STARKVILLE – It will be hard to argue against Dak Prescott being the best Mississippi State quarterback in school history when his career comes to an end after this season.
Entering Saturday’s game against Northwestern State, the senior had broken 20 school records, including 12-single season marks and nine career records.
Prescott passed for 227 yards, giving him 6,382 for his career and passing Wayne Madkin for the school record, as the Bulldogs beat the Demons 62-13.
I don’t really think too much about what record I broke or what it all really means,” Prescott said. “It’s early in the year, we still have a long year to go, so it really doesn’t mean much right now.”
Madkin passed for 6,336 yards from 1998-2001.
It is Prescott’s 21st school record. The Haughton, Louisiana, native only played in the first half, but was very efficient as he completed 10 of 11 passes.
MSU coach Dan Mullen said he was happy for Prescott.
“I think it shows what type of player he is. He’s a special player for us, holding all of those school records. He’s a program changing player,” Mullen said.
Prescott found Gabe Myles for a 49-yard touchdown and Brandon Holloway for a 6-yard touchdown in the first half. He rushed for 54 yards on six carries.
Many firsts
There were many firsts for several Bulldogs in the blowout victory.
Four Bulldogs found the end zone for the first time, including sophomore wide receivers Gabe Myles and Donald Gray and redshirt freshmen quarterbacks Nick Fitzgerald and Elijah Staley.
Myles had the receiving touchdown and a 6-yard score. Gray caught a 49-yard touchdown from Fitzgerald.
“It’s awesome. It was sensational as we all like to say,” Gray said. “It felt good. I was just preparing for it all week, so I kind of expected.”
Fitzgerald rushed for another two scores, while Staley hit Joe Morrow for a 37-yard touchdown.
Junior running back Brandon Holloway hauled in a 6-yard touchdown from Prescott for his first receiving touchdown in his career.
New long snapper
Senior long snapper Winston Chapman didn’t play and is out for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in one his knees.
Mullen said he had the option of not having surgery, but went ahead and had the surgery anyway.
He had played in 41-straight games dating back to his redshirt freshman season.
Junior walk-on Hunter Bradley took his place and it was his first action of the season. He played in three games last season as a sophomore, but didn’t see any action during his redshirt freshman season in 2013.
Senior safety Kendrick Market didn’t play as a precaution. His season ended at Ole Miss last year after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon. His absence wasn’t due to that injury, but another foot injury. Junior Deontay Evans started in his stead. Market should play next week at Auburn.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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