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Thanks to a prodigious performance by Kylin Hill, the Mississippi St. Bulldogs triumphed over the Kansas State Wildcats on Saturday. Hill mowed through K-State defenders all day to the tune of 211 yards and two touchdowns, as State picked up a 31-10 victory to improve to 2-0.
Nick Fitzgerald might be the most recognizable face on the offense. But in his return to the field, Hill grabbed all the headlines. His performance showcased exactly why he earned the starting job over the touted Aeris Williams, and he might be a force to be reckoned with. He certainly showed off last week in the opener against Stephen F. Austin. Now, against a Power 5 opponent, Hill looked even better.
That’s not to say that Fitzgerald didn’t look good. He may have been a little shaky through the air — 11-for-27, 154 yards, two touchdowns and one interception — but controlled the ball well on the ground. Fitz ran the ball 19 times and picked up 159 yards along the way. So, combining Hill and Fitzgerald’s performances, the duo racked up 370 rushing yards. Seems solid enough.
The State defense, meanwhile, showed out once again. They held the K-State offense to just 213 total yards on the afternoon. The Wildcats only had 100 through the air, as Skylar Thompson threw for for just 86 on a mark of 7-for-17. He did pick up a long passing TD to Dalton Schoen, but that was the lone highlight of the day for the offense. Alex Barnes had 75 yards on 17 carries, but wasn’t able to get into the end zone. The Bulldogs picked off Alex Delton, as well, as linebacker Erroll Thompson had an outstanding INT.
Mississippi State has certainly looked mighty impressive through their first two weeks of action. They’ll look to improve to 3-0 when they face the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns next week in Starkville, their last tuneup before heading into conference play.