FORT WORTH, Texas — A wild, post-game brawl erupted after Mississippi State held off No. 22 Tulsa 28-26 on Thursday in the Armed Forces Bowl, overshadowing true freshman Will Rogers’ big game for the Bulldogs.
Minutes after the game ended following an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Mississippi State on a late onside kick as Tulsa tried to make a comeback, the teams became involved in a large melee on the field. Tulsa coach Greg Montgomery said sophomore safety Kendarin Ray, who was helped off the field after being at the bottom of a dogpile during a second scrum, was treated for “some sort of concussion.”
Rogers scored his first rushing touchdown and had a 13-yard scoring pass for the Bulldogs (4-7). They finished the season with a second straight win in a game played at TCU in steady rain and temperatures in the upper 30s.
Jo’quavious Marks scored a rushing touchdown on the game’s first possession and Emmanuel Forbes returned an interception 90 yards for a touchdown. Forbes’ third-quarter touchdown was initially called back on an illegal blocking penalty, but officials reversed the ruling to a penalty on Tulsa.
Deneric Prince and Corey Taylor II scored rushing touchdowns, Zach Smith had a 15-yard TD pass to Keylon Stokes and Zack Long kicked field goals of 27 and 33 yards for Tulsa (6-3, No. 24 CFP).
Tulsa pulled to 21-19 with 12:30 left on Taylor’s 5-yard run, but Smith’s two-point conversion pass intended for Stokes was broken up in the end zone. Mississippi State answered with Rogers’ 13-yard throw to Lideatrick “Tulu” Griffin to go ahead 28-19.
Smith’s 15-yard scoring pass to Stokes came with 1:23 to play. Long then attempted an onside kick, which was recovered by the Bulldogs at the Mississippi State 47, and Erroll Thompson was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct.
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