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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- It's tough to stop a five-game losing
streak against the nation's 18th-ranked team.
It's nearly impossible when that team is Mississippi State and
features defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn's unconventional
blitzing attack.
|  | | Dicenzo Miller rushed for 117 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown for the Bulldogs. |
The Bulldogs (6-2, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) forced a
season-high seven turnovers and returned two for scores Saturday in
a 35-17 victory over Kentucky.
Eugene Clinton had two interceptions, including an 81-yard
return for a touchdown, and Fred Smoot and Kendall Roberson had one
each as the Bulldogs' frenzied pass rush wreaked havoc on Kentucky
redshirt freshman Jared Lorenzen.
"We knew if we put pressure on Lorenzen, then he'd make
mistakes and throw the ball to us," Clinton said.
Mississippi State also recovered three fumbles, including one
run back 25 yards by defensive end Ivan Billie for another score
early in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.
"Mississippi State has a great defensive unit and I wasn't a
very good coach this week," Kentucky coach Hal Mumme said. "This
isn't cancer, it's football.
"Joe Lee does a great job of forcing quarterbacks to throw
interceptions and make mistakes. I'll use that to help Jared put
this in perspective. There are a lot of lessons to be learned."
Offensively, Mississippi State powered its way up and down the
field. Dicenzo Miller and Dontae Walker each ran for more than 100
yards and a touchdown as the Bulldogs racked up 253 yards on the
ground.
Miller carried 19 times for 117 yards and had an 11-yard
touchdown run, and Walker ran 15 times for 101 yards and a 1-yard
score.
Wayne Madkin also hurt the Wildcats on the few occasions he had
to throw the ball, completing 11 of 20 passes for 212 yards, a
touchdown and two interceptions.
"I was very pleased with the running game today," Mississippi
State coach Jackie Sherrill said. "Anytime you have two running
backs rush for more than 100 yards, it's more than likely that
you'll win.
"And I think our defense played extremely well and with a lot
of intensity. We tackled well and hit hard. I don't think
(Kentucky's) receivers have been hit that hard all season."
Lorenzen, the SEC's leader in passing yards and total offense,
threw for a school-record 528 yards two weeks ago against Georgia.
Against Mississippi State, however, he was hit with wave after wave
of pressure and harassed every time he dropped back.
Lorenzen completed only 23 of 53 passes for 264 yards, a
touchdown and a career-high four interceptions as the Wildcats
(2-7, 0-6) dropped their sixth straight game.
"My nerves were shot all day," Lorenzen said. "When you play
Mississippi State, you know they're going to bring a whole bunch of
people. You just don't know when they're going to bring them. I
tried not to let them get into my head, but I guess they did a
little.
"It felt like they blitzed every play. The line did a great job
picking it up, but it seemed like they sent at least one extra guy
on every play.
Freshman Chad Scott also carried the ball 21 times for 119 yards
and a touchdown, and Derek Smith caught six passes for 102 yards
for the Wildcats.
Despite Lorenzen's four first-half interceptions, the Wildcats
trailed by only eight points at halftime.
On Kentucky's opening drive, Clinton took Lorenzen's first
interception 81 yards for a touchdown to give the Bulldogs a 7-0
lead with 11:58 to play in the first quarter.
Following another interception, the Bulldogs drove 72 yards and
went up 14-0 on Miller's 11-yard TD run with 10:34 remaining in the
first half.
Kentucky rebounded on its next possession as Lorenzen found
Quentin McCord on an interior slant between Roberson and Smoot to
cut the margin to 14-6 at halftime.
Madkin hit Larry Huntington with a 44-yard TD pass on
Mississippi State's first possession of the second half to increase
the lead to 21-6. Seth Hanson's 36-yard field goal pulled Kentucky
to 21-9 with 7:37 remaining in the third quarter.
The Bulldogs put the game away early in the fourth quarter when
free safety Josh Morgan forced a Lorenzen's fumble, which was
scooped up by defensive end Ivan Billie and returned 25 yards for a
touchdown to make it 28-9 with 14:54 remaining.
Walker scored on a 1-yard run with 4:32 to play to put the
Bulldogs up 35-9. Scott came back with a 5-yard TD run with a
minute to play to complete the scoring.
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ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
Mississippi State Clubhouse
Kentucky Clubhouse
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