Prescott, Miss. State top NC State 51-28 in Belk Bowl - program reaches new heights with consecutive
Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott (15) celebrates after Mississippi State won the Belk Bowl NCAA college football game against North Carolina State in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2015. Mississippi State won 51-28. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)
CHARLOTTE, N.C.
The chants of “Dak, Dak, Dak” rained down from the lower bowl of Bank of America Stadium.
Fans repeatedly requested pictures with Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott as he walked off the field as a member of the program one final time Wednesday night.
Bulldogs fans tried to savor one last memory with their star quarterback, who became the face of the program the past few seasons.
The redshirt senior gave the Mississippi State faithful one outstanding last hurrah when he passed for 380 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 47 yards to lead the Bulldogs to a 51-28 victory against North Carolina State in the Belk Bowl from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
“I don’t think there’s words to really describe what he’s done for this program,” MSU coach Dan Mullen said. “I think he’s taken the university and the football program and changed the way people think about us. Maybe that’s the best way to do (describe) it, which is pretty unique … I’ve coached a lot of good football players. I hate comparing guys, he can very easily be the best guy I’ve coached. He is a special, special football player, a special talent.
“To do what he did, in the conditions he did today, to come out there and execute the way that he did was phenomenal.”
It was the third consecutive bowl that Prescott produced gaudy statistical numbers. He finished his career with 1,308 total yards in bowl games. Prescott wasn't phased by the light rain that fell as the game began and started well against the Wolfpack (7-6).
After linebacker Gerri Green picked off N.C. State quarterback Jacoby Brissett on the game’s first play, Prescott followed that up with a touchdown pass to receiver Fred Ross, who finished with seven receptions for 74 yards, five plays later.
Prescott recorded his second touchdown pass of the game when he connected with De’Runnya Wilson down the middle of the field for a 28-yard score to push it to 14-0.
The Bulldogs (9-4) led 31-14 at halftime, but Prescott started slow in the second half, missing on his first seven passes of the third quarter.
He found his groove again, though, and tossed his third and fourth touchdown passes to Brandon Holloway, which went for 10 and 55 yards and helped MSU build a 23-point advantage with 9:41 left in the game.
It was pretty much cruise control the rest of the way for the Bulldogs, who won at least nine games in consecutive years for the first time in school history.
Prescott played a large role in helping Mississippi State reach those new heights.
“I remember the conversation that (I had with) my mom that allowed me to sign with Mississippi State at the time I was 17,” Prescott said. “At the time LSU was all in her ear recruiting her more than they were recruiting me.
“I remember one night staying up to two o’clock and just telling her that I didn’t want to go jump on the team who was used to winning or something like that. I wanted to go to the team (with) a coach who was changing things, who was changing expectations, and I saw that in coach Mullen.”
On Wednesday, Prescott became the fourth player in FBS history to pass for 9,000 yards and rush for 2,500. Mullen coached one of the other three quarterbacks who put up similar numbers, Tim Tebow.
“They’re both unbeleivable competitors,” Mullen said. “They both are unbelievable leaders of their teams and do things the right way … and they’re both outstanding men.
“They’re people that made unbelievable impact on other people’s lives.”
As much as Prescott has done to help the program, he got a lot of support from his teammates against the Wolfpack.
The Bulldogs' offensive line allowed just one sack after giving up seven in the Egg Bowl against Ole Miss.
The running attack rushed for 5.4 yards per carry. The defense tied its season high of five sacks. Italso recorded six tackles for loss, which helped it record a school record in that category with 98.
It all helped set up a fitting finale for the face of the program.
Contact Antonio Morales at amorales2@jackson.gannett.com. Follow @AntonioCMorales on Twitter.