Will Rogers threw three touchdown passes as No. 23 Mississippi State surged to its third straight win and second consecutive in the Southeastern Conference, drilling Arkansas 40-17 on Saturday at Starkville, Miss.
Coming off last Saturday’s 42-24 thrashing of Texas A&M that vaulted them into the Top 25, the Bulldogs (5-1, 2-1) sprang to a 21-0 first-half lead and were never threatened while dominating Arkansas (3-3, 1-3).
Rogers completed 31-of-48 passes for 395 yards. His three touchdown passes to Jaden Walley, Austin Williams and Caleb Ducking boosted his total to 22 on the season.
Dillon Johnson rushed for a career-high 100 yards on 17 carries with two TDs. Jo’quavious Marks grabbed a career-best 11 receptions for 80 yards and ran in a score.
With top quarterback KJ Jefferson (head injury) unavailable, the Razorbacks started Cade Fortin but soon turned to Malik Hornsby.
Hornsby brought life to the offense, going 8 of 17 for 234 passing yards with a TD and two interceptions, while rushing eight times for a game-high 114 yards.
Arkansas’ Raheim Sanders had 20 carries for 86 yards with a TD, while Bryce Stephens had two receptions and a score.
Arkansas lost its third straight SEC game and was outgained 568-483 in total yardage.
The Bulldogs looked the part of a team on the rise, taking the opening drive 65 yards before Johnson bulled in from 1 yard out. On their next series, Mississippi State’s Walley caught a 5-yard TD that went through the hands of Arkansas defensive back Malik Chavis.
Mississippi State stretched its streak of consecutive TDs during red-zone visits to 13 on Williams’ diving catch just over the goal line for a three-TD lead.
Later in the quarter, Arkansas’ Cam Little had a 51-yard field goal. Hornsby’s 68-yard pass to Jadon Haselwood (three catches, 113 yards) set up Sanders’ short run to make it 21-10 just before halftime.
Rogers’ 33-yard lob to Ducking resulted in the receiver’s seventh TD and pushed the lead to 27-10 less than four minutes into the second half.
Hornsby answered by finding Stephens on a 54-yard deep ball for a score late in the third, but Arkansas sealed the victory when Johnson rumbled in from 30 yards in the third quarter and Marks scored in close in the fourth quarter for the final margin.
–Field Level Media
