Mississippi State showed why it has lost 15-consecutive SEC games on Saturday night.
With a chance to go win the game on a field goal in the final minute, Blake Shapen threw an interception in field goal range and Florida escaped with a 23-21 win.
The Bulldogs had five trips to the red zone and scored three touchdowns but fumbled the football and missed a field goal in the first half with a chance to get a lead. State lost the game despite outgaining the Gators 468-452.
Despite its issues offensively for most of the game, the Bulldogs had a chance to win as they were able to get some things going in the fourth quarter. Trailing 20-7 in the fourth, the Bulldogs scored two touchdowns from Davon Booth and cut the lead to 23-21.
After a three and out defensively, the Bulldogs got the ball back with just under 2 minutes remaining and would drive the ball all the way to the Florida 29. On 2nd and 10 with 26 seconds left, Shapen threw an interception to defensive lineman J. Michael Sturdivant and it ended State’s chances of winning its first SEC game in three years.
Shapen threw for 324 yards in the game on 24-of-36 with an interception and no touchdown and he had three potential touchdowns go incomplete. Without Davon Booth, the Bulldogs rushed for 144 yards with Booth leading the way with 22 carries for 105 yards and two scores. Brenen Thompson had seven catches for 155 yards and Anthony Evans finished with 11 catches for 107 yards.
The Bulldog defense had just 3.0 tackles for loss on defense while the Gators had 11.0 TFL and 4.0 sacks. Brylan Lanier led the Bulldogs with eight tackles and had two interceptions with 1.0 sack.
The loss was the third-straight for the Bulldogs (4-3, 0-3 SEC). They’re back home on Saturday against No. 21 Texas (4-2, 1-1 SEC). The game time has not been set.