STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) - Dak Prescott threw for 174 yards and two touchdowns in his first career start and Mississippi State breezed past Alcorn State 51-7 on Saturday afternoon.
Mississippi State (1-1) didn't use several regular starters, including quarterback Tyler Russell, who suffered a concussion in the Bulldogs' season-opening loss to Oklahoma State.
It didn't matter. The Bulldogs led 21-0 by early in the second quarter and 37-0 by halftime. It was the most points in the first half for the program since 1996.
Mississippi State's Ashton Shumpert rushed for 98 yards and two touchdowns. Nick Griffin added 54 yards on the ground and a touchdown.
Alcorn State (1-1), which plays in the Football Championship Subdivision, managed just two first downs in the first three quarters. The Braves scored their only touchdown early in the fourth quarter on a 25-yard pass from John Gibbs Jr. to Tollete George.
Mississippi State was obviously much more talented than the Braves, but the steady stream of offense was still encouraging for the Bulldogs after an ugly 21-3 loss to Oklahoma State last weekend.
The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Prescott showed his poise early in the first quarter by converting two straight passes on 4th and 9 for a first down.
The first was an 18-yard strike to Joe Morrow, but it was disallowed after officials ruled Alcorn State had called timeout. A sold out Davis Wade Stadium groaned, but Prescott came right back and hit Malcolm Johnson for a 23-yard gain.
Two plays later, Prescott burst through the line for an 11-yard touchdown run and a 7-0 lead. The rout was just beginning.
Mississippi State outgained Alcorn State 308-30 in total yards on the way to the huge halftime lead. Prescott completed 12 of 19 passes while also rushing for 20 yards and a touchdown. He didn't play in the second half.
The second half started just as lopsided. Brandon Holloway ran the kickoff back 95 yards to Alcorn's 1-yard line, and Mississippi State scored two plays later for a 44-0 lead with 13:57 left in the third quarter.
Alcorn State's George finished with four catches for 80 yards and the Braves' only touchdown. Gibbs was 11 of 25 passing for 135 yards, one touchdown and one interception.