Wildcats bite Bulldogs

By By Danny P. Smith / special to The Star
Nov. 2, 2002
STARKVILLE The Kentucky Wildcats probably felt like Christmas had come in November.
Mississippi State committed five turnovers with four interceptions and one of those picks was returned for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Those miscues and the poor play of the punt coverage team contributed to a 45-24 loss to Kentucky.
The Bulldogs fell to 3-5 overall and 0-4 in the Southeastern Conference, while the Wildcats improved to 6-3 overall and 2-3 in the league.
Kentucky turned turnovers by the Bulldogs into points in the first quarter and jumped out to a 10-0 lead.
The Wildcats recovered a fumble by MSU wide receiver Justin Jenkins, then scored when Kentucky quarterback Jared Lorenzen tossed a 4-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Boone at the 2:40 mark.
After the Wildcats picked off quarterback Kevin Fant of the Bulldogs the first time, they got more points on a 38-yard field goal by Taylor Begley on the final play of the initial quarter.
Mississippi State rebounded on its first possession of the second quarter and marched 64 yards on eight plays. Fant found Terrell Grindle for a 9-yard touchdown pass at the 11:27 mark. Grindle had dropped a pass in the end zone on the play prior to the score.
The touchdown seemed to fire up Fant and Grindle as the two hooked up on the home run ball on the next possession to put the Bulldogs up 14-10.
Fant hit Grindle in stride for a 91-yard touchdown with 9:13 left before halftime. It is the longest pass play in school history, breaking the old mark of 89 yards set earlier this year by Fant and Ray Ray Bivines.
It looked as if Mississippi State was going to extend the lead further as it was driving again at the end of the second quarter.
However, Fant threw his second interception of the game and Kentucky made the Bulldogs pay as Tommy Cook scored on an 8-yard reverse with 1:26 left. The snap on the conversion attempt was high and the Wildcats could not convert. They had to settle for a 16-14 advantage.
The missed conversion gave Mississippi State a chance and had enough to time to get in position to kick a field goal. Jerious Norwood broke a 30-yard run which was the big play and Brent Smith booted a 47-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining and MSU had a 17-16 lead at halftime.
The Bulldogs failed in punt coverage in the third quarter and allowed Kentucky's Derek Abney to return two punts for touchdowns of 69 and 52 yards. Add Artose Pinner's 1-yard run for a score and the Wildcats had scored 21 unanswered points to take control of the game 37-17.
Mississippi State was able to cut the margin to 37-24 in the fourth quarter on Fant's 2-yard touchdown pass to fullback Darnell Jones, but Kentucky finished the scoring with a safety and Derrick Tatum's 53-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Fant did not have a good percentage by completing 9 of 30 pass attempts for 162 yards and three interceptions. Kyle York had the other interception.
The bright spot for the Bulldogs was Norwood, a freshman, who had 138 yards on 15 carries.
Mississippi State must bounce back on the road at Alabama next Saturday.