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PROVO, Utah - Josh Morgan had a school-record 97-yard fumble return for one of Mississippi State's three defensive touchdowns as the Bulldogs beat BYU 44-28 on Thursday night.

Not since a 37-27 win at Colorado State in 1981 had the Bulldogs (2-0) ventured this far west. But they looked significantly fresher than the Cougars (1-3), who have played four times in 19 days.

Mississippi State outgained BYU on the ground by an astounding 204-2 margin in the first half and Dicenzo Miller began the onslaught when he scored on a 14-yard run with 11:37 left in the first quarter.

Charlie Peterson got BYU within 10-7 when he found Jonathan Pittman with a 40-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter. But the Bulldogs reeled off the next 21 points, extending the margin to 31-7 when Miller caught a short pass from Wayne Madkin and rumbled 78 yards for a score with 9:03 left in the half.

Madkin, who completed 10-of-17 passes for 142 yards, also ran for a 26-yard TD during the outburst as Mississippi State won for the 14th time in 16 regular-season games.

Not to be left out, the Bulldogs' defense also put up three scores.

Tackle Ellis Wyms recovered Peterson's fumble in the end zone early in the second quarter and safety Josh Morgan returned another fumble 98 yards to open a 38-14 cushion with 3:47 remaining in the third period.

Peterson was intercepted by defensive end Conner Stephens midway thorugh the third quarter and the 6-4, 250-pounder galloped 36 yards into the Cougars' end zone to make it 44-21 with 6:03 to play.

Peterson capped the scoring when he connected with Pittman from 19 yards with 1:55 left.

In the final season of his illustrious coaching career, BYU's Lavell Edwards is off to his first 1-3 start since 1992. He would be winless if the Cougars had not rallied for a 38-35 victory at Virginia on September 2.

      1st  2nd  3rd  4th   f
  msu 10   21    7    7   44
  byu  0    7    7   14   28
                  

1st quarter
   msu - Miller 14-yard run (Westerfield kick)
   msu - Westerfield 22-yard field goal

2nd quarter
   byu - Pittman 38-yard catch from Peterson (Pochman kick)
   msu - Madkin 56-yard run (Westerfield kick)
   msu - Wyms fumble recovery for touchdown (Westerfield kick)
   msu - Miller 78-yard catch from Madkin (Westerfield)

3rd quarter
   byu - Whalen 2-yard run (Pochman kick)
   msu - Morgan 98-yard fumble recovery (Westerfield kick)

4th quarter
   byu - McDonald 3-yard run (Pochman kick)
   msu - Stevens 21-yard interception return (2-pt try no good)
   byu - Pittman 40-yard catch from Peterson (Pochman kick)


       Mississippi St         Byu
First downs                  14          27
Rushed-yards             33-208       32-65
Passing yards               167         268
Sacked-yards lost           1-9        3-23
Return yards                181          15
Passes                  13-20-0     27-50-2
Punts                    5-50.0      6-53.2
Fumbles-lost                2-2         2-2
Penalties-yards          16-132        7-57
Time of possession        24:20       35:40

Individual Statistics
RUSHING: Mississippi St-Madkin 7-104, D Walker 12-44, D Miller
10-40, Jenkins 1-16, J Griffith 2-3, Williamson 1-1.
Byu-Mcdonald 16-52, Whalen 5-22, K Sitake 3-11, C Peterson
8-minus 20.

PASSING: Mississippi St-Madkin 12-19-0-150, Fant 1-1-0-17.
Byu-C Peterson 27-50-2-268.

RECEIVING: Mississippi St-J Griffith 4-17, D Lee 3-34, D Miller
2-87, T Grindle 2-19, Butler 1-7, Lindsey 1-3. Byu-Hooks 8-68,
Horton 4-49, Snowden 3-21, Mcdonald 3-8, Pittman 2-58, Rigell
2-33, Jolley 2-1, Whalen 1-13, Ofahengaue 1-9, K Sitake 1-8.

Att: 60,278