwell led the charge with two rushing touchdowns, while Blake Shapen connected with Seydou Traore for a 57-yard strike to open the scoring. The Golden Eagles briefly tied the game at 10 in the second quarter, but couldn't match the Bulldogs' powerful ground attack that sealed the victory.