No. 18 Mississippi State started slowly but eventually pulled away to a 31-10 victory over Kansas State Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The Bulldogs outscored the Wildcats 28-7 in the final three quarters.

Mississippi State (2-0) outgained Kansas State 538-213 in the game, including 384-113 on the ground. Quarterback Nick Fitzgerald was just 11-of-27 for 154 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He also ran for 159 yards on 19 carries. Kylin Hill scored three touchdowns - two on the ground - and ran for 211 yards.

Kansas State (1-1) used two quarterbacks, but neither one could gain traction. Starter Skylar Thompson was 7-of-17 for 86 yards and a touchdown. He ran for 34 yards on 12 carries. Backup Alex Delton was 2-of-4 for 14 yards and a pick. He also rushed six times for just four yards.

Leading 17-3 at halftime, the Bulldogs forced a Kansas State punt to start the second half and then drove 95 yards on five plays, capped by a 13-yard pass from Fitzgerald to Austin Williams.

K-State scored its first touchdown with 2:20 left in the third quarter. Fitzgerald was intercepted by Wyatt Hubert at the 34, and Hubert returned it to the MSU 23. It was the first turnover K-State has forced this season. On the first play, Thompson found Dalton Schoen in the back of the end zone for the touchdown.

Mississippi State answered that with Hill's third touchdown, a 16-yard jaunt up the middle of the Kansas State defense early in the fourth quarter.

Fitzgerald connected with Hill on a 16-yard touchdown pass on the second play of the second quarter to give Mississippi State the lead to stay. Following an interception by Erroll Thompson, the Bulldogs pulled out to a 17-3 lead when Hill ran 28 yards untouched into the end zone.

Kansas State, as it did in its first game, struggled to find an offensive groove in the first half. The Wildcats did not score a touchdown until the fourth quarter in its opener, and was limited to 111 yards of total offense and a Blake Lynch 26-yard field goal prior to halftime.

Mississippi State scored first with a Jace Christmann field goal with 9:07 left in the first quarter. After scoring 21 points in the first quarter of their first game against Stephen F. Austin, the Bulldogs outgained the Wildcats 134-55, but the score was tied 3-3 after the first quarter.

--Field Level Media