The Sports Xchange
Sep 10, 2016

Quarterback Nick Fitzgerald threw two touchdown passes and rushed for 195 yards, and Mississippi State bounced back from an opening loss with a 27-14 win over South Carolina on Saturday night at Davis Wade Stadium.

Mississippi State wide receiver Fred Ross caught a touchdown pass and threw for one on a trick play to fuel a big first half for the Bulldogs, who were upset by South Alabama last week. They took out any leftover frustrations on the Gamecocks, jumping out to a 24-0 halftime lead.

Fitzgerald threw touchdown passes to Ross and Jordan Thomas in the first half. He completed 19 of 27 passes for 178 yards and led the Bulldogs (1-1) to their first win over South Carolina since 1999.

Ross took a handoff on a jet sweep but pulled up and hit Donald Gray in the end zone for his touchdown pass coming early in the second quarter.

Quarterback Percy Orth started for South Carolina, but backup Brandon McIlwain produced the Gamecocks' best drives. McIllwain threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Turner and another to K.C. Crosby on a fourth-and-1 that cut the Mississippi State lead to 27-14 with 2:37 to play.

But South Carolina never got any closer and lost for the first time under new coach Will Muschamp.