Sept 3, 2001
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By RALPH D. RUSSO
AP Sports Writer
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Dicenzo Miller had 167 total yards and two
touchdowns and No. 18 Mississippi State scored on five straight second-half
possessions to beat Memphis 30-10 Monday night in the season opener for both
teams.
The Bulldogs defeated the Tigers for the eighth straight time, but were
sloppy and careless for the first 35 minutes, turning the ball over three times
and committing numerous penalties.
Glenn Sumter returned a Bulldogs' fumble 74 yards to set up Travis Anglin's
18-yard touchdown pass to Bunkie Perkins that gave Memphis a 10-0 lead at 10:44
of the third quarter.
The Bulldogs, ranked in the preseason for the first time since 1993, finally
responded two possessions later.
Wayne Madkin hit Miller sneaking out of the backfield without a Memphis
defender in sight. Miller received a downfield escort from Clarence Parker and
dived headlong into the end zone for a 49-yard score at 4:34 of the third.
Madkin, who lost two fumbles in the first half, was 12-of-21 for 174 yards
and two touchdowns.
Miller ran 12 times for 108 yards and caught two passes for 59.
The Bulldogs' defense forced a punt on Memphis' next possession after
Miller's touchdown and the special teams gave Mississippi State its first lead
of the season.
Curtis Stowers broke through the middle of the Tigers' line and blocked
James Gaither's punt. Nathan Jackson picked up the ball on one hop and walked
in from 6 yards out to put the Bulldogs up 14-10 late in the third.
Another three-and-out by Memphis sent the home crowd into a frenzy. The
Bulldogs followed with a 53-yard touchdown drive, capped by Miller's 6-yard
touchdown run with 10:18 left to make it 21-10.
Madkin hit Justin Jenkins, who had a fumble and costly drop earlier, for a
22-yard touchdown, and John Michael Marlin's 24-yard field goal completed the
onslaught with 5:40 left in the game.
Memphis' new spread offense managed just 162 yards. Anglin, an elusive
quarterback in the mold of Clemson's Woody Dantzler, ran for 36 yards on 16
carries and was 6-of-7 for 56 yards.
Ryan White's 33-yard field goal was the only scoring of a brutal first half.
It was Mississippi State's first regular-season Monday night game in 85
years.
