Brawl mars Miss. State’s win over Tulsa
Short-handed SJSU falls to Ball State in Tucson
FORT WORTH — A bowl victory that increased Mississippi State’s win total this season to four and No. 22 Tulsa’s failed attempt to add another unlikely comeback to its impressive collection this season took a back seat to the melee that broke out Thursday shortly after the Armed Forces Bowl ended.
True freshman Will Rogers scored his first rushing touchdown of the season and had a 13-yard TD pass to lead Mississippi State past Tulsa 28-26 in a game that was tense from the start.
Minutes after it ended, the teams became involved in a large brawl on the field, with players punching and kicking. Tulsa coach Greg Montgomery said sophomore safety Kendarin Ray, who was helped off the field after being at the bottom of a dogpile during a scrum, was treated for “some sort of concussion.”
“I’m not sure what exactly caused that,” said Mississippi State coach Mike Leach, who referred to the altercation as a “mosh pit.” “It was something before the game, too. We’ve never had any problem with that the entire season, so I can only guess without seeing the film.”
In a video posted from Mississippi State’s locker room, Malik Heath joked about kicking a Tulsa player in the face mask.
Jo’quavious Marks scored a rushing touchdown on the game’s first possession and Emmanuel Forbes returned an interception 90 yards for a touchdown for the Bulldogs (4-7), who finished the season with a second straight win.
Mississippi State’s 148 passing yards were its fewest of the season. Marks’ 72 rushing yards and his 28-yard run for the touchdown were the most in each category this season for the Bulldogs, whose 36-yard rushing average going into bowl play was the lowest in the FBS.
Deneric Prince and Corey Taylor II scored rushing TDs, Zach Smith had a 15-yard TD pass to Keylon Stokes and Zack Long kicked field goals of 27 and 33 yards for Tulsa (6-3), which erased four double-digit deficits this season.
Smith was 26 for 46 passing for 347 yards with two INTs. Tulsa outgained MSU in total offense 484 yards to 271.
Tulsa pulled to within 21-19 with 12:30 left on Taylor’s 5-yard run, but Smith’s two-point conversion pass intended for Stokes was broken up in the end zone. MSU answered with Rogers’ 13-yard throw to Griffin to go ahead 28-19.
Smith’s 15-yard scoring pass to Stokes came with 1:23 to play, and Tulsa failed to recover the ensuing onside kick. On the play, Mississippi State’s Erroll Thompson leveled Tulsa’s Ryan Nixon and was penalized 15 yards for taunting.
“It’s just dumb,” Leach said. “There was some stuff going back and forth during the course of the game. With any of it on our side, I don’t want to see it because I feel like I got shorted, what, 15 yards, 30 yards on deals where if we could keep our mouth shut, you know.”
ARIZONA BOWL: In Tucson, Antonio Phillips returned an early interception 53 yards for a touchdown, Drew Plitt accounted for two scores and Ball State beat short-handed San Jose State 34-13.
San Jose State (7-1) had to play without its two coordinators and Mountain West Conference player of the year Cade Hall due to COVID-19 and other issues.
The Cardinals (7-1) took advantage, quick-hitting their way down the field on offense after Phillips’ interception for a 27-0 lead in the first quarter. The MAC champions bogged down in the second half but had four interceptions to win their first bowl game in 10 tries.
The Spartans also lost tight end Derrick Deese, Jr., the team leader with five touchdown receptions, to a neck injury on the first play from scrimmage.
LIBERTY BOWL: In Memphis, Tenn., reserve quarterback Austin Kendall threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Simmons with 5:10 left, and West Virginia (9-3) held off Army 24-21.
Army (9-3) had a chance to tie it with 1:50 left, but Quinn Maretzki’s 39-yard field goal was wide left. Josh Chandler ended Army’s final possession with an interception.
Simmons also scored on a 5-yard pass from starting quarterback Jarret Doege.
Army quarterback Tyhier Tyler had three rushing touchdowns – from 1, 6, and 2 yards – to tie a Liberty Bowl record.
MIAMI: Quarterback D’Eriq King tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the Hurricanes’ loss this week in the Cheez-It Bowl.
The Hurricanes said Thursday an MRI a day earlier confirmed the tear. King will have surgery in the coming days and the Hurricanes expect him to be ready for training camp — which will begin about seven months after the ligament is repaired.