Mississippi State at BYU (2000)

Bᴜʟʟᴅᴏɢ Fᴏᴏᴛʙᴀʟʟ 🎞🏈

𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐝𝐨𝐠𝐬
𝐚𝐭
𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐚𝐦 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐬

ESPN | Sᴇᴘᴛᴇᴍʙᴇʀ 14ᴛʜ, 2000

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PROVO, Utah -- Defense was good offense for Mississippi State.
Josh Morgan had a school-record 97-yard fumble return, one of three touchdowns by the Bulldogs' defense in a 44-28 victory over BYU on Thursday night.
"When we get turnovers, our defense turns into offense real quick," said Morgan, who also had an interception. Coach Jackie Sherrill credited the Bulldogs' aggressive attitude.
"We're going to put pressure on you and we're either going to sack you or make you make a perfect play," Sherrill said. "We made big plays defensively and it showed on the scoreboard. Our 1998 team scored 66 points defensively and that's a good goal to shoot for."
Not only did the Bulldogs' defense score, but the offense struck early and often en route to a 31-7 halftime lead. "It's wonderful when the offense puts up that many points," Morgan said. "It gives the defense a chance to rest and focus on what we need to do." Wayne Madkin rushed for 104 yards on just seven carries and threw for 150 yards for Mississippi State (2-0). Dicenzo Miller scored on a 14-yard run on Mississippi State's first possession, and the Bulldogs' Scott Westerfield kicked a 22-yard field after Madkin ran for 54 yards.
BYU's Charlie Peterson threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Jonathon Pittman on the first play of the second quarter. But Madkin countered for the Bulldogs, scrambling out of the grasp of several defenders and down the field for a 59-yard touchdown run with 13:04 left in the half.
The Bulldogs scored again less than a minute later when Ellis Wynns recovered Peterson's fumble for a touchdown. Mario Haggan knocked the ball out of Peterson's hands just as he received the snap at the BYU 19. On Mississippi State's next series, Madkin hit Miller on a simple swing pass that turned into a 78-yard touchdown play as the running back broke five tackles on his way to the end zone. The Bulldogs led 31-7 at the first half, and rolled up 329 yards of total offense in the half after managing just 127 in their season-opening victory at Memphis.
"In the first half, we couldn't tackle a soul. It was one of the most bizarre games I can recall," said BYU coach LaVell Edwards, whose Cougars fell to 1-3 for the first time since 1992.
Marcus Whalen ran for a touchdown for BYU early in the third quarter, and the Cougars were at the Mississippi State 5 when Morgan made his big defensive play.
Peterson, starting in place of injured Bret Engemann, fumbled the snap and Morgan, who also had an interception in the first half, scooped up the ball and returned it for a touchdown.
In the fourth quarter, BYU's Brian McDonald scored on a 3-yard run, but Mississippi State's Conner Stephens returned an interception 36 yards for a touchdown.