Game report: Mississippi State 31, Missouri 13

First quarter

Key play: Senior linebacker Kentrell Brothers swiped the ball from Brandon Holloway’s grasp and freshman defensive tackle Terry Beckner Jr. recovered at the Bulldogs’ 47-yard line, setting up a field goal.

Key stat: Quarterback Dak Prescott completed eight of 12 passes for 99 yards, including a 36-yard touchdown to junior wide receiver Fred Ross on Mississippi State’s opening drive.

Second quarter

Key play: Missouri senior running back Russell Hansbrough sloshed 14 yards through the rain for the offense’s first touchdown since Oct. 3, end a drought of 47 drives and 226 minutes, 46 seconds without a touchdown.

Key stat: The Tigers gained 88 yards on 17 carries rushing in the second quarter. MU’s 110 yards on 22 carries in the first half was more yards than the offense rushed for against Southeast Missouri, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia and Vanderbilt.

Third quarter

Key play: Mississippi State scored on the opening drive of the second half, extending its lead to 21-13. Quarterback Drew Lock threw an interception on Missouri’s first play of the second half, setting a terrible tone.

Key stat: The Bulldogs scored 17 points in the third quarter, more than the six of the previous eight offenses the Tigers faced managed during an entire game.

Fourth quarter

Key play: Down by 18, Missouri had a chance early in the quarter to attempt a 39-yard field goal and make it a two-score game. Instead, facing fourth-and-5, the Tigers ran Lock on a speed option, lost a yard and turned it over on downs.

Key stat: Missouri gave up season highs in points (31), total yards (430) and passing yards (303), while passing for a season-low 107 yards.

Offense

C-

Missouri discovered the run game again, totaling a season-best 215 yards in a season-high 45 carries, but the passing game netted a season-worst 107 yards and quarterback Drew Lock threw two interceptions.

Defense

C

Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott burned Missouri for too many big plays and the Bulldogs converted on eight of 16 third downs.

Special teams

D+

Missouri continues to get nothing in the return game, averaged fewer than 40 yards on seven punts and gave up a crucial long kickoff return. A punt block and two Andrew Baggett field goals didn’t make up for the gaffes.

Coaching

D-

Missouri got the run game going, but can’t pass protect now. The defense got gashed and Gary Pinkel eschewed challenging a backward pass that could have prevented three points.

Player of the game: Senior linebacker Kentrell Brothers (again!). Days after being snubbed when the Butkus Award semifinalists were announced, he did his usual damage with a game-high 14 tackles, a forced fumble a blocked punt.

Reason to hope: Missouri was down 14-13 at halftime against a solid Mississippi State team and the offense ended a 47-drive drought without scoring a touchdown, which covered more than 15 quarters and nearly 227 minutes.

Reason to mope: Baylor wide receiver Corey Coleman has caught 20 touchdown passes this season. Missouri’s offense has scored 12 this season, including nine in eight games against FBS competition.

Looking ahead: Missouri returns to Kansas City for a non-conference tilt with BYU on Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m. at Arrowhead Stadium. It marks the first time since 2011 the Tigers played in Kansas City.

This story was originally published November 6, 2015 at 8:30 AM with the headline "Game report: Mississippi State 31, Missouri 13."