STARKVILLE — After a first half filled with offensive highs, the Mississippi State football team couldn’t replicate that in the second half.
The Bulldogs only managed a field goal in the second half against South Alabama en route to a 21-20 loss Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium to open the season. The offense fell into a rut and didn’t do much outside of a the drive that resulted in the field goal and the final drive that resulted in a missed Westin Graves field goal.
But Brandon Holloway doesn’t think the inconsistency in the two halves is that big of a deal moving forward.
“I don’t think it was necessarily that bad,” said the senior running back. “I think we had some plays that affected us and some bad penalties and just some big plays on defense. I think overall, we really just didn’t play that bad.”
With quarterback Dak Prescott and big-play threat wide receiver De’Runnya Wilson gone, questions about the offense were asked often in the offseason. The first game didn’t answer those questions.
MSU’s offense looks to get on track as MSU (0-1, 0-0 Southeastern Conference) plays host South Carolina (1-0, 1-0) 6 p.m. Saturday (ESPN2) in the first SEC game of the season.
The Bulldogs led 17-0 at halftime and had 205 yards of total offense. Junior quarterback Damian Williams hit Deddrick Thomas for a 4-yard touchdown and Holloway had a 7-yard touchdown. Westin Graves made a 37-yard field goal. Holloway had 48 yards on 11 carries and five catches for 40 yards.
It looked like the Bulldogs had found a rhythm and were going to roll to an easy win. But the offense struggled in the second half. Senior wide receiver Fred Ross felt like the mood in the locker room at halftime was good.
But when the Bulldogs walked back on the field, the intensity they had in the first half didn’t show up.
“I feel like we didn’t bring that intensity,” Ross said. “The whole practice everyone’s locked in. We know that we can’t let up and we have to finish all four quarters.”
Ross led the SEC and had a school record 88 catches for 1,007 yards and five touchdowns last season. He had six catches for 34 yards Saturday. One of his catches was a bubble screen and he said he didn’t make his defender miss. Although it was one play, he said it cost them and he has been working on being more explosive.
The Bulldogs finished with 382 yards of total offense (177 in the second half). MSU coach Dan Mullen said the Bulldogs had eight explosive plays, the minimum he wants in a game.
“I think a little bit of our effort and execution dropped in the second half,” Mullen said. “The mental and physical toughness aspect of it is where it came from.”
Mullen started sophomore Nick Fitzgerald at quarterback, but after two-straight three-and-outs, he went to Williams. Williams made the most of his opportunity and was 20 of 28 for 143 yards and one touchdown. He led the Bulldogs with 93 yards rushing on 12 carries.
Mullen said the quarterback battle is still undecided and both will prepare to go and play this week.
Ross and Holloway praised Williams.
“I think he played well. He made some big plays and I definitely liked his shiftiness,” Holloway said.
Offense wasn’t an issue the last two seasons with Prescott, but he is gone and it is up to Holloway and Ross to step up.
Although the Bulldogs are young and that aided in the mistakes, Holloway said it isn’t on them.
“If anything it’s really the old guys. It’s up to us to change the problem and fix the problem and make sure that everybody is out there,” Holloway said.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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