Senior quarterback Nick Fitzgerald matched his career best of four rushing touchdowns and also passed for two as No. 16 Mississippi State rolled to an easy 56-10 victory over visiting Louisiana on Saturday night at Starkville, Miss.

Fitzgerald completed 14 of 21 passes for 243 yards and rushed for 107 as the Bulldogs (3-0) scored on their first seven possessions while dominating the contest. Senior Aeris Williams rushed for 101 yards and one score, and junior receivers Stephen Guidry and Keith Mixon had touchdown receptions.

Senior quarterback Andre Nunez was 21-of-29 passing for 224 yards, one touchdown and one interception for the Ragin' Cajuns (1-1). He threw a fourth-quarter touchdown pass to junior wideout Ja'Marcus Bradley.

Mississippi State outgained Louisiana 607-310, including a 331-65 edge on the ground. The Bulldogs had 29 first downs to Louisiana's 13.

Fitzgerald accounted for four first-half touchdowns as Mississippi State took a 35-3 halftime lead.

Louisiana senior Kyle Pfau kicked a 38-yard field goal for the first points of the game before Fitzgerald scored on a 1-yard run with 5:06 remaining to give the Bulldogs the lead. Fitzgerald added a 10-yard scoring run to make it 14-3 with 10 seconds left in the opening quarter.

Williams scored on a 3-yard run to make it an 18-point margin with 9:35 left in the half. Fitzgerald broke loose for a 36-yard jaunt to the 3-yard line and scored from the 2 two plays later to make it 28-3 with 4:54 remaining.

Fitzgerald capped Mississippi State's strong first half by throwing a 39-yard touchdown to Guidry with 18 seconds to play.

Fitzgerald notched his fourth rushing score on the first possession of the second half when he navigated 26 yards to make it 42-3. He fired a 25-yard touchdown pass to Mixon with 6:01 remaining in the quarter.

Louisiana found the end zone on Nunez's 4-yard scoring pass to Bradley with 7:31 remaining in the contest before Bulldogs sophomore backup quarterback Keytaon Thompson scored on a 16-yard keeper with 4:22 to go.

--Field Level Media