MSU Cruises Past Murray State 38-6

[Greenhead22]

MSU Cruises Past Murray State 38-6

09/03/2005

Official Game Statistics

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) -- Omarr Conner threw two of his career-high four touchdown passes to freshman Keon Humphries, and Mississippi State routed Murray State 38-6 on Saturday night in a game played days after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the region.

Jerious Norwood rushed for 123 yards on 16 carries for the Bulldogs (1-0), who outgained the Racers 482-229 and avoided losing to a Division I-AA team for the second straight season.

Conner was 17-of-24 passing for 233 yards in 2 1/2 quarters with touchdowns to Humphries covering 49 and 34 yards.

The game's prelude had a somber tone: Instead of running onto the field, coach Sylvester Croom and the Bulldogs walked solemnly to the sideline, with their helmets under their right arms, and the scoreboard showed a tribute to Katrina's victims. Mississippi State officials said about 2,000 evacuees claimed free tickets to the game.

Conner gave them a good show.

His previous best of two touchdown passes came last season against Arkansas, but he surpassed that by adding touchdowns covering 37 yards to Tee Milons and 8 yards to Eric Butler. He became the first Mississippi State player with four touchdown passes in a game since Derrick Taite did it a decade ago against Memphis.

Croom won his second straight opener at Mississippi State, but it had a vastly different feel than last year, when the nation was caught up in the buzz surrounding the debut of the first black head football coach in SEC history.

Less than a week ago, Katrina made a deadly march across the Gulf Coast and through Mississippi, and some players said they wanted to give the mournful state a reason to smile again.

They did, even if for a while it wasn't easy. The Bulldogs, who lost to I-AA Maine in one of last season's biggest upsets, at times looked capable of yet another embarrassing loss.

But they took advantage of two miscues by Murray State (0-1) to break this one open.

The Racers led 9-3 midway through the second quarter but a defensive holding penalty allowed Mississippi State to prolong a drive. Three plays later, the Bulldogs took the lead for good on Conner's touchdown pass to Milons.

Murray State fumbled away its next possession, Mississippi State recovered and on the following play Conner hit Humphries from 49 yards out to make it 17-6.

Humphries finished his first college game with five catches for 98 yards.

Ken Topps, a Mississippi State transfer, made his first career start for Murray State and gave his old team fits in the first half, repeatedly escaping trouble by sidestepping and outrunning the Bulldogs. But they eventually figured out their old teammate and held the Racers to 31 total yards in the second half.

Nick Turner, Mississippi State's leading rusher two seasons ago who was kicked off the team last year by Croom, was one of three players suspended by coach Joe Pannunzio.

Chad Cook led the Racers with 57 yards rushing and a 13-yard touchdown run.

[mottlet]

And Auburn looks weak...good times to be a Dawg!!

mottlet

[RebelYelp]

i'll admit, State sounded like they've improved since last year, however, i remember friends of mine saying this same stuff after the Tulane game last year....

[rebelduckaholic]

They might have improved. The real tests start soon though.

[Greenhead22]

Ole Miss will make Mempho look like a Top 5 team tomorrow.

[RebelYelp]

it's very possible.....

[mottlet]

Memphis will not look anything like a ranked team tomorrow. Ole Miss will probably not look anything like a ranked team tomorrow. It could possibly be an incredibily ugly game tomorrow. If Memphis didn't have DeAngelo, I would predict a Rebel victory. BUT, they do....

mottlet

[Greenhead22]

But mottlet......DeAngelo ain't got jack on Spurlock.

[rebelduckaholic]

You know GH sure started talking after that impressive win. It is like a difference between night and day. Before the State game not much was said. Maybe he is one of the ones that lost power, but it is truly amazing how much he has shown up since the win

[Greenhead22]

Umm........like Ole Miss fans don't do the same damn thing huh?

Y'all never cease to amaze me.

[mottlet]

DeAngelo will probably play on Sundays. Smilin' Mike will not. Although Jason Cambell did get taken in the first round based on one year's performance.

mottlet

[rebelduckaholic]

Well I will always talk No hiding out for me

[gator]

GH22, dude, it was MURRAY ST....put the champagne bottle down...

gator

[rebelduckaholic]