QUICK RECAP: Bulldog season ends with 43-29 loss to Wake Forest in Duke's Mayo Bowl
CHARLOTTE, NC – A deep hole was dug by Mississippi State in Friday night’s Duke’s Mayo Bowl and a strong effort late couldn’t overcome it.
A 30-12 lead late in the third quarter was cut to three points midway through the fourth frame and the Demon Deacons would survive the late push from State. A 43-29 loss on Friday night would send State to a 5-8 end to Jeff Lebby’s second year in Starkville.
The game could be characterized as one with missed chances for the Bulldogs. State settled for field goal four times in the first three quarters with three of those coming inside the red zone. Another red zone trip ended with a turnover on downs inside the 10-yard line.
While State kicked field goals, Wake Forest made the Bulldogs pay. The Deacons answered three of those four field goals with touchdowns. The lead was 15-9 at halftime for the Deacons but it grew to 30-12 by late in the third.
Kamario Taylor brought the Bulldogs back with a 1-yard touchdown run at the end of the third quarter and he would throw a 42-yard touchdown on the next possession to Sanfrisco Magee that would close the lead to 30-27.
Despite the momentum shifting, State couldn’t get off the field defensively. Wake Forest converted two 3rd downs and put together a 10-play, 63-yard drive that took 6 minutes off the clock. A blocked extra point that was returned by Kelley Jones for two points to cut the lead to 36-29, but the Bulldogs couldn’t do anything with it offensively.
Wake would call game on a shovel pass from Robby Ashford to Ty Clark for a 62-yard touchdown in the final 3 minutes.
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State’s offense was outgained 453-408 in the game with the Bulldogs getting a career-high 241 passing yards from Taylor on 13-of-22 passing and one touchdown. Taylor led a rushing attack that picked up 294 yards with his 18 carries for 63 yards and one score. He left the game in the final minutes after taking a hit to the leg.
Wide receiver Brenen Thompson broke MSU’s single season receiving record with four catches for 106 yards. His one year with the Bulldogs ended with 57 receptions, 1,054 yards and six touchdowns. He is the fourth player in school history to notch 1,000 yards in a year.
Jalen Smith led State defensively with 12 tackles and the Bulldogs had just 2.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack. Wake had 9.0 TFL and 5.0 sacks.
Wake’s Ashford finished 20-of-33 for 303 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in the game and had 14 carries for 50 yards. Clark finished with 17 carries for 91 yards and had three catches for 73 yards and a score as he replaced star rusher Demond Claiborne who declared for the NFL Draft.
State ended the year having surrendered 35 or more points in six consecutive ball games. The team gave up 40 points five times in 2026.
