After a host of penalties against and interceptions thrown, Mississippi State countered Wake Forest's small momentum with their offense's saving grace - a big run from Vick Ballard. Ballard rumbled 72 yards for a touchdown, bookending his 60 yard score in the first quarter, and the Bulldogs have regained a comfortable 23-14 lead. Counting his breakaway rush, Ballard has 179 yards on 11 carries, just shy of a State bowl record for rushing (Walter Packer, 183 yards in the 1974 Sun Bowl).

The Bulldogs have out rushed Wake Forest 252-45, and the Demon Deacons gained their first third down conversion of the night with 10:32 remaining in the fourth quarter. Still, Wake has dominated the time of possession in spite of trailing total yardage by almost half (380 to 218), holding a ten minute advantage.

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