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Before Saturday's game, Dan Mullen said he wanted his team to start fast. Mississippi State heard him loud and clear. The Bulldogs scored touchdowns on each of their first three drives, jumped out to a 20-0 lead in the first quarter, and finished with a 62-13 win over Northwestern State. What the win means for Mississippi State: After inconsistent play the first two weeks, Mississippi State finally put together a complete effort for four quarters on Saturday. Quarterback Dak Prescott was nearly perfect through the air, as he went 10 of 11 for 227 yards and two touchdowns, and the offense finished with 647 total yards and nine touchdowns on the day. Prescott and the Bulldogs will hit the road to face a reeling Auburn team next week. What the loss means for Northwestern State: It wasn’t as bad as the 70-6 loss Northwestern State suffered to Baylor last season, but more than anything, it was a valuable learning experience that should help the Demons. Unsung hero: Gabe Myles did a little bit of everything for Mississippi State. The sophomore wide receiver caught a 49-yard touchdown pass on the team’s opening drive. He ran for a 6-yard touchdown later in the first half and finished with 111 all-purpose yards. Myles had just one reception coming in, but his performance could lead to more opportunities later in the season. A glimpse of the future: Prescott’s day was done midway through the third quarter, which meant backups Nick Fitzgerald and Elijah Staley both got a chance to play Saturday. The two took turns scoring touchdowns. Fitzgerald capped off his first drive with a 4-yard touchdown run. Staley followed that up with a gorgeous 37-yard touchdown pass to Joe Morrow. And then Fitzgerald answered right back with a 49-yard touchdown pass to Donald Gray. Prescott is clearly the guy for this team, but the future looks bright behind him.
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