Mississippi State defeats No. 19 Missouri 31-24 in ranked SEC matchup

college football SEC Mississippi State Missouri Tigers ranked matchup

No. 24 Mississippi State secured a 31-24 comeback victory over No. 19 Missouri at Davis Wade Stadium, handing the Tigers their first loss of the season. Mississippi State moved to 4-0, while Missouri fell to 3-1.

Bulldog quarterback Kamario Taylor led the offense with 360 passing yards and three touchdowns. Fluff Bothwell contributed 122 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Anthony Evans III recorded 114 receiving yards. The victory marks Mississippi State's first win against ranked opposition since 2022 and their first home win in a top-25 matchup since 2014.

Missouri's Austin Simmons threw for 295 yards and three touchdowns, but the Tigers struggled to contain Mississippi State's scoring drives in the fourth quarter. Missouri's defense was noted for allowing big plays, including a 43-yard touchdown to Sanfrisco Magee and a 48-yard pass to Evans III. Despite the loss, Missouri's Daeden Hopkins had a standout defensive performance with 3.5 sacks.