Auburn-Mississippi State final score: 3 things we learned from the Bulldogs’ 38-23 win

The game ended as it began for Auburn -- with turnovers.

The Tigers turned the ball over on their first two plays of the game and fumbled it away on a crucial fourth-quarter kick return, falling to the Mississippi State Bulldogs in Starkville 38-23.

Mississippi State was able to take an early 21-0 lead thanks in large part to those two Tiger turnovers. Dak Prescott looked every bit a Heisman favorite early for the Bulldogs, and the potential for an unexpected blowout between the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the country was very much on the table.

Turns out backbreaking turnovers weren’t exclusive to the Tigers. Auburn was able to climb back into it before halftime thanks to four straight turnovers from Mississippi State -- two Prescott interceptions, a fake punt interception and a muffed punt. Two field goals and a touchdown later, the Tigers trailed 28-13 before the half.

These two offenses get a lot of attention for their ability to manufacture plays on the ground (Prescott and Marshall did not disappoint in that aspect), but the defenses came to play in Starkville. Auburn cornerback Jonathan Jones picked off two Prescott passes in one-on-one coverage, and was a continued force in pass coverage throughout the game. Both teams managed to limit longer plays from the opposing explosive offense -- the day’s longest play from scrimmage was Mississippi State running back Josh Robinson’s 37-yard run.

Up 28-20 in the fourth, the Bulldogs were able to make it a two-score game thanks to a short field goal. On the ensuing kickoff, everything fell apart for the Tigers.

And so it ended as it began -- with an Auburn turnover. Robinson ran it in for the touchdown, and Mississippi State suddenly found themselves with a commanding 38-20 lead in the fourth quarter. A late interception from Marshall sealed it, and the Bulldogs were able to kneel the game out.

1. Mississippi State should be the No. 1 team in the country. Some voters may have a hard time removing Florida State from the top spot after another (unimpressive) victory over a mediocre ACC team, but Mississippi State continues to convincingly beat some of the top programs in the nation. The Bulldogs are for real, folks -- they have a Heisman candidate at quarterback, one of the best running backs in the country, experience around the field and a fierce defense capable of making plays.

More on that Heisman candidate in a second, but this is the third straight time Mississippi State has gone out and simply outplayed a top-10 team. Granted, LSU top-10 status deserves a mighty big asterisk, but with games against Kentucky, Arkansas and UT-Martin prefacing their mid-November trip to Alabama, the Bulldogs are looking at a very good chance of a 9-0 start. The Bulldogs have had one 10-win season since 1941.

2. Dak Prescott is the Heisman favorite. This was the likely already the case after Todd Gurley’s suspension, but Prescott once again came up big on the big stage for the Bulldogs. He may have thrown two interceptions, but the junior totaled three touchdowns and led the team in rushing.

Prescott completed 18 of 34 passes for 246 yards and a touchdown, running 21 times for 121 yards and two scores. He was helped by his running back Robinson (19 carries, 97 yards) and the two worked together in tandem to keep the Auburn defense on its heels throughout the day.

3. Auburn’s still a playoff contender. The possibility of two teams from the SEC West making it into the playoff has not been an unpopular one, and if the Tigers and Mississippi State can both beat Alabama, they’d be the two most likely ones. The Tigers have the best non-conference win in the division (at Kansas State), and have opportunities against Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Georgia and the Tide to make another statement. We saw Gus Malzahn’s team finish strong down the stretch last season to make it into the national title game, and they have another chance to do so this year.